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RALLY
NEWS NO.3
Service - Friday 3pm
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 3 Gortree
1st (5) Eugene Donnelly/Paul Kiely (Corolla WRC) 16.14
2nd (4) Derek McGarrity/Dermot O'Gorman (Impreza WRC) 16.19
3rd (1) Andrew Nesbitt/James O'Brien (Impreza WRC) 16.31
4th (11) Kevin Lynch/Francis Regan (Impreza WRC) 16.44
5th (2) Austin MacHale/Brian Murphy (Focus WRC) 16.59
6th (9) Paul Harris/John McCafferty (Impreza WRC) 17.10
7th (39) Matthew Wilson/Scott Martin (Focus WRC) 17.12
8th (8) Eamonn Boland/Damien Morrissey (Lancer WRC) 17.19
(21) Brendan Kelly/Derek Brannigan (Corolla WRC)
17.19
10th (14) Tim McNulty/Anthony Nestor (Impreza WRC) 17.21
Despite a stage 3 spin Eugene Donnelly has maintained his lead on this
Shell Donegal Rally, Eugene commented. "The spin didn't cost a
lot of time. It has been going well, on the right tyres, made a big
difference". Andrew Nesbitt reported a faulty intercom on
stage 3, and also the new car is set just a little soft, but overall
happy despite getting caught in heavy rain for 2 miles in stage 3.
Derek McGarrity admits to picking the wrong tyres, wet tyres, for the
3 stages. Austin MacHale still has brake troubles in his Focus
WRC. While Eamonn Boland's Lancer WRC still has poor pick up through
the gears. He reckons it is something to do with the anti lag system.
Paul Harris is getting on the pace and said. "We're getting
there".
Matthew Wilson's very broad smile when he stepped out of this Focus
WRC, said it all. "Really enjoying this, its mega. The second
stage was a bit tricky, third stage fabulous" from the 17 year
old. Tim McNulty seems to have an intermittent engine problem
with his Impreza WRC. There was a new engine fitted during the
night and it would appear that something is not set up quite right.
Kevin Lynch is having a good run, no problems.
In Group N Seamus Leonard has got ahead of Aaron MacHale by 1s. Seamus
saying of his new Subaru that it is very different from the old one.
It performs best when the power is on all the time, you really need to
left foot brake it. Seamus admits to getting the brake balance
wrong anyway, and the pads are now glazed. Aaron MacHale made a
bit of a wrong turn on a stage which cost a bit of time. Dessie Keenan
in a similar gpN Lancer still has turbo problems and Dessie reckons it
could be the dump valve. The Monaghan youngster was really
sweating through stage 3, petrol gauge on absolute empty.
Ivan Stewart seems to have got his Escort WRC engine back on 4
cylinders but a stage 3 overshoot cost some more time. Phil
Collins is 11s ahead of John Dalton in the race for best Modified, no
sign of James Cullen's Porsche for the moment. Cahal Rogers is
up to 3rd in gpN despite having flu. Colm Murphy 4th. Sean
Devine lost time when he forgot to switch on the engine fans and the
car went into safe mode. Willie Fannin reports soft suspension
on his Lancer, also a trip up a bank bent the suspension slightly.
Kieran Doherty/Johanna Tinney have just walked back to service, their
Lancer engine blowing up on the road section to stage 2. They
didn't get doing stage 1 because it was interrupted. Kieran commented
"I've waited 20 years to do this rally, hired a Lancer because my
own Focus wasn't ready, and haven't got doing a stage!".
More news later. BRIAN AND LIZ PATTERSON
www.rallynews.net
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