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RALLY
NEWS NO.1
Waterford - Sunday morning…
The million-dollar question on this Ravens Rock Rally is just who is
going to beat Niall Maguire! Monaghan man Niall is on such an
unstoppable roll that already the Dunlop National Championship
crown, of which this is round 5 of 10, is looking a strong
possibility to be heading for his impressive trophy cabinet in the
foyer of his Ballinode based transport business. Having said that,
Cathal Arthurs and Jim Harrison aren't that far away in the points.
They are amongst the men who could deprive Niall of another maximum
score here in Waterford that also include, Ray Breen, Patrick
Elliott, Melvyn Evans, Denis Cronin, Johnny O'Sullivan and Kevin
Lynch. Kevin finished a solid 3rd on last weekend's Donegal
International. His Subaru Impreza WRC has had a quick re-fettle at
Stan Harper's workshop, and Kevin should be fully match fit.
Johnny O'Sullivan drives his usual Ford Escort WRC, and his main aim
this weekend will be to increase his points lead on the 023 Tiles
Southern Four Championship. Denis Cronin drives his Celica 4wd in
preference to his BMW M3 and shouldn't be a mile away from the
front. Welshman Melvyn Evans at 7, Patrick Elliot at 6, as well as
Ray Breen at 4, all in Impreza WRC's, are getting right on the pace
as the season progresses. Breen in particular is on home territory
and the pressure will be on for a top result, but against that he
hurt his back recently and has missed a couple of rallies. Patrick
Elliott had a new engine fitted in his Impreza WRC for this rally,
there was a last minute drama involving a broken cam belt, hopefully
all is now sorted.
Cathal Arthurs has been having some work done on his Hyundai's
differential set-up in his quest for that last little bit of speed
that makes the difference between winning and not. The tight and
twisty nature of the stages that Clerk of the Course Ann-Marie
Fitzgerald has chosen may just suit the Hyundai, brilliant handling
but maybe not outright power its hallmark. Perhaps Maguire's
biggest threat comes from English visitor Jim Harrison. Driving one
of Kenny McKinstry's Impreza WRC's, Harrison can produce a
devastating turn of speed on his day. All will be gunning for
Maguire, who is the benchmark. His Subaru has had a good overhaul at
Harper's, the gear change mechanism, which had been giving a bit of
trouble, has been replaced and Niall reports all well. Missing from
the published top ten list is Adrian McElvaney, and Liam
McCarthy, whose co-driver Kieran Murphy who is too busy at work in
his construction company to take time off for the rally.
There are many drivers outside the top ten, such as Kevin Barrett,
Richie Curran, Noel Redmond, David McNulty, Tom Holton and John
McCarthy, to name just a few, who, if they get a decent run, should
be there or thereabouts.
Outside of that are some very strong GpN runners - Gabriel Martin at
22 leads GpN on the Dunlop series in his Lancer, Willie Fannin now
in an Impreza. Quick man Kieran O'Callaghan in a Lancer, Alan Ring
in a latest model Impreza, 023 Tiles man James O'Sullivan in a
Lancer. Alan Ring, GpN winner on the Killarney Lakes, lies 2nd in
the 023 Tiles series. Another GpN runner to keep an eye on is one of
the event sponsors, Eddie Garry, who is down at 30, plus Kieran
Molloy and Kevin O'Donoghue. A real dark horse is Sebastien Ling,
seeded at 59, here for tarmac practice before the Jim Clark Rally,
and currently leading GpN on the Pirelli British series.
Further changes to entry include Sean Gallagher and Suir
Engineering's Eoin Doyle non-starting. Gordon Noble is sitting with
Kevin Lynch, Stephen Griffith with David McNulty, Damien Connolly
with John McCarthy, Greg Shinnors with Alan Ring. Alex Davies
is with Melvyn Evans.
A special mention to commentator extraordinaire Dougie Hughes, who
is missing the rally, the first one he's missed in 15 years, to give
his daughter Hazel's hand in marriage to Gerry, the ceremony taking
place over at Ennis. Hope their Bush special passes work and they
have a 'real good day!' More news after stage 1. BRIAN & LIZ
PATTERSON www.rallynews.net
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