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RALLY
NEWS NO.1
Clonmel-Sunday morning
Round 8 of 10 Dunlop National Rally Championship.
"Bitter- Sweet" sums up the feeling on the run-up
to the start of this Stonethrowers Rally. On the one hand
it is great to be here in Clonmel for the rally. As usual
the entry list is bursting with interest, talented drivers,
lovely cars. The welcome and charm of the place and people
is very special. The bitter bit is the empty feeling of no
Frank Meagher here. Such a special man, such a big part of
this rally, all rallies, over the years. This Stonethrowers,
the commemorative programme, so well done, such a graphic,
sad reminder.
Niall Maguire heads the entry, with Paul Nagle co-driving.
Usual co-driver Paul McLaughlin fell off his bike this
week, broke his collar bone, so can't start. A bit ironic
really. McLaughlin has steered Niall successfully through
seven rounds of the Dunlop National Championship, so that
he is in a position to wrap up the series today on this
eighth counter.
Niall reports that his all conquering Subaru required
little refettling after its last outing, the Sligo win.
There the water spray to the all banging anti lag/launch
control system was clogged, meaning overheating of the
exhaust manifolds. That has all been sorted.
Just who will deny Niall Maguire Dunlop points - besides
himself - here in Tipperary? Well, the most obvious people
are Patrick Elliott, David Armstrong and Michael Barrable.
Then there's Hugh Dunne, Liam McCarthy, Anthony O'Halloran,
Sean Gallagher to name just a few more. Missing from the
top ten listed in the programme are Donal O'Donovan and
Denis Cronin.
Patrick Elliott tells us that his Subaru is getting a last
minute transmission wiring loom fitted to try and cure the
car's erratic handling. Michael Barrable reports that his
Subaru was at last to his liking at Punchestown, where he
had his wife co-driving, Michael relaxed, just drove the
car, and the times started to flow. Really though the rally
is wide open. Maguire say's he is going to go flat out.
With so much at stake in Dunlop Championship terms that is
hard to believe.
The fight for GpN honours on the rally should be just as
frenetic as for overall. Indeed the two could overlap. Roy
White, whose father Sean, through his FESP Company, stepped
in to back this special Frank Meagher Memorial
Stonethrowers, is probably the benchmark in his fabulous
new Lancer Evo 7. Roy is trying a new Proflex
suspension system today.
Aaron McHale, GpN leader in the Dunlop series, Kieran
Molloy, both in Mitsubishis, George Tracey, just back from
his Barbados holiday, and James Cribben, both in Subarus,
are just two more who may give White a hard time. That's
just skimming over the surface as regards the drivers on
this Stonethrowers. There are lots of good people we
haven't mentioned. Further non-starters include Tom Holton,
Sean McArdle & John Nolan. Several of the reserves will
get a start, including Jimmy Lambert/James Coleman, who
should start close to the 'top men' More news after first
stage. BRIAN AND LIZ PATTERSON (www.rallynews.net)
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