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RALLY NEWS
NO.4 GORTIN VILLAGE ..... SAT 3.30PM
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 5
1ST (1) Ian Greer/Dean Beckett (Corolla WRC) 35.26.08
2ND (4) Peadar Hurson/Ian Porter (Escort Cos) 36.16.8
3RD (12) Seamus Heron/Sean Devlin (Lancer N) 38.06.4
4TH (10) Philip Shaw/Ciaran Kelly (Escort) 38.07.1
5TH (6) Maurice Gass/Geoffrey Orr (Celica) 38.36.4
6TH (7) George Robinson/Francis Regan (Escort Cos) 38.44.6
Although it is hard to believe but conditions do seem to be getting
worse on the stages, even rally leader Ian Greer admitted that
he was struggling in stage five with the standing water.
Dean Beckett saying "the water was like a river running
down the road, we couldn't see, a combination of spray and steam,
pretty entertaining". even with this Ian continues
to set fastest times and extend his lead at the head of the leaderboard.
As we were speaking to the leading drivers at the passage control
here in Gortin news filtered through that Denis Biggerstaff is
off about three miles from the end of stage five. It seems
that Denis hit some standing water and has gone into a bank,
though with his earlier brake problems this may be related, but
hopefully for Denis the car isn't to badly damaged as he needs
to defend his Northern Ireland championship title on next weekend's
Toshiba Rally.
Philip Shaw and Ciaran Kelly continue to fly in their Mk2 Escort,
one of the few drivers really enjoying these terrible conditions,
Philip saying of stage five "we had a real flyer there,
really good". Peadar Hurson continues to set brilliant
times in his older Escort Cosworth and has a very secure second
place at the moment.
Leading GpN but claiming to be taking it steady is Seamus Herron
in third place, though he does have Philip Shaw breathing down
his neck. Maurice Gass has dropped a few seconds and moved
back into fifth, while just of the leaderboard and running further
down the field at 29 is Stephen Moore and Isaac Busby who were
7th overall after stage three while Paul Spence is going well
in his Corsa just outside the top ten.
After struggling with suspension that was proving just to stiff,
Daniel and Michael Doherty have decided not to carry on in their
new Impreza WRC, the car previously owned by Englishman Mike
Oates who specialised in airfield type events and Daniel felt
there wasn't much point in carrying on with the car being so
unwieldy.
Dick Curran in the DGM Lancer still lies second in the category
and some good times are now coming from the circuit racer, while
Owen Lamont reports no problems in his Stan Harper prepared Impreza.
More News Later ........ Michael Patterson and Zoe Todd |
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