The Mayo Stages 2004 - RallyNews LIVE

RALLY NEWS NO.2                             Westport/Service/SundayNoon

UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 1 Maum Pass
1st (2) Niall Maguire/Paul McLoughlin (Impreza WRC) 7.27
2nd (4) Patrick Elliott/David Moynihan (Impreza WRC) 7.32
3rd (6) Seamus Leonard/Gerry McVeigh (Impreza) 7.35
4th (5) Kevin Lynch/Francis Regan (Impreza WRC) 7.40
5th (32) Dominic McLaughlin/Cyril Donellan (Peugeot rwd) 7.42
6th (7) Aaron MacHale/Ger McMonagle (Lancer N) 7.50
7th (10) Tommy Graham/Francis Kenny (Impreza WRC) 7.56
8th (18) David McNulty/Keefe Kilcoyne (Esc.Cos) 8.00
9th (8) David Armstrong/Herbie Blackburn (Escort WRC) 8.02
     (20) Pat Donegan/Damien Garvey (Escort) 8.02

Happily there were no major incidents reported from the leading cars on this Mayo Stages Rally as they tackled the first stage. The weather is certainly on the rally's side, a peach of a morning, the sort of morning money just can't buy, and the Mayo countryside is looking superb.

Niall Maguire brought his new Subaru into Drummin village first on the road, and reported all well. Although he did make a quick check of the front left wheel which had brushed a boulder on one of the multitude of blind crests in the stage. Patrick Elliott felt that he had been too careful, but then everyone was being just slightly cautious on that opening test. David Armstrong reported himself to be "rusty". Ray Breen, on a time of 8.21, said "Just settling in".

In Group N Aaron MacHale is the pacesetter (Seamus Leonard is running a 35mm restrictor on his Impreza), and even Aaron said be was being careful enough.   We did expect Eoin Doyle to be on MacHale's pace with his new Subaru, but Eoin was on 8.28 and reckoned he had picked too hard a compound tyre. John Cairns had a good run to record 8.04, unofficially 2nd in gpN. Derrick Jobb was 8.05 although he felt he did not go well. Adrian Quinn 8.07.

In the Modified section, amongst the first few times, Dominic McLoughlin was the eye opener with 5th overall and then Pat Donegan. Interestingly Pat damaged his Escort in a testing exercise on Friday, and the mechanics have been working flat out to repair it for today. Trevor Lancashire did 8.06. Mac McKenna was a bit off the pace on 8.39, we think he was a bit shaken when his Peugeot rwd stepped out a couple of times.

Kieran Shaw recorded a time of 8.06, the KBB Doors man delayed at parc ferme when his Subaru Impreza jammed in engage mode. Then Kieran was fairly cautious through the stage.

Some early times - thanks to Tom Nolan - from the end of stage 2 Sheeffry - show Maguire fastest by 1s from Elliott, with Seamus Leonard 3rd fastest. Kevin Lynch 4th.
More news after stage 3: BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON    www.rallynews.net

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