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
