RALLY NEWS NO.4                      Service - Ballinakill - Sunday 2pm

UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 4 MARBLE HILL
1st (4) Kevin Lynch/Francis Regan (Impreza WRC)  22.58
2nd (2) Jim Harrison/Harvey Bell (Impreza WRC) 23.11
3rd (5) Daniel & Michael Doherty (Impreza WRC) 23.24
4th (3) Patrick Elliott/David Moynihan (Impreza WRC) 23.28
5th (6) Cathal Arthurs/Jakes Kelly (Accent WRC) 23.40
6th (11) George Cullen/Dominic Downey (Impreza WRC) 23.55
7th (1) Niall Maguire/Paul McLoughlin (Impreza WRC) 23.59
8th (12) Denis Cronin/Helen O'Sulllivan (Celica) 24.04
9th (9) Sean Gallagher/Peter Egan (Impreza WRC) 24.07
10th (10) John Spain/Keith Sheppard (Celica) 24.14

There is a mighty tussle at the front of this Galway Summer Rally, but stage by stage Kevin Lynch is exerting his authority, edging away from the chasing pack.  On stage 4 the Dungiven man recorded a time of 4.44. Daniel Doherty 4.45. Jim Harrison 4.47.  Patrick Elliott 4.49.  There is still a lot of driving to do, the afternoon stages are slightly longer and no less tough, but at the moment Lynch certainly has the edge.  All the leading drivers reported a fairly good clean run through that 4th stage, no car problems reported.
In Group N Willie Fannin now leads on a total of 24.56 with Alan Ring on 24.57. James O'Sullivan 25.09.  Ring had been leading, but Gabriel Martin crashed on stage 3 blocking the road, and Ring was awarded an "interrupted time" of 7.29, whereas Willie Fannin had a clean run through the stage and set a time of 7.20.  Martin's accident happened at a left over fast crest, the car we think stepped out, touched something and rolled.  Gabriel we hear has some small glass particles in his eye and was taken to hospital for a check up, but should be OK.

Some class leaders after stage 3 included: David McNulty leading class 15 and on a total of 25.06 and inside the top 15.   Ollie O'Reilly led class 13. Trevor Lancashire class 12.  Mike Quinn class 14 from Martin Ward.  Looking back slightly to stage 2 and we reported earlier that Dave Randles was leading cl.7 in his Nissan. We think in fact it was John Paul Ruth in his Peugeot 306 who led from Randles in that class.   Andrew Mullen, who is leading his class in the Dunlop National C/ship was 6th in class 5.  The Sligo Pallets man switched from his Puma to a Ford Ka overnight.  Andrew took the car up to the power wash in Portumna at tea time yesterday, managed to get water into the engine, which then damaged itself and John Carroll kindly offered the use of his Ka for today. John is co-driving for Darragh Rafferty in the Impreza WRC and they were lying 26th.

Some more snippets after stage 4 - Ivan Stewart struggling with his Escort Cosworth water injection.  Kevin Barrett slowed ever so slightly on stage 3, went well again on stage 4 and is unofficially just outside the leaderboard in 11th place on 24.34.  Willie Fannin is 12th and of course leading gpN on 24.56.  Alan Ring is on 24.57 and 2nd GpN.  James O'Sullivan, 3rd in gpN.

For some time now the Sports Council has been carrying out alcohol/drugs tests on 10 randomly selected drivers before the start of some rallies.  This morning for the first time one driver failed the alcohol test and was refused a start. 

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