RALLY NEWS NO2 LIVE from Limerick

Pitlane - Officilal Motorsport Merchandising- Incorporting CSE Rallyhire

RALLY NEWS NO.2     Greenmount Racecourse..Sunday 2pm

UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 1
1st (2) Austin McHale/Brian Murphy (Corolla WRC) 3.28
2nd (3) Kenny McKinstry/Declan Tumilty (Impreza WRC) 3.32
3rd (4) Frank Meagher/Anthony Nestor (Focus WRC) 3.35
4th (7) Michael Barrable/Dermot O'Gorman (Celica) 3.40
5th (6) Niall Maguire/Paul McLaughlin (Impreza WRC) 3.44
    (9) Ollie O'Donovan/David Moynihan (Legacy) 3.44
7th (10) Kevin Barrett/Emma McKinstry (Impreza) 3.51
8th (11) Rory O'Connor/Francis Kenny (Escort WRC) 3.52
9th (18) Tom Randles/Diarmuid Lynch (Escort) 3.54
10th (14) Barry Coleman/Alan Russell (Impreza) 3.55
     (25) James Foley/Patrick Clavin (Civic) 3.55

Austin McHale commented at the end of that first stage "I can hardly believe I was fastest, I felt as if I was being very cautious, taking no chances, it's very tight in places". Second placed McKinstry said "It went well, but some of the chicanes seemed a bit different from the familiarisation run".
Frank Meagher in 3rd place also mentioned the chicanes, and along with most of the drivers, found that they were very tight and difficult. Rory O'Connor had a good run, after having banged the front of the car on the familiarisation run. Phillip Johnston in the CSE/Pitlane Celica had a spin and dropped over 20s. John O'Leary was another to have a spin. Ed
O'Callaghan, having shot through the hedge on the familiarisation run, found the car would not restart when it stalled at the end of the stage. Ed Kennelly dropped 5 minutes when the fuel pumps gave up out on the stage.
Barry Coleman's Subaru broke a driveshaft on the familiarisation run but went well on the first stage, to score a time of 3.56. Peter McCullagh's Escort WRC had a broken driveshaft and power steering trouble on the familiarisation
run, but everything seemed to go well on the first proper stage and his time was 4.04.

In the race between the two younger McHales in their Civics, Aaron was 7s quicker than Gareth.

FORD IRELAND KA CHALLENGE:
1st (125) John Carroll/Eugene McGrath (Ford Ka) 4.10
2nd (121) Barry Barrable/Trevor Hamilton (Ford Ka) 4.11
3rd (122) Trevor Harding/Charlie Boland (Ford Ka) 4.13

John Carroll from Kilkenny, points leader in the Challenge, was fastest on the first stage despite being held up slightly by Gerry Keyes, whose car was struggling with a broken driveshaft. Second fastest Barry Barrable finished the stage with the side of the car a bit dented, evidence of contact with one of the chicanes. Outside the top 3, Martin Laverty and Declan Magee tied for 4th on 4.20, Liam Denning was 6th on 4.21 then it was Denise Ryan on 4.29 and Owen Dooley on 4.46.

RALLY FINLAND LATEST...Gronholm won from Richard Burns with Colin McRae 3rd. Hugh Dunne/Greg Shinnors made the finish despite breaking the centre diff on the final stage. Was lying 50th but dropped some places with the diff problem.

More news after stage 2...BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON