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RALLY NEWS
NO.2 Service/Near New Ross/Sat. 1pm
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 1
1st (1) Eamonn Boland/Damien Morrissey (Subaru WRC) 9.31
2nd (16) Steve Fleck/Tim Neal (Subaru) 9.50
3rd (9) Jon Mercer/Lyn Jenkins (Metro 6R4) 9.51
4th (8) David Armstrong/Herbie Blackburn (Escort) 9.52
5th (155) Steve Hendy/Vanessa Cann (Escort Cos) 10.00
6th (15) Lyndon Barton/Aled Loveluck (Metro 6R4) 10.02
7th (11) Johnny O'Sullivan/Pat Cashman (Escort WRC) 10.05
8th (10) Derek Smith/Darragh Cafferty (Escort) 10.11
(44) Guy Woodcock/Hu Kent (RS2000) 10.11
10th (18) Jimmy Lambert/James Coleman (Escort) 10.12
Eamonn Boland's Subaru WRC arrived in here to service with the
engine roaring like a bull, the number one seed reporting that
the throttle had been stuck open some way for most of the stage.
It didn't affect the Wexford man's time. Second and third
cars on the road leaving the Rosslare start, John Price and Melvyn
Evans, did not appear in here to service. Nine times rally
champion John Price was reportedly stopped in the stae with his
Metro 6R4 tailgate up, looking at the engine. Spectators
tell us that Melvyn Evans was going strong a few junctions into
the stage, but he has not appeared here at service in the Escort
WRC.
That leaves David Armstrong 2nd on the road, the Border Champion
telling us that he felt just a bit rusty, but he is not too worried,
its a 2 day rally - a sentiment shared by several of the more
canny top drivers. Jon Mercer for example commented "We
made a nice quiet start". His co driver Lyn Jenkins
observing "It is a long way to go in this Wexford Rally".
Other stories include..Johnny O'Sullivan taking it a wee bit
cautiously, his Escort WRC fitted with a new very high ratio
rack which takes a bit of getting used to. David James
in the G3 Escort reckoned he had a very soft brake pedal for
most of the first stage, although it firmed a bit towards the
end. Lyndon Barton had a very sideways moment after one of the
hairpins in his Metro 6R4. Tomas O'Rourke's Astra stopped for
quite a few minutes in the stage, got going eventually without
really knowing what the problem was. Something obscure and electrical
perhaps.
Guy woodcock had a really good run in his F2 Escort to back up
his top 6 place on the Manx International last week. Jimmy
Lambert set a scorching time in stage 1 in his Mk2 Escort, but
had a real struggle to get the car up the road section here to
service. Co-driver James Coleman sat on the mudguard, with the
bonnet off, and with a crow bar wedged behind the alternator
to keep tension on the belts. If the mechanics can get
a new bolt to fit the alternator bracket, they will keep going,
otherwise they are out.
John Sheehan in the gpn Subaru lost a few seconds when he caught
the car in front. Jon Stangle in the Darrian had a good
time of 10.17, whipped on by his co driver Paul Nagle.
TJ Crosbie is settling in to his new Peugeot and had a time of
10.46. More news to follow. BRIAN AND LIZ PATTERSON |
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