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RALLY NEWS
NO.2 End of stage 1..Saturday 11 am
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 1
1st (6) Peadar Hurson/Ian Porter (Escort Cos) 8.04
2nd (2) Eamonn Boland/Damien Morrissey (Impreza WRC) 8.12
3rd (4) Michael Barrable/Dermot O'Gorman (Celica) 8.24
4th (22) Patrick Elliott/Martin Cahill (Lancer N) 8.45
5th (24) George Treacy/Alan Treacy (Impreza N) 8.48
6th (25) John Treacy/John Smithwick (Escort) 8.49
The above times are from the first few cars only.
Drama struck this Dunlop Rally of Ireland even before the first
stage when Austin McHale, unavoidably delayed, and running late,
clipped Tommy Graham's Escort Cosworth on the way into the first
stage control. The suspension on Tommy's Escort WRC was
too badly damaged to continue. Austin's Corolla's suspension
was also damaged. He managed to get the car mobile and
made the best hand of the first stage that he could, but dropped
over 2 minutes. The No.1 seed has it all to do.
As can be seen above, Peadar Hurson was fastest of the early
runners, Peadar reporting the stage desperately slippy and treacherous.
His own description was "wild". Just 15 cars
then came through the stage until there was a large gap.
Next car on the road should have been Max McKillen in the Protec
Puma, but when we left there was no sign of the little Ford...
Eamonn Boland reported no problems with his Impreza WRC, Michael
Barrable took it comparitively cautious. Michael made the
pace notes with Dermot O'Gorman's son Diarmuid. Dermot was busy
in the work and could not do the recce, so it probably took Michael
a few miles to settle down. Dominic Loughran came through
on a time of 9.01 in the Sierra, again bedding himself in.
Hugh Dunne clocked 9.25, his Legacy sporting a flapping front
tyre, evidence of a puncture for many miles. Kildare man
Hugh shouted out the window "Driver error, clipped a rock".
Tom Holton had a time of 9.21, Michael Shaw in the gpN Lancer
a massive 14.28, having stopped to change a wheel. Kevin
Barrett was in somewhat of a fury when he finished the stage,
his Triton Showers backed Impreza suffering a blown turbo from
halfway through the test, Kevin doing well to record 9.05.
Patrick Elliott was just fastest of the gpN cars, George Treacy
just 3s behind in his Subaru.
Tom Taafe in the Integra had a time of 10.15, Tom another to
have clipped a rock and slightly deranged the steering. Sean
Keenan (21) is driving the development Opel Corsa Kit Car and
after a few teething problems during the week, the Galway man
was haappy to get the car through on a time of 9.06. Eugene
Ferry was just outside the leaderboard on 9.05. When we
caught up with McHale, as his mechanics worked furiously at the
Corolla at the pub in Brittas, Austin reckoned the suspension
was fixed, but he knows himself he has a huge job to try and
make up the leeway. His time was 10.06 for the stage, and
perhaps a few seconds road penalties to be added. More news to
follow: BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON |
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