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RALLY
NEWS NO.3
Service-Livestock
Mart-Sat. 4pm
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 3 Lurgan Boy
1st (7) Andrew Nesbitt/James O'Brien (Impreza WRC) 14.56
2nd (3) Derek McGarrity/Chris Patterson (Impreza WRC) 15.19
3rd (8) Peadar Hurson/Ian Porter (Celica) 15.20
4th (5) Eamonn Boland/Anthony Nestor (Impreza WRC) 15.24
5th (2) Austin McHale/Brian Murphy (Corolla WRc) 15.30
6th (4) Daniel & Michael Doherty (Impreza WRc) 15.32
7th (9) Niall Maguire/Paul McLaughlin (Impreza WRC) 15.43
8th (6) David Greer/Michael Reid (Corolla WRC) 15.52
9th (18) Seamus Leonard/Kevin O'Brien (Impreza N) 16.03
10th (14) Maruice Gass/Geoffrey Orr (Impreza WRC) 16.07
We have some of the best drivers in the country at the top
of this Circuit of Ireland entry list, but their jaws
dropped open when they saw Andrew Nesbitt's times through
stages 2 and 3. In stage 2, Carronbridge, 7.5 miles
long, the reigning Tarmac Champion stopped the clocks on
6m.23s, McGarrity was on 6.31, Boland 6.32, Hurson 6.33 and
McHale 6.35. Through the 7.6 mile Lurgan Boy test,
Nesbitt was on 6.37, Hurson 6.51, McGarrity 6.52, Boland
6.53, McHale 6.55. In modern day rallying terms those
are huge gaps between first and seconds, and to add insult
to injury Nesbitt is adamant that his car is far from
perfect so far. Andrew remarked here as he waited to
go into service "There was a noise came into the
electronic differential, so I switched that off, and we
also had a problem with the brakes, they faded badly
towards the end of stage 3. We caught David Greer 3 miles
from the end of that third stage".
In Group N Seamus Leonard set the roads alight through
stages 2 and 3, particularly stage 2, although he did drop
time to Trevor Cathers in stage 3 when he had a spin.
On unofficial reckoning Dickie Curran is 2nd in gpN
in 16.17, Brendan Kelly 3rd on 16.19, Trevor Cathers 4th on
16.26. Cathers is trying new tyres and still settling
into them. Brendan Kelly said "I'm going to have
to waken up a bit". Seamus Heron was 2nd fastest
gpN on the first stage, but put his Lancer off the road in
stage 2. We heard he got going, but no sign of him here.
Further stories from the front runners - Austin McHale said
"The left hand drive is definitely a bit of a handful,
this is going to take a bit of time, but the car is good
and we're not that far away". Austin went on to
say that in the middle of stage 3 the spare number plate,
wedged inside the car under the roll cage, fell off and hit
him on the head! Derek McGarrity still has gear
change difficulties, the Glengormley man commenting
"It's awkward, no idea coming into junctions, some
times I'm in first and I should be in 2nd". Eamonn
Boland got into a fluster at one point, at a junction, when
he got the handbrake sequence wrong. David Greer told us he
lost his confidence when the brakes lost their bit, he
thinks it is something to do with fitting new discs, and
not bedding in properly. Peadar Hurson flew through the
first couple of stages, but backed off in stage 3 when his
brake pedal got soft, "Scary stuff" remarked the
former National Champion. More news later. BRIAN AND LIZ
PATTERSON
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