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RALLY NEWS NO.9
Belcoo-service-Sunday
1.45 UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 13 Cromlin 2 1st (7) Andrew Nesbitt/James O'Brien (Impreza WRC) 1.14.01 2nd (3) Derek McGarrity/Chris Patterson (Impreza WRC) 1.15.46 3rd (5) Eamonn Boland/Anthony Nestor (Impreza WRC) 1.15.54 4th (4) Daniel & Michael Doherty (Impreza WRc) 1.16.33 5th (2) Austin McHale/Brian Murphy (Corolla WRc) 1.16.44 6th (9) Niall Maguire/Paul McLaughlin (Impreza WRC) 1.17.48 (6) David Greer/Michael Reid (Corolla WRC) 1.17.48 8th (19) Trevor Cathers/Gordon Noble (Lancer N) 1.18.15 9th (10) Brendan Kelly/Rory Kennedy (Lancer N) 1.18.55 10th (26) Dickie Curran/Gary Lyons (Lancer N) 1.19.44 11th (43) Philip Shaw/Derek Brannigan (Escort) 1.20.29 12th (57) Jaye Jordan/Graeme Stewart (Esc.Cos) 1.20.43 13th (14) Maurice Gass/Geoffrey Orr (Impreza WRC) 1.20.59 Andrew Nesbitt was fastest through stage 11 by 5s from Derek McGarrity with Doherty and Boland tied a further 4s back. In stage 12, Poorhouse, it was McGarrity's turn to head the sheet on 6.58, with Doherty 7.03 and Nesbitt 7.04. Then on stage 13 Nesbitt reasserted his authority with a timeof 7.43, McGarrity 7.51, Boland 8.03. Austin McHale had got into 2nd place briefly after stage 10, but his Corolla WRC burst a front strut in stage 11, a recalcitrant centre differential adding to Austin's woes. Andrew Nesbitt commented here on the way into service "Although the roads are drying a little they are still very slippy. We've changed the differential but the noise is still in the transmission, everything is working well, there's a lot of muck on the stages from the previous run. The Pirellis seem to be coping well but we have to be careful". On his fastest stage time McGarrity commented "We're getting good at guessing what gear we're in". Boland reported no problems with his Impreza WRC, Doherty reckons his similar car is not set right for the high speed bumps. Peadar Hurson was forced to retire after stage 10, his Celica's transmission damaged. Roy White has left the group N race, his Lancer's gearbox broken. Greg McCormack has crashed out of the rally on stage 13 - no reported injuries. In the Group N battle - Cathers and Kelly are swopping times, but at the same time Cathers always has an answer and pulls back more than he loses. Dickie Curran has now got on to Kelly's pace. Further back Donie O'Sullivan in the Bio-Clear Subaru, lying just inside the top 20, and not so far away in the gpN hunt, but was held up in stage 13 when Dan McCartan's Celica spun and blocked the stage. Donie is also not too happy about the tail end of his gpN Impreza being very wayward. Other stories include - Maurice Gass struggling for grip. Jaye Jordan has the throttle sticking on his Escort Cosworth. Philip Shaw is now the best of the rear wheel drive cars, and flying. HISTORICS - Mervyn Johnston leads in his Mini Cooper from Philip Wylie, Gavin Taylor 3rd. More later..BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON |
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ã 2002 www.rallynews.net (Patterson Agencies). All rights reserved. Unauthorised duplication is a violation of applicable laws. Last update31/03/02 13:06:58
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