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RALLY
NEWS NO.2
End
of SS1-Saturday-noon
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 1 The Ring
1st (3) Melvyn Evans/Alun Davies (Escort WRC) 8.17
2nd (1) John Price/Caroline Price (6R4) 8.23
3rd (4) Peete Doughy/Tim Sturla (Subaru Impreza) 8.24
(9) Bob Fowden/Jerry Hynes
(Lancer) 8.24
5th (6) Jim Harrison/Harvey Bell (Subaru Imp.WRC) 8.26
6th (18) Steve Fleck/Mark Aspinall (Subaru Impreza) 8.28
7th (12) Ollie O'Donovan/David Moynihan (Subaru Legacy)
8.29
8th (7) Tony Davies/Brian Hardie (6R4) 8.33
(10) Johnny O'Sullivan/Pat Cashman
(Escort WRC) 8.33
10th (16) Peter Lloyd/Martin Henry (6R4) 8.38
11th (20) Phil Collins/Howard Davies (Escort) 8.39
(8) Tommy
Graham/Sean Mullally (Subaru Imp.WRC) 8.39
Billy Coleman "OOing" in a red Mk2 Escort 197 DIU
reported the first stage "Basically dry, a bit of mud
at the end, very good". Warm sunshine and a rise
in temperatures gave some indication that it is after all
St. Patrick's weekend, and if this keeps up the drivers can
expect a hot and heavy rally, with speeds high.
As can be seen above, Melvyn Evans was fastest in his
Escort WRC, and that was despite a spin which caught the
back quarter of the car. John Price reported everything
"very good". While Pete Doughty in equal 3rd
place looked a bit shaky on his first special stage in a
Subaru Impreza, Bob Fowden also equal 3rd in the Lancer,
just looked determined. None of the leading drivers
reported any major problems, but Liam McCarthy was a few
seconds down in his new Corolla WRC, reporting a disastrous
tyre choice. Martin and Deirdre Daly also had a slow
time, and they told the same story.."Caught on the
wrong tyres".
Snippets from that first stage included…Jim Harrison
telling of quite a bit of quite a bit of brake fade towards
the end of the stage. Tony Davies had a similar complaint,
his 6R4's middle pedal going right to the floor. Both Tommy
Graham and Johnny O'Sullivan reported taking things a bit
cautiously - for Graham it was his first ever run in a
Subaru, for Killarney man O'Sullivan his first rally in a
long time. Ollie O'Donovan forgot to switch on his Legacy's
electronic diff which must have cost time, but still the
London based Limerick man had a good time. Steve Fleck is
running back at 18 and caught the 4 wheel drive Puma at
No.17, 2 miles from the end of the stage, which cost a few
seconds. Jon Stangle in the Darrian recorded a time of
9.08, reporting the car down on power and not revving over
7000. Kieran O'Neill summed up many of the drivers
feelings when he said "Great to be here, great to be
back". Belfast man O'Neill in the Kit-Kat Kadett
recorded 8.49, Derek Smith 8.42, Willie McCarthy 8.44, Liam
Davis 8.51, Nigel Hicklin, bedding in his new Subaru, 9.31.
Jon Mercer in the 6R4, 8.52. JJ Fleming in the ex Boland
Impreza WRC, 8.42.
More news later…BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON
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