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RALLY NEWS NO.8
Ballinacarriga-Sunday
3pm
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 11 (Rosscarbery)
1st (3) Melvyn Evans/Alun Davies (Escort WRC) 1.23.30
2nd (18) Steve Fleck/Mark Aspinall (Subaru Impreza) 1.24.02
3rd (4) Pete Doughty/Tim Sturla (Subaru Impreza) 1.24.28
4th (6) Jim Harrison/Harvey Bell (Subaru Imp.WRC) 1.24.39
5th (1) John Price/Caroline Price (6R4) 1.25.37
6th (8) Tommy Graham/Sean Mullally (Subaru Imp.WRC) 1.26.26
7th (14) JJ Fleming/Robbie Ward (Subaru Imp.WRC) 1.27.08
8th (20) Phil Collins/Howard Davies (Escort) 1.27.28
9th (46) Mark Morgan/Tony Fisher (Lancer N) 1.27.45
10th (19) Derek Smith/Daragh Cafferky (Escort) 1.28.28
The individual stage times for stage 11 (Rosscarbery) make
interesting reading, with Melvyn Evans topping the sheet on
7.31, Pete Doughty was 7.35, Jim Harrison 7.46, JJ Fleming
7.47, Steve Fleck and Tommy Graham tying with 7.50. Evans
commented at stage finish "That was a lot better than
stage 10, I could see where I was going". That
was in reference to the Ballinacarriga stage where his
windscreen misted up in the driving rain. Steve Fleck
had been challening for the lead, but whatever happened in
the stage cost him almost 20s, he was tightlipped at the
stage finish and would give no clue. Pete Doughty
said "I'm learning to drive the car all over again,
it's all new for me in the wet". Jim Harrison
reported no problems. While Tommy Graham said "I'm not
settled in at all".
In the battle for Group N, Mark Morgan dropped quite a few
seconds to Andrew Hadden, with a spin, Hadden reporting all
well after his stage 10 accident. Although Hadden was
13s faster than his rival in that stage 11, the gap between
the two is still pretty huge.
Another major retirement is that of Sean Keenan. His
Celica needed a new turbo fitted at final Saturday service,
but the unit has blown again and although the Galway man
finished stage 11, the car was going no further. The
clouds of smoke nearly choked everyone as well!!
Phil Collins continues to lead the 2 wheel drive charge and
said about that Rosscarbery stage "Brilliant
fun". His closest rival Derek Smith had a spin
in the stage which he put down to having the axle changed
at service and the new rear brakes were not bedded in
properly. Max McKillen now has some clutch troubles
with his Saxo, but is still lying well inside the top 20
and leading his class by a mile. We mentioned earlier that
Class 16 was being led by Richard Suff - we got that wrong,
Richard is in fact 2nd to John McCarthy in his Peugeot 306.
In the Historic section of the rally John Keatley
still leads after this morning's stage, and that was
despite a major moment. More later. BRIAN & LIZ
PATTERSON (with thanks to Martin Walsh)
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