RALLY NEWS NO.4
Slieve Gullion - Saturday…..3pm
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 7 Big Gullion
1st (7) Eugene Donnelly/Paul Kiely (Cellica) 26.11
2nd (4) David Armstrong/Herbie Blackburn (Escort) 26.42
3rd (1) Robin Philips/Mike Gibson (Corolla WRC) 26.54
4th (3) Derek McGarrity/James McKee (Impreza WRC) 26.58
5th (6) Gary White/Barry Taggart (Esc.Cos) 27.12
6th (9) Stevie Whitford/Mark Crowe (Lancer) 27.24
7th (2) Denis Biggerstaff/Damian McCann (Metro 6R4) 27.44
8th (10) George Robinson/Tommy Speers (Esc.Cos) 27.49
9th (19) Alan Nesbitt/Fabian McShane (Escort G3) 27.57
10th (12) Trevor Lancashire/Noel Hall (Escort) 28.30
Eugene Donnelly was fastest through stage 6 and stage 7 - stage 5 did not run
because Seamus Sands put his "OO"ing Peugeot rear while drive on it's
roof. Chasing the flying Bio-Clear Celica hard is Derek McGarrity, but in
truth he is making no headway at reducing the gap, even though Derek has come up
from 9th to a close 4th after the last few stages. Indeed 2nd fastest
through stage 6 was Denis Biggerstaff, but then he was a bit off the pace in
stage 7, Big Gullion, a place Denis does not like at all.
There were a few skiffs of rain as the leading cars came through Big Gullion,
and although it did not cause any big problems it definitely made the road a
little slippy. There was a suggestion that Robin Philips had a bit of a spin
towards the end of stage 6 but it didn't seem to affect his stage time. Derek
McGarrity is now reporting the first signs of clutch slip on his Impreza WRC.
Gary White ran wide at the first hairpin in Gullion. Martin Taggart stalled on
the start line.
Some more provisional totals include…Norman Armstrong closing on the top 10
after his earlier excursion, on 28.43. Paul Gallagher has slipped out of
top 10 and he is on 28.52…Paul trying to save the car for next week's Donegal,
although you wouldn't really think so, as the rear screen has popped out after
the big jump on Cooley. Martin Taggart is on 29.15. Enda Keenan, not
really coming to grips with the slippy conditions, 30.09. Rodney White in the
Sunbeam 29.07, Rodney in agony with a cramp in his foot earlier. Terence Taggart
29.18 following his handbrake jamming on dramas. Stories from earlier
include….Johnny McKenna dropping miles away from the leaderboard when his
Escort stopped for 5 minutes when the rotor arm broke following the big Cooley
jump. Johnny Morrow (34) has been having clutch troubles. Alan Nesbitt now
has his clutch fully adjusted.
ACROPOLOS LATEST AFTER SS11 - Colin McRae extended his lead to 25s over Burns,
then its Gronholm, Sainz & Loix. While England has defeated Denmark 3
nil….and that's enough ball stuff for today!! More news
later…BRIAN AND LIZ PATTERSON
|
|
|
