UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 4

1^st (1) Colin McRae/Jim Corr (Ford Focus WRc) 10.08.9

2^nd (2) Andrew Nesbitt/James O'Brien (Subaru WRC) 10.17.4

3^rd (3) Austin MacHale/Brian Murphy (Corolla WRC) 10.25.3

4^th (4) Derek McGarrity/Willie McKee (Subaru WRc) 10.34.9

5^th (9) Michael Barrable/Fran Walsh (Subaru WRC) 10.35.3

6^th (11) Maurice Gass/Geoffrey Orr (Subaru WRC) 10.35.4

7^th (8) Robert Woodside/Graeme McKee (Subaru WRC) 10.36.3

8^th (7) Peadar Hurson/Ian Porter (Celica) 10.41.7

9^th (10) David Greer/Rory Kennedy (Corolla WRC) 10.42.9

10^th (14) Eugene Donnelly/Paul Nagle (Celica) 10.46.9

Colin McRae had a run in Dermot Carnegie’s 700 horse power rallycross Focus at the end of the lunch break, pronounced the car "awesome" and then went out in his own Focus WRC and set another fastest time. Colin had a crowd on their feet and roaring as he flung the Ford through the final corner, and flicked it into a daring doughnut for good measure. Behind Colin it’s Andrew Nesbitt now starting to open up a small gap between himself and Austin MacHale. Andrew pronounced his stage 4 run as "lovely but still a small noise in the transmission". MacHale had the upset of a broken front wishbone bolt on the familiarisation run – that happened after the 2^nd big jump. The mechanics worked like fury to get the car fixed, but Austin’s time was just that fraction slower than was expected. It was 5^th fastest.

Eugene Donnelly finished the stage with smoke pouring from underneath his Celica, Eugene reporting that he had been off the road and collected a sod of grass underneath the engine bay and the heat of the engine had set it alight. UTV’s Pamela Ballantine was immediately on the case, asking the Maghera man…"Was that the first time you’ve smoked grass?"….

Robert Woodside had a fast time on that stage 4 – 3^rd quickest – which brought him up from 8^th to 7^th. Robert commenting "That seems to be a better stage for me I can remember it much better going that way". The consensus of opinion is that they prefer the stage running this way – anti clockwise.

In GpN after stage 3 Adrian McElvaney was leading on 8.19.4 with Aaron MacHale in a similar Lancer on 8.20.3. James Foley also in a Lancer 8.21.4. Garry Jennings 8.22.5. Seamus Leonard in the Subaru 8.25.7.

In the Ford of Ireland Focus Challenge Oliver Stanley continues to lead 7s ahead of the tying Cathal O’Reilly and Brendan Kelly. Colm Murphy was 4^th a further 6s back.

Colin McRae has just completed his 5^th and 6^th stages – so that could be Colin finished for the day. It was a fabulous performance from the world’s top rally driver. Incidentally Kris Meeke has had a couple of runs in the car and certainly one of his times would have put him in the top 5 overall. It was young Kris’ first time in a Focus WRC, and from the smile on his face it was like all his Christmases had come at once! More news to follow..BRIAN AND LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net