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RALLY NEWS NO.11
Killarney
- Sunday 6.30
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 18 (LAST STAGE)
1st (1) Andrew Nesbitt/James O'Brien (Impreza WRC) 2.35.56
2nd (4) Eamonn Boland/Damien Morrissey (Impreza WRC)
2.37.19
3rd (7) Liam O'Callaghan/David Hogan (Impreza WRC) 2.37.59
4th (5) Daniel & Michael Doherty (Impreza WRc) 2.39.18
5th (3) Derek McGarrity/Chris Patterson (Impreza WRC)
2.40.17
6th (2) Austin McHale/Brian Murphy (Corolla WRC) 2.40.37
7th (16) JJ Fleming/Robbie Ward (Impreza WRC) 2.44.27
8th (12) Donie O'Sullivan/Paul Nagle (Impreza N) 2.46.29
9th (11) Trevor Cathers/Francis Regan (Lancer N) 2.47.07
10th (18) Seamus Leonard/Kevin O'Brien (Impreza N) 2.47.55
"It's a fantastic feeling" reported Andrew
Nesbitt when he came off Molls Gap, the final stage of this
2002 Killarney Rally of the Lakes. "It was a
tough rally, but very enjoyable." Andrew had his
moments of trouble during the rally, but through it all he
kept chalking up fastest stage times, proving just why he
is the Tarmac Champion. Second placed Eamonn Boland
was always "there or thereabouts" and commented
at the end "A good rally for us but nothing we can do
about that man in front". Third placed Liam
O'Callaghan told us "We had an absolute ball, the car
ran faultlessly". Daniel Doherty finished a
solid 4th and said "A hard rally but it was good to
get the miles done in the left hand drive car". For
5th placed Derek McGarrity it could so easily have been 1st
- Derek said at the finish "The annoying thing is I
feel I didn't hit anything special in the stage - others
were going over the same stones as me. I still enjoyed the
rally and enjoyed the car but Andrew Nesbitt has been at
this level for 7 or 8 years and it shows."
Austin McHale rounds off the top half dozen, Austin
reporting that he softened the suspension slightly of his
Corolla WRC during the day and he felt more comfortable as
the day wore on, both with the handling of the car, and
sitting on the left hand side. It was a solid result for JJ
Fleming in 7th,
It was a fairytale finish for Donie O'Sullivan in 8th.
Donie wins group N and gives the Prodrive gpN Impreza
it's first tarmac victory in the category. Donie was 5th
overall here the last time the rally ran, and told us
"I'm over the moon. Very special. Mind you this man
Trevor Cathers goes extremely hard".
Just a puncture on Cathers' Lancer stopped GPN being an
even tighter finish, while Seamus Leonard rounds off the
top 10. Unofficially we have Liam McCarthy in 11th,
Bob Fowden 12th with Pete Doughty next up. Tony Davies is
next up and highest placed modified car one place ahead of
Tom Randles who is the highest placed 2 wheel drive runner,
and 2nd modified.
Finally for now many thanks to all who supported the
RallyNews service and well done to Mike Marshall and his
team who ran this Killarney Rally of the Lakes - a huge
undertaking. BRIAN AND LIZ PATTERSON
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