RALLY NEWS NO.5                   Charterhall Service - Saturday 08.45

UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 8 BLACKADDER
1st (1) Andrew Nesbitt/James O'Brien (Impreza WRC) 51.12.1
2nd (4) Eugene Donnelly/Paul Kiely (Corolla WRC) 51.19.0
3rd (6) Derek McGarrity/Dermot O'Gorman (Impreza WRC) 52.26.9
4th (5) David Higgins/Daniel Barritt (Accent WRC) 52.57.8
5th (15) Dougi Hall/Steve Egglestone (Focus WRC) 52.58.0
6th (3) Austin MacHale/Brian Murphy (Focus WRC) 53.24.6
7th (2) Jonny Milner/Nicky Beech (Impreza WRC) 53.28.8
8th (7) Eamonn Boland/Francis Regan (Lancer WRC) 53.54.5
9th (9) Paul Bird/Andrew Bargery (Focus WRC) 54.21.7
10th (8) Matthew Wilson/Scott Martin (Focus WRC) 54.30.0

Eugene Donnelly was fastest through today's opening stage Blackadder, by just a couple of seconds from overnight leader Andrew Nesbitt. The early times from stage 9, Ayton, show Donnelly again fastest, but by just under 1s from Nesbitt.  These 2 seem to have stepped up a gear from the rest of the field, with Derek McGarrity 6s slower than Nesbitt through stage 9, 7s slower on stage 8.  Nesbitt commented at the end of that Blackadder stage. "It was fairly dry but still tricky, damp with slippy patches, but everything went well."  Donnelly said. "I think I picked the wrong tyre, too soft a compound, I have 2 harder ones in the boot, we'll fit those."  Derek McGarrity just reported the stage to be slippy, no real problem.  Fourth placed David Higgins felt he didn't have quite the right tyre, but not so far away.  However in overall terms David is still struggling a little with his first run in the Hyundai on tarmac. 

Pirelli British Champion Jonny Milner got the new differential fitted to his Subaru last night, and said after that Blackadder stage. "The car is back to normal, I'm going to try and claw back some time, but not be too ambitious".  Austin MacHale made a good tyre choice this morning and turned in 4th fastest time on Blackadder, and a fairly respectable time onstage 9 as well.  Looks like 4th fastest, but still some more times to come in….

There was no change to the top 10 at the end of that 1st stage this morning, Eamonn Boland, Paul Bird and Matthew Wilson all having a good run. Guy Wilks is now 11th and continues to lead the Super 1600 category very conclusively.  Guy saying "Good and steady".  Barry Johnson is 12th in his Impreza WRC, Barry reporting a fairly major moment at the jump-bridge in Blackadder.  Paul Wedgbury is 13th and lead Group N, although Roy White was fastest gpN car through that 8th stage. The Clonmel man saying. "Trying hard, absolute max".     Seb Ling is apparently going to receive a small compensation in time having been held up behind Jon Ingram in stage 2.  So Ling and White are sort of level pegging.  Rory Galligan is in 16th, just behind Ling, and he was experiencing some bad under-steer this morning, but still set a respectable time. 

Steve Perez is down in 17th place following his major spin last night in the Vodka Kick Focus WRC.  Barry Clark is 18th and 2nd in the Super 1600 in his Puma.  A new lightweight Nik Elsmore is 19th and Jonnie Wigmore 20th. Overnight William Bonniwell led the Fiat Stilo Cup runners. They had their own moments of drama last night when Tom Metcalfe stopped to change a puncture, Ellya Gould came round the corner and a wheel flew off, went over the top of Metcalfe's car and landed about 2 fields away.  Then Paul Tod hit the bank in his Stilo avoiding Metcalfe's car!! More news later. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON  www.rallynews.net
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