RALLY NEWS NO.5      Granville service..Monday 2.45

UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 7
1st (2) Robin Philips/Mike Gibson (Celica) 52.34
2nd (5) James Gillen/PJ Gillespie (Escort Cos) 52.35
3rd (4) Trevor Moore/Richard Curry (Escort Cos) 53.29
4th (6) Gary White/Barry Taggart (Escort Cos) 53.36
5th (25) Philip Shaw/Nigel Frazer (Escort) 53.39
6th (12) Kieran Shaw/Crawford Henderson (Escort Cos) 53.53
7th (19) Glenn Allen/Adrian Johnston (Escort) 54.25
8th (15) Fintan McGrady/Tim Hopkins (Escort Cos) 54.36
9th (16) George Robinson/Francis Regan (Escort Cos) 54.46
10th (40) Raymond Mason/Stephen Dowds (Impreza) 54.43
11th (30) Raymond Johnston/Ivan Fisher (Impreza) 54.49

Robin Philips was fastest through stages 6 and 7 to regain the lead of the rally, with 2 stages to go and a grandstand finish in sight.  Robin was saying that one of his problems on that stage 4 where Gillen got so far ahead, was that his windscreen was misted over.  Gillen's Escort Cosworth is still suffering from anti lag troubles. 

Philip Shaw slipped a couple of places on stage 7 when his Escort suffered a rear wheel puncture, also incurred some road penalties coming into service. Kieran Shaw has also slipped a few places following road penalties when the mechanics were trying to fix the anti lag system.  James Cassidy/Damien Duffin in their Escort G3 are now on a total of 55.37 and provisionally leading class 4 for 1600 cars. Just outside the leaderboard we have Richard Hall on 55.46, his steering still slightly upset.

Wesley Patterson & Bob Kelly have definitely retired their Sierra Cosworth after holding 2nd place.  The rear hub carrier had sheared studs and when they went to the van for the spare remembered they had lent it to another competitor in West Cork, who never returned it!

Gary White has had a wrong tyre choice and still has overheating brakes. Douglas Richardson, who has his daughter Paula co driving, suffered a chunking tyre on stage 7.  Jim Crozier reckons he went to sleep in stage 6.

More news later..BRIAN AND LIZ PATTERSON