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RALLY NEWS
NO.2 GORTIN FOREST PARK .... SAT 1.00PM
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 1
1ST (1) Ian Greer/Dean Beckett (Corolla WRC) 4.40.0
2ND (3) Denis Biggerstaff/Guy Carlisle (Metro 6R4) 4.48.9
= (4) Peadar Hurson/Ian Porter (Escort Cos) 4.48.9
4TH (10) Philip Shaw/Ciaran Kelly (Escort) 5.05.9
5TH (6) Maurice Gass/Geoffrey Orr (Celica) 5.09.1
6TH (12) Seamus Heron/Sean Devlin (Lancer N) 5.12.5
7TH (7) George Robinson/Francis Regan (Escort Cos) 5.17.1
8TH (2) Daniel & Michael Doherty (Impreza WRC) 5.22.4
9TH (11) Owen Lamont/Philip McCrea (Impreza) 5.33.6
10TH (18) Dick Curran/Gary Lyons (Lancer N) 5.45.4
As the weather deteriorates, the drivers tackled the first f5.02
mile Butterlope stage in very slippy conditions. Former
Tarmac champion Ian Greer in his Taranto De Pol Corolla WRC set
the pace with a time 8.9 seconds quicker than his nearest rival,
Ian saying that he was just taking it handy while co-driver Dean
Beckett described the stage as "slippy but nice".
Daniel and Michael Doherty had a bit of a torrid time through
that test in their new Impreza WRC. Daniel admitted that
in these difficult conditions that it was probably the worst
time to be trying to learn a new car, never mind adapting to
his first time in a left-hand drive car.
Tying for second place are Denis Biggerstaff and Peadar Hurson
respectively. Denis actually showed a time of 5.48.9 at
the passage control after stage one, but further investigation
has revealed that Denis had no problems in the stage and there
is an error on his time card, and we are confident that the revised
time is correct. Peadar Hurson also reported no problems
in his Escort Cosworth, but of course he is finding it slippy
like everybody else.
Philip Shaw is doing his usual giant killing performance in his
rear wheel drive Mk2 Escort, though he really did struggle with
a bad tyre choice and could not get any traction especially out
of the tighter corners.
Notable retirement on the first stage is Norman Savage and Hugh
Williamson in their GpN Impreza, who have reportedly rolled,
but following crews report that they are out of the car and okay.
The stage was blocked for just a little while and it seems to
have effected Jim Feenan in his Escort Cosworth who lost some
time squeezing past the stricken Subaru. Other non starters
this morning seem to be Cathal Rodgers and also Dan McCarton,
both went through scrutiny but for reasons unknown didn't start
this morning.
In GpN Seamus Heron leads the category in his Lancer from former
racer Dick Curran in his DGM Lancer, Dick as usual beaming from
ear to ear and saying "one down, five to go".
More News Later ...... Michael Patterson and Zoe Todd
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