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RALLY
NEWS NO.3
Millstreet/Service/Saturday 1pm
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 2 Mullaghanish
1st (1) Andrew Nesbitt/James O'Brien (Impreza WRC)
17.59
2nd (3) Austin MacHale/Brian Murphy (Corolla WRC) 18.08
3rd (2) Eamonn Boland/Damien Morrissey (Impreza WRC) 18.21
4th (4) Peadar Hurson/Ian Porter (Celica GT4) 18.24
5th (5) Donal O'Donovan/Pat Lordan (Celica GT4) 18.42
6th (8) Maurice Gass/Geoffrey Orr (Impreza WRC) 19.00
7th (9) Ollie O'Donovan/David Moynihan (Subaru) 19.08
8th (16) Trevor Cathers/Dessie Wilson (Lancer 5 N) 19.16
9th (19) Bob Fowden/Jerry Hynes (Lancer 5 N) 19.20
10th (23) Aaron MacHale/Damien Connolly (Lancer 5 N) 19.38
Austin MacHale powered his way through stage 2,
Mullaghanish, just 1s slower than Andrew Nesbitt. Further
proof that the 5 times former Tarmac Champion MacHale has
found something like his old form here in Cork. It is
interesting as well to see a father and son in the top 10.
Aaron pulling himself into 10th overall and 3rd in gpN with
a very respectable stage 2 time, following a cautious
enough start in stage 1. There is another MacHale rallying
this weekend as well. Gareth is competing on the Le
Touquet event in France, of which more below.
Andrew Nesbitt's actual time for the 9.2 mile Mullaghanish
test was 8.07. Austin MacHale was on 8.08. Eamonn Boland
and Peadar Hurson tied on 8.16.
In Group N Trevor Cathers recorded 8.47, as did Bob Fowden,
with Aaron MacHale just 2s slower. Roy White was one
of the gpN pace setters through stage 1, but he has had a
problem in stage 2, his FESP Evo 7 Lancer stopping the
clocks on 10.53. A bit disastrous for the young Clonmel
man. Seamus Leonard was not far off the hunt in gpN on
stage 1 either, but we have no time as yet for the Subaru
driver for stage 2.
No time either for Melvyn Evans - he was 5th in stage 1 but
has not appeared at the end of stage 2. Neither has Steve
Fleck - his Impreza WRC is jacked up on the road section
below Millstreet, and looks like it is going no further.
In the Ford Ireland Focus Championship part of the rally
Brendan Kelly was fastest by 7s from Colm Murphy with
Oliver Stanley 3rd. Despite a slight off road
excursion, Kenneth Mulvaney was fastest of the Ford Ka
runners by 14s from James Eivers. Equal 3rd was David Lyons
and John Folan.
Looking outside Cork 20 for just a minute - on the World
Championship New Zealand Rally Richard Burns has crashed
out of the lead which means Marcus Gronholm has won his 2nd
title, even with half the rally to go, and Peugeot has won
the Manufacturers. On Le Touquet, Shaun Gallagher
leads after 4 stages from Chris Moore, with Garry Jennings
up to 3rd following early brake problems. Garry has been
fastest on the first 2 stages today. Gareth MacHale
suffered an early puncture and was 10th. More news later.
BRIAN AND LIZ PATTERSON
www.rallynews.net
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