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RALLY NEWS
NO.3 Service (In)..near Donegal Town..Saturday
1.30
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 3
1st (4) Hugh M Doherty/Billy McCullins (Escort WRC) 26.08
2nd (14) Eugene Ferry/John Gallagher (Escort) 26.27
3rd (3) Tim McNulty/Eugene O'Donnell (Celica) 26.30
4th (24) John & James Cairns (Impreza N) 26.40
5th (20) Joe McHugh/Dermot McHugh (Escort Cos N) 26.47
6th (5) Ivan Stewart/Joe Friel (Escort Cos) 26.48
7th (21) Rory Kennedy/Paul Goodman (Lancer N) 27.03
8th (15) Mac McKenna/John Loughran (Peugeot rwd) 27.07
9th (23) Andrew Stewart/Fabian McShane (Impreza) 27.37
10th (19) Alan Nesbitt/David Smith (Escort) 28.02
Hugh Martin Doherty moved into the lead of this Killybegs Harvest
Rally at the end of stage 2 when he was 4s ahead of Eugene Ferry,
and then on stage 3 Hugh Martin again set fastest time to increase
his advantage. Hugh described the going as "very heady over
the bumps and jumps". Second placed Eugene Ferry said
that he knocked his Escort steering out very slightly on the
first stage, but no real problem, and then he caught and passed
Camillus Bradley on stage 3, but again no real time loss.
Bradley's Escort was struggling at the time with a broken half
shaft. Third placed Tim McNulty reckons his Toyota's suspension
was much too hard for the Donegal jumps, the mechanics softened
up the front struts before stage 3, and now they are going to
soften the rears.
Retirements include - Border chamionship contender Paul Gallagher.
His Toyota was running very slowly after the bad jump/dip just
after the start of stage 2 and as far as we know has not made
it here to service. Philip Shaw was 2nd after the first stage
and his Escort has stopped in stage 2 after some jumps. Dermot
McAuley crashed his Honda Civic in stage 3 to leave Seamus Gallagher
well out in front in the class. Norman Armstrong is another
to retire - reportedly a mechanical problem striking his Escort.
In group N John Cairns has really got on to his new Subaru and
although he had to give best to Joe McHugh on the first stage,
he edged ahead through stages 2 and 3. We think that McHugh was
delayed by slightly behind Ivan Stewart who had a torrid time
in stage 3, surviving a 6th gear spin, co driver Joe Friel saying
"We were very lucky to get away with that". Joe
McHugh's co driver, brother Dermot, told us "We have a bit
left in the tank yet, we're driving very comfortably".
Brendan Kelly is still well down the order after losing 4 minutes
in the first stage, but his times through stages 2 and 3 have
been sensationally quick.
Maurice Moffett joked here at service "The car's shook to
bits and so am I!" Micky McArdle emerged unscathed
from a stage 3 spin in his BMW. Andrew Stewart has some
gearbox trouble with his Lancer |
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