RALLY NEWS NO.2        Glenamaddy service-Saturday 09.00

UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 1 Horseleap
1st (3) Peadar Hurson/Ian Porter (Celica) 7.22
2nd (1) Austin MacHale/Brian Murphy (Corolla WRC) 7.28
3rd (6) Maurice Gass/Geoffrey Orr (Impreza WRC) 7.30
4th (10) Seamus Leonard/Kevin O'Brien (Subaru N) 7.35
5th (9) Roy White/Greg Shinnors (Lancer N) 7.37
6th (8) Trevor Cathers/Dessie Wilson (Lancer N) 7.43
7th (16) Stuart Darcy/Barry Goodman (Lancer N) 7.45

Wet and treacherous conditions covered the Co. Galway countryside as the crews started the first stage of this West 2002 International.  The man who paid the biggest price was Kenny McKinstry. His Impreza WRC thumped the hard Galway scenery hard on the left front. The Banbridge reached the end of the stage with a time loss of some 3 minutes.  Kenny and a couple of his mechanics worked furiously at the Subaru, but after about 15 minutes decided the suspension damage was too severe to carry on. John Spain's Manta left the road, and it was stuck, to go no further.

Peadar Hurson may have been fastest in his D&S Roe backed Celica, but he admitted shakily that he had been up at least three banks during the course of the 7.1 mile stage. MacHale was being tight lipped but appeared to have no problems. We go no time for Eugene Donnelly, his Stan Harper hired Impreza WRC emerged from the stage with a punctured right front tyre, and Eugene was in a big rush to get it sorted. Unofficially, we reckon that Eugene dropped several minutes.

Just a few more times from the early runners - Kevin Barrett, running with 133 on the car, but 10th on the road, had a time of 8.45. Pat White did 8.55.

More news after stage 2.

BRIAN AND LIZ PATTERSON    (with thanks to Ian Beasant)
www.rallynews.net