RALLY NEWS NO.1         Breaffy Hse.Hotel/Sunday morning.. early..

New cars abound on this Mayo Stages Rally, setting the tone for this return to the Dunlop National Championship after a year's absence. As one driver from the North put it when he arrived here at the Breaffy House Hotel for the recconnaissnce, "I was smiling all the way down in the car at the thought of getting back to proper rallying!" Michael Noone the Clerk of the Course has laid on a radical route for the rally, four special stages done three times, with a great variety in the type of roads employed. Early fears of snow on the route are thankfully now allayed somewhat, and all the portents are for a great rally.

Defending Champion Paul Harris will lead the 131 cars away (there is a huge reserve list as well), and Letterkenny man Paul was reticent enough about his chances of victory today. He is driving the same yellow Subaru Impreza with which he won the title in 2000 and observed during the minutes before the start, "There is big opposition today. We'll just take it handy enough to start, and see how we go" As one of the other drivers said, "Paul Harris taking it handy, that will be a first!" 


Behind the yellow Subaru former National Champion Niall Maguire starts at 2 driving the ex Andrew Nesbitt Tarmac Championship winning Impreza WRC. Then it was to be Eamonn Boland in a fabulous new Impreza WRC, but following an Orra Lodge/Glendun test session, the Wexford man has decided that the suspension is too hard for his liking and has pulled his entry at the very last minute. Next up is Tim McNulty in the ex Bertie Fisher Impreza, Tim likely to be very much a man to watch on this Dunlop series. At 5 is Michael Barrable in another Impreza WRC, with English visitor Jim Harrison at 6 in an Escort WRC. Barrable, a former winner here, is really in at the deep end as he struggles to come to grips with the sequential change in the ex Richard
Burns Subaru.

That's just a flavour of the entry. There are some good drivers, such as Trevor Cathers, Maurice Moffett and James Gillen who are seeded towards the back but will start nearer the front. Cathers, with 134 on the car will start 16th, Gillen (138) 19th on the road. So we have, hopefully, a brilliant day to look forward to. Service is on a closed public road, the L137, and food and refreshments will be available in the community hall, organised by the local ladies. All proceeds going to a community project.….see you there!  BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON
    
ã 2002 www.rallynews.net (Patterson Agencies). All rights reserved. Unauthorised duplication is a violation of applicable laws. 03/05/02 14:15

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