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RALLY NEWS
NO.6 Letterkenny..Friday 7.30
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 8 - BREENAGH
1st (3) Andrew Nesbitt/James
O'Brien (Impreza WRC) 59.21
2nd (6) Derek McGarrity/Chris Patterson (Impreza) 1.00.32
3rd (1) James Cullen/Ellen Moran (Impreza) 1.00.58
(2) Austin McHale/Brian Murphy (Corolla) 1.00.58
5th (5) Ian Greer/Dean Beckett (Celica) 1.01.01
6th (9) Frank Meagher/Dermot O'Gorman (Escort WRC)1.01.37
7th (11) Daniel & Michael Doherty (Impreza) 1.02.08
8th (8) Eamonn Boland/Damien Morrissey (Impreza WRC)1.02.24
9th (7) Stephen Murphy/MJ Morrissey (Imreza) 1.02.44
10th (14) Hugh M Doherty/Mike Gibson (Escort WRC) 1.02.46
11th (18) Peadar Hurson/Ian Porter (Escort Cos) 1.03.05
12th (24) Eugene Donnelly/Paul Nagle (Escort) 1.03.28
13th (35) Philip Shaw/Nigel Frazer (Escort) 1.04.24
14th (25) Donie & Tim O'Sullivan (Escort Cos) 1.04.30
Spectators this afternoon were unanimous in the praise of the
top drivers on this Shell Donegal International. What a
display they put on. Andrew Nesbitt was controlled aggression
all the way, never putting a wheel wrong, and fastest on all
8 stages. Andrew reported no problems as the car headed
into the overnight parc ferme. Second placed Derek McGarrity
lost a little bit of momentum towards the end, as his Subaru
WRC's front suspension started to cry enough, the car developing
a hint of a wallow over the tough Cloghan Lodge and Breenagh
bumps and jumps.
James Cullen and Austin McHale are showing 3rd overnight. There
is a question mark over austin's stage 2 time which at the moment
is showing as an impossibly fast time. However, putting
that aside Austin had a brilliant run as he finally gets to explore
the limits of his Corolla WRC. James Cullen was a lot happier
with the performance of his Impreza over the last couple of stages.
The McKinstry men changed the front suspension and it made all
the difference.
Cullen was however, extremely perturbed at one happening on stage
7, Cloghan Lodge. He told us he was absolutely on the limit of
rev counter in top gear, she would go no harder, when he rounded
a long fast bend to be confronted by spectators walking with
their backs to him. They were completely oblivious of the
danger and James had the devil's own job to get the Subaru slowed
in time. The moral of the story is of course, if spectating,
please please be aware of the dangers.
Eugene Donnelly put his Escort G3 into parc ferme with the exhaust
manifold partly removed, hoping to get it welded up in the morning.
Daniel Doherty finished the last couple of stages with the car
spluttering slightly and running on only one fuel pump, he's
hoping to get new pumps fitted tomorrow morning before High Glen.
Hugh Martin Doherty had a big moment on the last stage. Paul
Harris' retirement was eventually down to a defunct clutch in
the Porsche. More nes in the morning..BRIAN AND LIZ PATTERSON
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