RALLY NEWS NO.3                                     Service/Sunday 1.45

UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 3 Farnham
1st  (1) Niall Maguire/Paul McLaughlin (Impreza WRC) 26.25
2nd (2) Michael Barrable/Dermot O'Gorman (Impreza WRC) 26.50
3rd (4) Eugene Donnelly/Paul Kiely (Celica) 26.52
4th (7) Patrick Elliott/Sean Moriarty (Impreza) 27.06
5th (6) David Armstrong/Herbie Blackburn (Esc.Cos) 27.12
6th (23) Adrian McElvaney/Paul Goodman (Lancer N) 27.40
7th (19) Aaron McHale/Damien Connolly (Lancer N) 27.51
8th (141) James & Paul McCann (Esc.Cos) 28.04
9th (10) George Robinson/Tommy Speers (Esc.Cos) 28.10
10th (33) Seamus Gallagher/John McCafferty (Saxo) 28.16

Michael Barrable was slowed on the first stage with an intercom problem, not being able to hear the pace notes, and had an overshoot.  On stage 2 however he was 2s faster than rally leader Niall Maguire, and then on stage 3 Niall extended his advantage by 4s over Michael.  All the while, Eugene Donnelly was forced to play a waiting game, as he coaxed his Toyota engine along, telling us "There was a misfire, I was running at three quarters throttle and afraid of doing damage. Hopefully it is a spark plug problem and we can get it sorted here. I know the tarmac stages here are faster than the forests, but the temperature gauge is well up and it's a bit worrying".  Maguire said "Very tough stages but no problems".  Michael Barrable said "After that problem on the first stage - when we overshot, I reversed into a ditch and the car nearly fell over! Since that we've had gear change trouble, it'll change down OK but not up".     

Since our last RallyNews Sean Gallagher and Andrew Stewart have both retired, having been in the top 10.  Gallagher had some gearbox troubles, while Adnrew Stewart has had a big accident in stage 3. Hugh Dunne pulled out immediately after that first stage with power steering problems on his WRC Impreza.

Adrian McElvaney now leads gpN from the similar Lancer of Aaron McHale - McElvaney found his tyres going off towards the end of the loop. McHale clipped a rear wheel on stage 2 which cost him a few seconds.  

Just outside the top there are some very close tussles for the class places - Norman Armstrong is on 28.30. Enda Keenan 29.10 after a spin. Mervyn Wedlock 28.43 despite a vibration in the car. Trevor Lancashire right on the pace with 28.22. Rodney Wilton 28.25. Gordon Rogers 28.33. Paul Gallagher 28.29. Dominic McLoughlin 28.44. Shaun Gallagher in the Peugeot 28.38 despite a fractured rib and a spin. Seamus Gallagher in the Saxo has driven for 2 stages with a broken clutch cable.  Sean McArdle is on 30.19 following a puncture. James Cole 29.00 after rusty start. Mac Mckenna 29.05 despite a flat engine. More news later. BRIAN AND LIZ PATTERSON                                   www.rallynews.net