1^st (2) Mark Higgins/Michael Gibson (Accent WRC) 1.30.3

2^nd (6) Kevin Lynch/Francis Regan (Impreza WRC) 1.31.1

3^rd (1) Jonny Milner/Shelley Rogerson (Octavia WRC) 1.31.4

4^th (14) Kevin Barrett/Rory Kennedy (Impreza WRC) 1.32.4

5^th (20) James Gillen/Rodney Johnston (Impreza WRC) 1.33.0

6^th (18) Neale Dougan/Rory Doyle (Escort WRC) 1.33.4

7^th (8) Maurice Gass/Andrew Cullen (Impreza WRC) 1.33.9

8^th (15) Daniel Doherty/Kevin McGowan (Impreza WRC) 1.33.9

9^th (22) Ollie O'Donovan/Ed Synan (Impreza WRC) 1.34.0

10^th (10) Denis Biggerstaff/Robin McCandless (Metro 6R4) 1.34.3

Mark Higgins opened his account here at this 25^th running of the Lurgan Park Rally, for the 2^nd year under the Triton Showers banner, with a fastest time. Mark showed all his world championship class by overcoming a misted up windscreen on his Hyundai. He was originally scheduled to drive the 2^nd Octavia but the car wasn’t ready, so Mark has slotted in to Shane Braniff’s Accent WRC. He couldn’t quite believe he was fastest as not long after the start of the stage the windscreen misted up. Second placed Kevin Lynch commented. "Just sizing up the opposition!" Jonny Milner in 3^rd place finished the stage with the Skoda’s horn blasting. Jonny had a last minute worry over turbo boost in the car, and in fact an engineer, or Ollie Marshall himself, is flying over with a new thingymabob to get it sorted.

Kevin Barrett had a good run to power his Triton Showers Subaru into 4^th. His team mate Niall Maguire well down the order after an overshoot. It is amazing that Niall is here at all – he is driving with a broken toe following an accident on last weekend’s Stonethrowers Rally, and in fact Kenny McKinstry had to re-livery an older car as a substitute for Niall’s own Impreza for today. James Gillen was another to have a good run to come into 5^th. While Scottish visitor Neale Dougan survived a spin to bring his Escort WRC into the top half dozen.

In Group N Raymond Johnson was fastest, much to his surprise, he thought he had a slow enough run. Raymond was 12^th overall after that 1^st stage. Young Michael Curran is 2^nd GpN, his father Dickie 3^rd, John McGlaughlin 4^th despite brake problems, and Garry Jennings 5^th on his first run in this particular GpN Impreza.

Fastest 2 wheel drive car was Keith White who is 11^th overall, despite some hairy braking moments. Mark Doyle is 14^th and best front wheel drive. Kenny McKinstry was fairly well down the order in 25^th on his first run in a Mk2 Escort for many a long day. Kenny’s car is fitted with forestry suspension, a bit soft for the Lurgan Park tarmac. Kenny did say the car felt lovely and small through the chicanes!

Further stories include….Denis Biggerstaff spinning his 6R4. Glenn Allen had an overshoot at the first chicane. Maurice Gass missed a couple of gears. Cahal Arthurs had an overshoot and thought he was going to end up on the Moira Road. Adrian McElvaney couldn’t see the chicane properly on the big long straight and made a bit of a hash of it. Daniel Doherty was being a bit cautious. Warren Philliskirk had a spin in his 6R4. Garry Jennings missed a couple of gears. Ollie O’Donovan had to rush into a shop at the Lurgan main street start to buy a battery for his intercom, also feels the car is a bit dead of itself. Craig Bennett'’ Focus WRC gave gear selection trouble. Late entry Camillus Bradley had an overshoot. Sean McArdle’s Celica went into "safe mode" when the heating fans did not switch on. Still not a bad time, 15^th overall.

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