1^st (1) Gwyndaf Evans/Gary Savage (SEAT WRC) 11.09.2

2^nd (3) Derek McGarrity/Adrian Foley (Subaru WRC) 11.24.4

3^rd (4) Denis Biggerstaff/Robin McCandless (Metro 6R4) 11.35.8

(7) Maurice Gass/Geoffrey Orr (Subaru WRC) 11.35.8

5^th (17) Trevor Moore/Roy Wilson (Escort Cosworth) 11.36.8

6^th (2) Kenny McKinstry/Mark McDonnell (Subaru WRC) 11.37.8

7^th (37) Stephen Harron/Nigel Forster (Legacy) 11.41.3

8^th (21) Gary White/Angela Hamill (Escort Cosworth) 11.42.6

9^th (19) James Gillen/Victor Carrothers (Escort Cosworth) 11.47.2

10^th (26) John McKeown/Robert McCartney (Sierra Cosworth) 11.52.5

Just outside the leaderboard – Peadar Hurson 11^th – Neil Simpson 12^th – Jim Crozier 13^th – Keith White 14^th – Daniel Doherty 15^th – Raymond Johnston 16^th - David Greer 17^th – Niall Maguire 18^th – Eugene Donnelly 19^th – Willie Singleton 20^th:

At the end of the 7^th stage Gwyndaf Evans readily admitted that he is not pushing too hard now, his lead at 15s, in Lurgan Park terms quite a bit. The conditions are worsening all the time, the rain now incessant! Second placed McGarrity told us "It’s very treacherous, I’m settling a bit, I’ll have to be happy with 2^nd place if there are no problems". There is still a big race on for 3^rd, with Denis Biggerstaff and Maurice Gass tying with just 2 stages to go. Neither driver reports any problem – Biggerstaff a lot happier now than he was earlier with his car, although admitting to being just a tad cautious through that stage 7.

Daniel Doherty is a bit disappointed to be so far back, but he tells us he has been changing various things with his Impreza WRC all day, he just doesn’t feel entirely comfortable with the car, it is not turning in so well. Through it all though he feels that the problem is almost certainly down to not being accustomed to left hand drive. Kenny McKinstry continues his dash for the front – a podium place might just be on – Kenny stating "I’m pushing as hard as I dare". John McKeown had a subdued rally through the first half of the proceedings, he has fitted new tyres to the car and suddenly his times have been transformed, John going hard through stage 6 especially. Peadar Hurson is trying hard to get back into theleaderboard. Neil Simpson continues to lead gpN from Raymond Johnston, with Uwe Nittel now up to 3^rd in gpN, the German driver enjoying the gravel sections of the park. He did have one slight hiccup through stage 7 and Terry Harryman joked "It was a gear selection problem, it happened between Uwe’s hand and his head!" Neil Simpson is looking fairly impregnable at the front of the gpN runners, and said after 7 "I’m just keeping it neat and tidy now".