Team McShea Will Fly The Flag For Multiple Sclerosis Awareness At X-GAMES 14

Niall Mc Shea [r] and co-driver Marshall Clark will represent, Team MS RACING at X-GAMES 14 this weekend in LA. Picture Subaru Rally Team USA.

By Neil McDaid
By taking the overall victory at the Maine Forest Rally on July 12, Ireland's Niall McShea and navigator Marshall Clark grabbed the last qualifying spot at the X-GAMES 14 Rally, which will take place in Los Angeles July 30-August 3.
The dust had barely settled on the Maine stages before negotiations were underway to secure a car and funds to make sure that McShea would be able to take his place at the Games. Subaru USA was the first to step up with a car and some sponsorship for McShea.

Even at 107mph, on his beloved 1967 Triumph TR6, this Irish American with ties to Co. Kerry has trouble staying ahead of Multiple Sclerosis. Nonetheless, Jim Haraughty vows to continue his race for awareness and a cure (Thomas Graf)

The same group of Irish businessmen from Pearl River, New York who brought McShea to Maine, would come through again with additional sponsorship to make up the balance. McShea will pilot the latest open class 2008 Subaru STI, prepared by Vermont Sports Car at the Games.
With the X-GAMES being televised to millions around the world and just as many again when it hits the very popular website YouTube, Team McShea felt it would be a great opportunity to donate space on the car to a worthy cause. Team McShea will display the Team MS Racing decals on the car, giving much needed exposure to the fight against Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
Team MS Racing and Team MS Foundation were founded by Jim Haraughty of Monana, Wisconsin. Jim and his wife Kathleen [nee, Gallagher] have ties to both Kerry and Donegal. In 2003, at the age of 45, Jim was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, November 12, to be exact, "It's a date that is etched in my mind," says Jim.
Jim had been very active all his life, started out as a tennis instructor who turned semi-pro and then was an avid motorcycle racer and cyclist. After being so active, he struggled with the early stages of the disease. "There were days when I just wanted to stop and not get out of bed. It's on these bad days when you need to dig deep and stay active, and not become a lump. If you don't, MS wins."
MS can affect your emotions as well as important cognitive functions like memory and concentration.
People with MS often experience devastating losses-for example of the ability to work, to walk, or even to engage in simple leisure activities.
With a lack of knowledge about the disease Jim's passion for life and family pushed him to explore every possible piece of information on MS. He quickly found out that that information on drugs and treatment was not so readily available.
As Jim began his many different treatments he came up with the idea for Team MS Racing. It was the start of his race against MS, a race to gain awareness, and more so a race to research and a cure.
Jim also started Team MS Foundation which works to assist people living with Multiple Sclerosis in their quest to remain active. It's important for people with Multiple Sclerosis to participate in life by remaining active; it's an essential element in living with the disease. But, Multiple Sclerosis can be a financial hardship that limits this necessary activity.
Team MS Foundation grants are awarded to individuals and members of families who live with, and deal with, Multiple Sclerosis in their lives to help keep them active.
Among his many goals for the team, Jim wanted to set an example that an active lifestyle is not something that needs to be given up while with living with MS. Over the past few years Team MS Racing's efforts on the American Historic Motorcycling circuit have attracted the attention of many in the motorsports community to the struggles of those with MS.
Despite dealing with the everyday challenges of MS, in 2007 Jim tackled a world record attempt at the infamous Bonneville Salt Flats on a production class 1967 Triumph TR6 motorcycle. With the bike stuck in third gear, Jim broke the record for the class reaching 107mph. Unfortunately, with the gearbox toast he could not make a second pass so the record did not hold.
Despite his disappointment at not getting the record, Jim's effort caught the attention of one of the USA'Sslargest motorcycle magazines, Motorcyclist. The magazine ran a story on the racer with MS, bringing MS awareness to their large reader base. For Jim it was "mission accomplished."
All going well Jim hopes to be able to have another crack at a record this year.
I spoke with Jim this week and asked him about getting some exposure for Multiple Sclerosis at the X-GAMES. "It's beyond excitement! I can't thank Niall and his supporters enough for giving Team MS Racing some space on the car. It's a dream come true."
Jim continues to battle new issues with MS with every passing day, but he also continues to add to his list of to-do's - "to keep the race alive, grabbing this life by the horns. And, I need to get a ride in one of these rally cars - I think I could navigate. " I am sure that could be arranged!

Somewhere among the glitz and commercial hype of the X-GAMES, Niall McShea will do his thing as a driver. He'll battle it out with defending X-GAMES Rally champion
Tanner Foust, the crazy car jumping Ken Block and Mr. X-GAMES himself, Travis Pastrana.
Regardless of the final result, Team McShea is already winners to those battling and living with Multiple Sclerosis around the world.
All going well he will also have brought just a little more awareness to the race against this disease.
The X-GAMES Rally will be shown live on ABC television between 3-6pm Eastern. Check your local listings for times in your area.

For More info: www.teamms.org, www.rally-america.com , http://rally.subaru.com/index.html

Subaru Rally Team USA - X Games 14

Subaru Rally Team USA - X Games 14

Niall McShea is locked in for XGAMES 14

“Mission accomplished” we heading to the XGAMES, Niall McShea [r] along with co-driver Marshall Clarke celebrate their first American rally victory and their place at the games. Picture Neil McDaid.

McShea Takes Victory at New England Forest Rally USA

By Neil McDaid

Newry, Maine, July 13, 2008. In what can only be described as a fantastic display of skill behind the wheel of a rally car, Ireland’s Niall McShea drove a very calculated rally and claimed the overall victory at the 2008 New England Forest Rally. By winning the event McShea also lands one of the much sought after spots at the 2008 X-Games 14 in Los Angeles, California.
Niall, who hails from Co. Fermanagh but now makes his home in Donegal, was the 2004 PWRC Champion [Production World Rally Championship]. He has competed all over the globe but until this point had not tackled the vast gravel stages in the USA.

“The men behind McShea” Far left, Sponsors Gerry Coffey and Enda McCormack, co-driver Marshall Clarke, the man himself, Niall McShea with car owner and sponsor Martin Donnelly. Picture Neil McDaid

The deal to have McShea come to the America came together rather quickly over the past few months when several Irish New York businessmen got together and hatched a plan to supply the car and sponsorship. Tyrone man Martin Donnelly supplied Niall with his fully rebuilt open class Mitsubishi EVO 8, while Enda McCormack and Gerry Coffey would offer additional financial sponsorship.
A slight change to the rules meant that Niall was not able to take advantage of any pace notes that were available from prior years but would basically have to write his own notes on a one pass recce.. As McShea’s regular co-driver Gordon Noble was not available, Marshall Clarke was called upon to call the notes for McShea on this event. It was not the first time that this duo had charged to victory; Clarke and McShea took top honors in GPN at WRC Rally Ireland last year.
Although the entries were greatly down from the prior years in Maine, the top 10 cars were all of top caliber. All had raced many times in Maine before, no doubt giving them an edge over McShea.

Subaru USA driver Ken Block had McShea in his sights throughout out the rally, but unfortunately Block would make a costly mistake on SS8 that ended his run. Picture Neil McDaid

Team Subaru USA was there in full force with their new 2008 Subaru STI’s. Travis Pastrana, the defending Rally America and New England Forest Rally Champion, was teamed up with Subaru’s second driver Ken Block who has been on fire throughout the 08 season for Team Subaru. You could be sure that they both had McShea locked in their crosshairs.
Rock Star Energy Drink’s Andrew Pinker would definitely be looking to claim the final spot at the X-Games 14 by finishing well in Maine. US based Irish driver Seamus Burke would be looking to be in the hunt if he could manage to shake the monkey off his back. Burke has had unbelievably bad engine management problems in 2008.
As Maine can be a tough rally for spectators to gain access to the stages, rally organizer John Buffum put on two spectator stages to open the rally. The first was at the Sunday River resort [the rally headquarters] and the second in the town of Mexico.
Andrew Pinker would claim the first short stage at Sunday River and Ken Block would take the run around the part in Mexico to claim victory on SS2. Seamus Burke will have to continue to feed the monkey as once again he would retire after one stage with engine failure.

Aussie, Andrew Pinker turned on the heat Saturday, but it was not enough to catch McShea. Picture Neil McDaid.

SS3 “South Arm S” would be the first true test on the event. Pinker would set the pace by 2 seconds over McShea with Ken Block rounding out the top three.
SS4 “South Arm N” would be a reverse of SS3. McShea must have liked what he saw on the way in as he set a tire warping pace on the way out taking the stage win by 15 seconds over Ken Block, and 34 second over Andrew Pinker. From there the cars would head back to Mexico for service before tackling the stage that has been dubbed “the co-drivers nightmare,” SS5 “Blind Pond”. Although Blind Pond is a short stage at only 5.6 miles it is very fast with a several hair-raising jumps - not for the faint of heart.
Ken Block laid claim to this stage in 2007 by setting the fastest time ever recorded for this test, this after having a disastrous off in 2006. Block and co-driver Alex Gelsomino would again set the mark on Blind Pond, but only by 1.6 seconds over McShea. At the close of business on Friday McShea had taken full advantage of his fourth place seeding on the road in day-one, pushing hard where needed to make time. He managed to eke out a 9 second advantage over Ken Block to put himself in first place heading into Saturday.

“O mother” Eamonn Sweeney who was calling the notes for Joseph Burke, was praying for a soft landing on one of the infamous jumps on Concord pond. Picture Neil McDaid

Day-Two

Now running first on the road, McShea would have to deal with sweeping off the loose surface gravel on the stages, but he would not have to contend with the linger dust.
SS6 “Dillon Success” was the first of five stages on the slate for day two. After having to run first on the road on Friday, the Canadian duo of Antoine L'Estage and Nathalie Richard, now running third on the road, found their pace and stopped the clocks 6 second ahead of Block and McShea who almost had the same time for the stage. The advantage went to Block who claimed second.
SS7 “Success Dillon” was a turnaround of SS6, and as he did on day one McShea would take full advantage of the line and take the stage win by 5 seconds over L’Estage. The rally caravan would then head northwest for the final three stages of the rally, and the final showdown.
With hundreds of rally fans, many with the tri-color flying lining the stage, McShea would tackle SS8 “South Mountain.” But, all was not well under the hood of the Mitsubishi. McShea’s car started to overhead and he was experiencing brake fade. For the first time in the event Travis Pastrana finally showed up and tied stage times with Andrew Pinker for the stage victory. In all honesty it was a massive feat for Pastrana to be even in the car, as he had just had knee surgery a few weeks back. L’Estage would take third and McShea would be a massive 13 seconds off the pace of Pastrana and Pinker.

Unfortunately, SS8 would claim Block and Gelsomino who had been running neck and neck with McShea. Block slide off the road and damaged a control arm, ending his rally.
Back at the final service of the day the concern in the McShea camp was obvious. It appeared that the water spray unit for the intercooler had failed, the exhaust had been damaged and the brake pads were steel on steel. It was all hands on deck as McShea rushed out to make the time control, more drama ensued! The exhaust had not been clipped in place correctly! In an instant Niall was under the car, made the repair and just about made the time control.
With only two stages remaining in the rally, even the Moose were holding their breath. With the uncertainty surrounding the condition of McShea’s car it was still all up for grabs. Anton L’Estage was a mere 15 seconds off McShea for the victory. Would we see the tri-color or the maple leaf fly on the final podium?

By the end of SS9 McShea had managed to hold the Canadian off by just one second, and Andrew Pinker in third by 6.9. Feeling more confident with the car McShea would throw caution to the wind and charge hard on the final stage, SS10 “Middle Dam Out.”
Niall would again roast the field, taking the stage win by almost 26 seconds over Andre Pinker, and whopping 50 seconds over Pastrana. Unfortunately, the only thing that Anton L’Estage would roast was his engine; he would not make it out of the final stage on his own power. McShea had claimed victory in his first US rally, and also claimed a place in the X-Games 14. Andrew Pinker would slot into second and the wounded Pastrana would claim the final spot on the podium.

Congrats all round, Joseph Burke congratulated Travis Pastrana on his podium finish, and likewise Travis gives Joseph the thumbs up on taking second in his class. Picture Neil McDaid

Early word is that McShea is going to pilot a partially backed Vermont Sports Car Subaru at the X-Games 14. Let’s hope he will find the additional sponsorship to make up the difference as he would surely be in mix for a medal.

Picture from Maine can be found here

http://AbhusAnseo.smugmug.com/gallery/5441329_wBWZR/1/332681364_CxXpW