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RALLY
NEWS NO.3
Near
Castlemaine/Saturday 12.30
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 3 ROCKFIELD
1st (1) Andrew Nesbitt/James O'Brien (Impreza WRC) 26.11
2nd (3) Derek McGarrity/Chris Patterson (Impreza WRC) 26.12
3rd (7) Liam O'Callaghan/David Hogan (Impreza WRC) 26.24
4th (4) Eamonn Boland/Damien Morrissey (Impreza WRC) 26.31
5th (5) Daniel & Michael Doherty (Impreza WRc) 26.45
6th (2) Austin McHale/Brian Murphy (Corolla WRC) 26.57
7th (15) Johnny O'Sullivan/PatCashman (Escort WRC) 27.17
8th (12) Donie O'Sullivan/Paul Nagle (Impreza N) 27.49
9th (11) Trevor Cathers/Francis Regan (Lancer N) 27.55
(16) JJ Fleming/Robbie Ward (Impreza
WRC) 27.55
11th (18) Seamus Leonard/Kevin O'Brien (Impreza N) 28.02
12th (10) Liam McCarthy/Kieran Murphy (Corolla WRc) 28.22
Andrew Nesbitt set fastest time through stage 3, Rockfield,
and commented here at stage finish "Everything's well,
we had a tidy run". That fastest time moves the Armagh
man into the lead, with Derek McGarrity relegated to 2nd,
his time 11s slower than Nesbitt for the comparatively
short stage . McGarrity appeared almost baffled when
he saw the times, and looked at co-driver Chris Patterson
for confirmation…"I don't really understand it. I
hit the car a scalp on the back left on the last stage,
perhaps the tracking is out". Second fastest
through that 3rd stage was Liam O'Callaghan on 5.14 and
Eamonn Boland on 5.16. O'Callaghan recounted a spin
on stage 2 but a good run through stage 3 and said he just
loves the car, his first time in a World Rally machine.
Boland made his usual "not a bother"
statement!
Mystery surrounds the whereabouts of Peadar Hurson here at
the end of stage 3. He was 2nd overall starting the
stage, Daniel Doherty reported that the Toyota left on
schedule in front of him, but there was no sign of it here
at stage finish. Peadar had been complaining of brake
troubles towards the end of stage 2 so perhaps he has
pulled in at a junction.
Daniel Doherty is now up to 5th place and he said
"We're still being cautious enough. I don't
think the tyre compound we are using is just right, but
everything is going well". Interestingly,
Daniel's car was smoking badly at the start and through the
first stage, but it would appear that this was purely down
to surplus oil left in the exhaust system following the
Circuit blow up.
In Group N Trevor Cathers was fastest through stage 3 with
a time of 5.33. Seamus Leonard was on 5.36, Roy White 5.38
and Donie O'Sullivan 5.40. Bio-Clear man O'Sullivan
told us that everything had gone well and he just couldn't
understand why he was so far off Cathers' pace. Trevor
is now settled in with new co driver Francis Regan. Seamus
Leonard in the Seamless Aluminium machine told us he was
totally unsettled by Brendan Kelly's accident. Roy White is
now coming on to the gpN pace with a time of 5.38, Roy made
a boob in his tyre choice at the start. More news later.
BRIAN AND LIZ PATTERSON (our thanks to Diarmuid Falvey)
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