|
RALLY NEWS NO.6
Mitchelstown/Finish/Midnight
REVISED UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 6 - LAST STAGE (DOES NOT INCLUDE
CANCELLED STAGE 3)
1st
Dominic McNeill/Francis Regan (Escort WRC) 46.57
2rd
Niall Driver/Francis Corrigan (Lancer) 48.45
3rd
Ollie O’Donovan/David Moynihan (Legacy) 48.49
4th
Pete Wiloughby/Greg Shinnors (Lancer) 49.07
5th
Kevin O’Kane/Stephen Griffiths (Impreza) 49.14
6th
Eddie Kinirons/Tom Kinirons (Celica) 49.41
7th James
Murphy/Con Mulcahy (Escort Cos) 50.12
8th
Paul Staunton/Bruce Burgess (Escort) 50.45
9th
Liam McGrath/Denis Jackson (Escort) 50.50
10th
Patrick Elliott/Sean Moriarity (Lancer) 50.54
Dominic McNeill put on a dominant display today to lead the rally from start
to finish. Behind Dominic there was lots of confusion, many accidents
and blocked stages, but happily no reports of any serious injuries.
When Dominic and co driver Francis Regan brought their beautiful black Escort
World Rally Car into the finish here at Mitchelstown, Dominic commented
"I've never driven a more slippy event, it was rough, wet and tough.
I'm really happy to be here and of course it gives me the top position after
this opening round of the KBB Doors Championship". Second placed
Ollie O'Donovan was in the wars right to the end, finishing the final stage
with his Legacy rear wheel punctured. Still, it was a good result for the
London based Limerick man. Niall Driver in 3rd reckoned he had a bit of a
disastrous time through stage 5, commenting "There were a lot of
spectators and the car was sliding about
so I was a bit careful. Still, glad to finish so well up". Fourth placed
Kevin O'Kane said at the finish "The rally was real hard work, a lot of
driving, very slippy roads, I'm tired out!"
Just outside the leaderboard some totals of interest include...James Murphy
in his new Escort Cosworth on 1.02.20, James telling us that he slid wide on
a couple of junctions and lost some time. Pete Willoughby was on a total of
1.02.27 after a terrific performance in the hired Pitlane Lancer. Paul
Staunton was on 1.02.24 after spinning on the last stage. Patrick Elliott on
his first run in the forests in his Lancer was 1.04.14 and Kieran Moloy
1.05.05. New York based John Drislane lost several minutes with an off road
excursion on stage 5, otherwise would have been fairly close to Elliott's
times. Tom Sheehan/Willie Walsh made it to the finish despite rolling
their
Astra. KBB Doors Brian McCloskey eventually got his Escort Cosworth to the
finish despite bent suspension and an off song engine, drowned out in the
ford. We are still waiting for Garry Jennings to arrive - the young
Fermanagh man was knocking on the top 10, although we do hear that he had
some damage to the rear of his Peugeot. Trevor Harding crashed on stage 5 and
has hurt his neck but hopefully will make a quick recovery. Paul Manton
receives many thanks from the rally organisers, having withdrawn from
competing to perform OO duties after a OO car was damaged earlier. Still no
news of Eugene Donnelly and Eamonn Boland who were going very quickly through
the later stages, but of course had lost time in stage 2. Finally for now -
many thanks to Jim O'Brien & all at the Tipperary MC for all their hard
work in putting on the rally. Many thanks also to the RallyNews sponsors.
BRIAN AND LIZ PATTERSON
|
