RALLY NEWS NO.5 Lurgan Park. Saturday 2PM

UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 5

1ST (1) Gwyndaf Evans/Gary Savage (SEAT WRC) 7.32.3

2ND (3) Derek McGarrity/Adrian Foley (Subaru WRC) 7.41.7

3RD (7) Maurice Gass/Geoffrey Orr (Subaru WRC) 7.48.9

4TH (17) Trevor Moore/Roy Wilson (Escort Cosworth) 7.50.3

5TH (4) Denis Biggerstaff/Robin McCandless (Metro 6R4) 7.50.6

6TH (14) Peadar Hurson/Ian Porter (Celica GT4) 7.53.3

7TH (21) Gary White/Angela Hamill (Escort Cosworth) 7.53.9

8TH (37) Stephen Harron/Nigel Forster (Legacy) 7.55.0

9TH (2) Kenny McKinstry/Mark McDonnell (Subaru WRC) 7.55.7

10TH (19) James Gillen/Victor Carrothers (Escort Cosworth) 7.57.9

Stage 5 was a different route from the first 4 stages but it did not have any discernible effect on Gwyndaf Evans’ performance at the front of the rally. The Welshman was over 2s quicker than Derek McGarrity with Kenny McKinstry, although still well down the leaderboard, 3rd fastest. Gwyndaf said "Very slippy, very difficult, some places are better than others but very hard to judge".

Kenny McKinstry never really recovered from his first stage overshoot which cost 10s and although he was 3rd fastest through that 5th stage, Kenny is now reporting some clutch slip, and there seems no way he will get back on a par with the leaders. Derek McGarrity is hanging on grimly to 2nd place but can do little about the flying SEAT in front, Derek saying "That stage went well, but I got the gravel section slightly wrong and got on to the grass, it all costs time". Denis Biggerstaff admitted to three slight over shoots in that stage 5, but at the same time was a lot happier with the way the car was going, and in a good frame of mind for this afternoon’s stages. Maurice Gass was 4th fastest through S5 which mirrors his position on the leaderboard, Maurice saying "The car is sliding about just a little too much".

Daniel Doherty, seeded 5 on the road, has slipped to 13th place, although the Donegal man is trying hard the times just aren’t coming the way he wants them. Peadar Hurson has certainly settled in to his new Celica and although he was on the grass a couple of times on that stage he still set a good time. Roy White is really struggling in the Bobby King Porsche, the wet damp conditions mitigating against the car, the Tipperary man saying "It’s wild, couldn’t keep it on a straight line".

Gary White was laughing his head off when he came in after the stage…his co driver Angela Hamill is the lady responsible for the Shell Direct sponsorship, and of course what does Gary go and do on that fifth stage, but pile his Escort Cosworth into a Shell Direct straw bale!! Happily it only cost a few seconds, and Gary is still well up the leaderboard, but not just as good as earlier. In gpN Neil Simpson set a pretty stunning time through stage 5 to put some fresh air between himself and second placed Raymond Johnston – Keith White conintues to lead cl.2 from Eugene Donelly..more news to follow..BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON