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RALLY NEWS
NO.2 Service In..Sunday 2.15
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 1
1st (2) Tim McNulty/Eugene O'Donnell (Celica) 8.24
2nd (1) David Armstrong/Herbie Blackburn (Escort Cos) 8.34
3rd (3) Connie Smith/James Murtagh (Escort) 8.46
(7) Joe McGurk/Brian Duggan (Celica) 8.46
5th (9) Eugene Ferry/John Gallagher (Escort) 8.47
6th (151) Sean Gallagher/tba (Escort Cos) 8.52
7th (4) Patrick Elliott/Martin Cahill (Lancer N) 8.58
(18) Mervyn Wedlock/Philip Smith (Escort) 8.58
9th (8) Camillus Bradley/Danny O'Neill (Escort) 9.10
(27) Padraig Price/David Nooney (Sierra) 9.10
Following last night's huge thunder and lightning storms which
led to flooded roads, today's stage has dried out remarkably
well. The drivers report very high speeds and the bumps
and jumps are really taking their toll. Last year's winner,
David Armstrong, lost some time when his Escort Cosworth's anti
lag system stuck on after a junction. Tim McNulty also reports
anti lag difficulties, but his Toyota was definitely the fastest
car over the first stage, by a long way. Third on the road, Connie
Smith, tells us he was using a different type of tyre, and the
car seemed to be sliding about a lot. Interestingly, Eugene
Ferry felt, on the familiarisation run, that his car was moving
about on its rubber, Eugene changed to a hard compound slick,
and it paid off with 5th fastest overall. Fastest of all the
Mk2 Escort. Joe McGurk had a steady run to take 3rd equal
with Connie Smith, while Sean Gallagher rounds off the top 6
in the ex John Gilleece car. Sean is still experimenting
with the rear suspension of the red Escort Cosworth, and seems
to be improving by the minute.
No.5 seed Ivan Stewart is right out of the picture after that
first stage, his time over 10 minutes, when his ex Cullen Escort
Cosworth cut out 3 times. Camillus Bradley lost time on
that first stage when he overshot a junction. Mick McQuaid, on
his first outing since his accident in Cavan, recorded a time
of 9.42, the taciturn Mick observing "We wouldn't be lighting
any fires!" Pat White's Escort Cosworth was down on
power, he has been having a sensor trouble with the engine of
the car, but not a bad time of 9.17. Enda Keenan was on
9.16. Micky Cadden's Sierra had an intercooler pipe come loose
and he recorded 9.31. Pat & Liam Higgins are running
a new gearbox in their Escort, and have not yet got an underneath
guard for it, so they are taking it easy over the jumps and recorded
9.29.
There was no sign of the Manta of John Spain here at service
in control - reason unknown. Brecan McBreen was having
difficulty with his Escort rear brakes locking up and he slowed
to 10.01. Padraig Price had a good run considering it is
his first time in Dominic Loughran's Sierra Cosworth, and of
course it is left hand drive. Car 34, Gordon Rogers, was
another to have a fairly good run, despite a spin the Bailieborough
man stopped the clocks with a 9.16. Other news includes
- Micky McArdle's BMW M3 stopping on the way out to the first
stage. David Buckley hired Sean Walsh's Sunbeam but the clutch
is apparently slipping. Car 87 blew up on the way to the start,
that is James Cribbin. More news after stage 2..BRIAN & LIZ
PATTERSON |
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