RALLY NEWS NO.3                     Kilheffernan/Service/Sunday 11.20am

UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 3 SLIEVENAMON
1st (4) Brian Murphy/Joe Downey (Impreza 555)  13.52
2nd (26) Pat Norris/Declan Tumilty (Impreza 555) 14.03
3rd (3) Kevin Lynch/Francis Regan (Impreza WRC) 14.04
4th (2) Kevin O'Kane/Martin Hanna (Impreza WRC) 14.14
5th (73) Stephen Moore/Stephen Griffiths (Impreza N) 14.35
6th (6) Paul Barrett/Sean Ferris (Lancer N) 14.44
7th (12) Paul Mulcahy/Karl Baumawn (Starlet) 14.48
8th (14) Alan Mulcahy/Tom Kenneally (Escort) 14.59

Conditions here on this Willie Loughman Forestry Stages remain ideal with the cold bright weather making the stages firm and fast, the lead drivers full of praise. 

Brian Murphy continues to lead, he was fastest on the first stage today, Kevin Lynch was fastest on the 2nd and Pat Norris quickest on the 3rd. Brian Murphy admitted to making a bit of a mess of the chicane after the water splash on stage 2, but otherwise reports a good run.  Kevin Lynch had a stall at one hairpin and lost a few seconds. Kevin O'Kane just commented "The stages are great, so is the new car".  Pat Norris joked "We had about 23 gears, now we're down to about 17 - going well!" 

Stephen Moore leads Group N and reports no problems.  His closest pursuer in the gpN category at the moment is Paul Barrett, Paul lost a few seconds in stage 3 when he got caught behind James Murphy's'Escort Cosworth which was billowing smoke from a blown turbo.  Murphy had been 5th after the first stage, but is well out of the picture now, having lost over 4 minutes on that stage 3. 

Several drivers got punctured tyres on stage 3, Slievenamon, including James Cribben in the gpN Lancer and Lloyd Hutchinson in the Mini Cooper. Lloyd's 2 rear flat wheels happened just before the stage finish and he had a reasonably good time, and in fact is on a very respectable total of 15.29.  James Cribben got his 2 rear punctures near the start of the stage, and he did well only to lose about 20 or so seconds.  But it was enough to knock him out of the gpN picture, his total now 15.29.  Aaron MacHale's total is 15.54, Aaron inexplicably having a slow time through stage 3.

Eddie Garry is still getting used to his hired John O'Leary Lancer and his total now 16.23, Eddie slow to start but picking up speed now.  Gabriel Martin, running with 91 on his Lancer, but seeded up the field, is on a total 15.27.  Brian Lawlor in his Astra engined Escort has a total of 15.11. James Coleman 15.25, that was following a first stage spin, but good runs through stages 2 and 3.   Michael Tynan was another to be slowed with punctures and his total of 16.16. John Reid is on 15.16. Ray Benskin, his Escort's clutch pedal a bit soft, is on 15.48.    

More news later. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON  www.rallynews.net