UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 3

1st (5) Andrew Nesbitt/James O'Brien (Subaru WRC) 8.06

2nd (6) Austin McHale/Brian Murphy (Corolla WRC) 8.07

3rd (10) Derek McGarrity/Adrian Foley (Subaru WRC) 8.14

4th (9) Daniel & Michael Doherty (Subaru WRC) 8.21

5th (23) Ollie O'Donovan/David Moynihan (Legacy) 8.25

6th (7) Frank Meagher/Dermot O'Gorman (Focus WRC) 8.27

(8) James Cullen/Dr James McDaid (Impreza WRC) 8.27

(4) Patrick Snijers/Willie McKee (Impreza N) 8.27

Andrew Nesbitt and Austin McHale tied on stage 3, each setting a time of 2.41 to retain status quo at the front of the field. Andrew in the Cuisine de France/Cross Refrigeration Subaru 1s ahead. Derek McGarrity was actually 1s slower on that 3rd stage than his previous time, the Glengormley man commenting "Too untidy". Frank Meagher dropped quite a few seconds when his Focus clipped a gatepost, the car finishing the stage with bits of wood jammed between the tyre and the rim. Still, Frank holds on to 5th place with a promise of a big tussle between all the top drivers this afternoon.

Still no times for the visiting professional drivers - although unoffially we did get a time of 2.41 for Richard Burns who finished that 3rd stage with the front left mudguard of his Impreza WRC well bashed. Richard was obviously enjoying himself and had a big smile on at stage finish. Freddy Loix seems to be having a real ball, the Belgian driver laughing and giggling at every opportunity - we hear unofficially that his time for stage 3 beat the 2.40 barrier, but this is unconfirmed. Mike Biasion reports no problems with his fabulous little 1600 Fiat. Again we cannot really compare Max McKillen's times with Miki which would be very interesting, but Max has been setting some superb times, 1s faster each stage, his quickest 2.57 to leave him on a total of 8.54, just outside the leaderboard.

We mentioned in the last Rallynews that Michael Barrable was having his Celica's clutch changed and was running well down the list. Michael did eventually get going and set a time of 2.49 which would have brought him into the leaderboard at around 8th place.

Drama has struck again here with the news that Patrick Elliott has stopped out on the stage, reason as yet unknown, no more times as yet.

James Cullen continues to improve in the McKinstry Subaru, Minister for Sport, Dr James McDaid, really enjoying his run and urging his fellow Donegal man James to go ever more faster! Patrick Snijers commented at the end of that stage "This car will not go any quicker now, the stage is cutting up and that is the best I can do". Patrick is definitely the fastest gpN car. Roy White is starting to speed up and had a good run that time but was still 7s behind the Belgian, but then Roy is really only here for the craic and is not using pace notes. Daniel Doherty told us that he changed the diff settings for that stage, but to no avail, he was 2s slower. As mentioned in the last Rallynews, John McCluskey was 2nd fastest of the rallycross cars, but his Peugeot has since blown one of it's turbo chargers. Ollie O'Donovan's Legacy is having some rear differential trouble which is making the car go very sideways in right handers. More news later..BRIAN AND LIZ PATTERSON