5^th (7) Maurice Gass/Geoffrey Orr (Subaru WRC) 1.28.5

6^th (19) James Gillen/Victor Carrothers (Escort Cosworth) 1.29.1

7^th (17) Trevor Moore/Roy Wilson (Escort Coswsorth) 1.29.2

8^th (14) Peadar Hurson/Ian Porter (Celica GT4) 1.29.9

9^th (34) Raymond Johnston/Ivan Fisher (Lancer EVO5 N) 1.30.6

10^th (18) Wesley Patterson/Terence Teggart (Sierra Cosworth) 1.31.1

Damp slippy conditions made it difficult going for the early drivers on today’s SEAT Lurgan Park Rally. Even No.1 seed Gwyndaf Evans found the going tricky, commenting "I felt I lost a bit of time in a few places, there was less grip on the tyres than I thought there would be".

Where is 9 times winner Kenny McKinstry on the leaderboard??? The Banbridge man could only manage a time of 1.35.6, his gold Subaru going straight on at a junction, costing many valuable seconds. No such problems for Denis Biggerstaff and Derek McGarrity who tied for 2^nd place after that first stage. McGarrity said "I had a bit of an oversteering moment and I was a bit too timid to start". Biggerstaff remarked "Too sideways, found it quite slippy and the oil light flickered on once which distracted me". Gary White set a tremendous time to take 3^rd place and said "That’s what I need, if the car can just stay together".

Further stories from the top drivers included…Daniel Doherty, just outside the leaderboard, saying "My only problem was sitting on the wrong side of the car"…the Donegal man was referring of course to getting back into a left hand drive car. Owen Lamont said "Tricky, I was very cautious, it’s my first time here". Owen was well down the order in 20^th place with 1.34.9. Stephen Harron in the Legacy reckoned his rear tyres were too hard and he will have to adjust the pressures.

Roy White, on his first drive in the Bobby King Porsche, remarked at stage finish "Really enjoyable, but so different, it’s wild quick in a straight line, and the roads are a small bit greasy in places". Wesley Patterson in the Sierra felt he might have had a puncture at one point and backed off for a few corners. Welsh visitor Damien Cole said "This is a different car with the brakes working".

Raymond Johnston leads gpN after the first stage from Neil Simpson with Dickie Curran 3^rd. Philip Shaw leads cl.2 from Keith White with Max McKillen 3^rd. Gary White leads cl.3 from James Gillen. More news to follow..BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON