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RALLY
NEWS NO.9
Killaha - Sunday 2pm
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 15 SHANERA
1st (2) Derek McGarrity/Dermot O'Gorman (Impreza WRC) 1.53.10
2nd (5) Donie O'Sullivan/Paul Nagle (Focus WRC) 1.54.39
3rd (4) Austin MacHale/Brian Murphy (Focus WRC) 1.55.00
4th (6) Eamonn Boland/Damien Morrissey (LancerWRC) 1.56.03
5th (15) JJ Fleming/Robbie Ward (Impreza WRC) 1.59.05
6th (14) Denis Cronin/Helen O'Sullivan (Celica) 1.59.42
7th (18) Johnny O'Sullivan/Pat Cashman (Escort WRC) 2.00.10
8th (11) Pete Doughty/Allan Whittaker (Escort WRC) 2.02.01
9th (9) Tim McNulty/Anthony Nestor (Impreza WRC) 2. 02.13
10th (46) Alan Ring/Greg Shinnors (Impreza N) 2.02.49
Although he has a very commanding lead Derek McGarrity still set
fastest times through stages 14 and 15 of this Killarney Rally of
the Lakes. Behind Derek, Donie O'Sullivan and Austin MacHale are
having a major battle in the race for 2nd place. O'Sullivan
was 1s faster than MacHale through stage 14, Caragh Lake. But
on stage 15 O'Sullivan cut one hairpin very tight, his windscreen
got covered in muddy water, and there was no fluid in the washer
system to clear the screen. Donie lost 13s to Austin on that
one, to leave the gap at 21s with 4 stages remaining.
McGarrity did admit to a slight worry at the end of the Shanera
stage. He took a long fast right hand corner very tight, felt a
little twinge through the steering, but luckily the Pirelli tyre
wasn't punctured, and Derek was able to finish the stage with no
problem. Eamonn Boland is looking very solid in 4th place now,
although he lost a few seconds on stage 15 when he spun his Lancer.
Denis Cronin rounds off the top 6 in his Celica, Denis having to be
very careful with his sticking gearbox.
Local Mazda dealer Johnny O'Sullivan is having a clean run to hold
on to 7th. Pete Doughty in 8th is almost 2 minutes behind
O'Sullivan, at least Doughty's rally has settled down somewhat after
a catalogue of problems early on, including a broken differential
and driveshaft troubles.
News of further retirements - Liam McCarthy's Corolla had a fuel
leak at the service going into Caragh Lake, and it looks as if Liam
has not been able to carry on. Eoin Doyle was complaining of a
vibration in the car in stage 13. Following service he went into
stage 14, Caragh Lake, the vibration was still there and when he put
his foot on the brakes going into a fast corner the pedal went to
the floor and the Subaru hit a wall. Colm Murphy's gpN Impreza
emerged from the Caragh stage with a very rough sounding engine and
he has yet to appear here at service after stage 15.
Alan Ring continues his smooth drive to lead Group N. Alan being
careful over big jumps. James Foley is pushing very hard to close
the gap on Ring and although he is taking a second or two here and
there, Ring seems to be able to pull it back on the next stage.
Foley admits that he has never seen a pace like this in group N.
Interestingly, fastest gpN car through 15 was Willie Fannin. James
O'Sullivan is driving his Lancer absolutely on the door handles and
at long last his times are starting to look at little bit better.
Glen Wilson and Guy Woodcock are tying for the F2 lead in their
respective Escort Maxis. Wilson was choked with oil fumes
through the last stage, the engine pumping smoke out through the
beather. Phil Collins arrived in here to service with his
Escort suffering a smashed back axle, quite possibly having taken
the big jump in Shanera too hard. More news later. BRIAN &
LIZ PATTERSON
www.rallynews.net
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