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RALLY
NEWS NO.6
Finish - Killarney - Sunday
6.15pm
www.rallynews.net
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER
STAGE 10 Dereendarragh (last
stage)
1st (7) John Farrell/Christy
Farrell (Escort) 1.38.01
2nd (9) Ray & Elaine
Cunningham (Mini Cooper)
1.39.38
3rd (6) Lloyd Hutchinson/Lester
Hutchinson (Mini Cooper)
1.40.01
4th (4) Martin Freestone/Chris
Hayes (RS1600) 1.40.11
5th (1) Dessie Nutt/Geraldine
McBride (Porsche 911) 1.41.04
6th (2) John Keatley/Maurice
Beckett (Porsche 911) 1.42.25
7th (11) Martin Ward/Linda
Conroy (Manta) 1.42.38
8th (12) George Tracey/Elva Roe
(Escort) 1.44.07
9th (10) Steve Perez/Jonty
Bolsover (Porsche 911) 1.44.11
10th (16) Mervyn
Johnston/Richard Hyland (Mini
Cooper) 1.44.13
Although John Farrell is shown
at the top of the list above,
John was driving a Post
Historic Escort today.
Dessie Nutt was driving the
leading Historic car. For
Farrell it was a superb start
to finish Post Historic victory
today. John, co driven by
his brother Christy, had a
slight problem on stage 1 when
their intercom gave problems,
but after that they made tough
stages and the rough weather
look like child's play. Dessie
Nutt struggled a bit towards
the end, his Porsche suffering
an electrical problem and well
down on power. Dessie, this
year's British Historic winner,
and on his first Irish rally
for 2 years, said "It was
an 18 mile fright, the car was
going off cylinders and would
not rev over 5000. The
boys changed the electrics
before the last stage but it
didn't seem to make much
difference. It was a tough
event but very enjoyable".
Second full Historic was John
Keatley and he throttled right
back over the last few stages,
content in the knowledge as far
as the pure Historics were
concerned he had a big buffer
front and back. The evergreen
Mervyn Johnston with young
Richard Hyland co driving (just
18 years old) was 3rd full
Historic. In such difficult
conditions there may be a few
queries over stage times - so
the above leaderboard is
unofficial - but Ray Cunningham
looks to be 2nd in his Mini
after a brilliant run. Lloyd
Hutchinson 3rd despite
electrics that kept getting
drowned out in the big puddles.
Martin Freestone is shown 4th
but feels that he may have had
a suspect stage time.
Other stories towards the end
included George Tracey nursing
home his Escort despite a
groaning back axle. English
visitor Steve Perez said
"Fantastic rally, better
than Rally GB".
Martin Ward commented "We
got her round, thoroughly
enjoyed it".
Martin's Manta was suffering
from a non-limited slip rear
axle. Drexel Gillespie retired
his Lotus Cortina with a blown
head gasket. Alan Ring
retired from OO duties after
smacking the front of his
Peugeot, co driver Brian Duggan
then slotted in with Kieran
Marshall in the Civic.
In the Classic section of the
rally Phil Collins & Howard
Davies came out on top with a
total of 1.22.41, Donie
O'Sullivan/Paul Nagle were 2nd
on 1.24.24. Pat Bonar/Derek
Montgomery came through
brilliantly to take 3rd on
1.26.03. Wesley Patterson was
4th. Padraig Price 5th. Drew
Hunter 6th. James O'Sullivan
7th. Gareth Lloyd 8th. Martin
Magee 9th and Dave Slattery
10th. Phil Collins praised the
rally, his co driver Howard
Davies commenting "You've
got world championship stuff
here". And then
joked about the
roads.."Brilliant, but
when God made them he forgot to
bring the road
roller"….but then God
didn't make the roads…the
Kerrymen made them specially
for the rallying!!! Finally for
now, well done to Tim Clifford
and his wife Rachel and all the
hard working team. Thanks to
the Dromhall Hotel for superb
hospitality and to everyone
else who supported the event
and our RallyNews service.
BRIAN AND LIZ PATTERSON
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