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RALLY NEWS NO.3
Service-Westport-Sunday 3.30
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 2
1st (2) Eugene Ferry/John Gallagher (Escort) 18.12
2nd (6) Gordon Rogers/Philip McEntee (Escort) 18.30
(14) Tom McGovern/Kevin McGovern (Escort) 18.30
4th (11) Conor Curley/Paul Hone (Escort) 18.34
5th (9) Rodney Wilton/Peter Leahy (Escort) 18.53
6th (3) Pat Higgins/Liam Higgins (Escort) 18.58
7th (17) James Cassidy/Damien Duffin (Escort) 19.00
8th (18) Terence McHugh/Brian McMonagle (Escort) 19.02
9th (7) Gerry Smyth/Charles Adams (Escort) 19.18
10th (15) Aidan Caddye/Eamonn Ferry (Astra) 19.29
Eugene Ferry set the same time through stage 2 as he did on stage 1 - fastest
overall on 9.06 both times. Eugene commented here at service "I
kept it neater, took it handier and it was just as fast, no dramas".
Second on the road Pat Higgins told us much the same story.."We took it
far smoother over the jumps". Pat improved by 4s. The battle for 2nd
place has really hotted up, with Gordon Rogers improving by 16s on his first
run, to leapfrog past Conor Curley and draw level with Tom McGovern.
Paul Gallagher had been 3rd, but unfortunately the Letterkenny man was forced
to retire on the 2nd stage, when his Corolla's engine exploded at the end of
a long straight. Gordon Rogers' performance through stage 2 was all the
more remarkable considering that he is now having great trouble getting
gears.
Paddy Boyce had been lying just outside the top 10, but there is no sign of
him here at service after stage 2. He had remarked earlier that his Manta's
clutch was slipping badly. Rodney Wilton had a good run through that
2nd
stage to p rovisionally move into the lead of class 11 from James Cassidy,
who is just 7s behind, so they will have quite a battle through the 3rd and
final stage.
Aidan Caddye still leads class 3 and group N in his Astra, although Aidan was
a second slower that time, the Letterkenny man admitting to taking it a
little cautious over some of the jumps. James Cassidy had a good time
to
move up to 7th place despite the car filling up with smoke following earlier
exhaust damage. Tom Taafe set a time of 9.39 in his Honda Integra, and
although it was 6s faster than Caddye's time, tom is a long way behind in the
race for class 3/gpN honours.
Paul Reid (Karl's younger brother) blew the engine was on the familiarisation
run. Killybegs man Martin Howley OOing in his Subaru has crashed on stage 2.
Rory O'Connor clipped the front of his Escort WRC on the first stage at the
hairpin, but the car escaped with cosmetic damage only. Mervyn Wedlock,
although he dropped 7 mins. on the first stage and is well out of the
reckoning is continuing in the rally and set a top 10 time through stage 2,
as he gets used to his new gearbox. Terence McHugh is the unofficial leader
of cl.12 after stage 2 and reports no major problems. Car 26 Tom McCann gave
the side of his Fiesta a fair good wallop on stage 2, dropped about 20s but
continuing unabated..more after 3..BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON
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