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RALLY
NEWS NO.6
Maghera - Finish - Saturday 6.45
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 12 (last stage)
1st (2) Kevin Lynch/Francis Regan (Impreza WRC) 45.25
2nd (5) Glen Allen/Damien Connolly (Escort WRC) 45.34
3rd (7) James Gillen/John McCafferty (Subaru) 46.13
4th (4) Kieran Shaw/Crawford Henderson (Impreza WRC) 46.47
5th (6) Denis Biggerstaff/Damien McCann (Metro 6R4) 46.50
6th (11) Raymond Mason/Peter Martin (Lancer N) 46.57
(20) Seamus Donnelly/Billy McCullins
(Lancer N) 46.57
8th (19) Sean Devine/Robert McDaid (Impreza N) 47.34
9th (22) Michael Curran/Fabian McShane (Lancer N) 47.41
(102) Brian Muldoon/David Burns (Lancer
N) 47.41
Kevin Lynch led this Sperrins Rally from start to finish with an
extremely dominant display, Glen Allen gave it everything he knew,
and despite setting 2 dazzling times on the final 2 stages, had to
be content to finish 9s behind Lynch's Impreza WRC. James
Gillen had a good clean run to 3rd, his only real problem being a
broken front brake disc. Kieran Shaw had a mixed sort of a
day, ran for part of the time with the anti lag system switched
off, and then over the last few stages the engine virtually cooked
itself, but he gained a lot of gravel experience with the WRC
machine. Denis Biggerstaff pulled himself from 9th to 5th
over the final 2 stages. Denis was finding his Metro 6R4
very wayward on the fast straights, the twisty nature of the final
2 tests suited him down to the ground.
One of the major dramas of the rally happened on the penultimate
stage when Jonny McKenna threw away a dream Group N winning
result, and 4th overall, when he crashed his Lancer out of the
rally. More of this later.
Kevin Lynch commented as he approached the Walsh's Hotel finish
"The rally, the stages, were all good. I would have liked to
see McGarrity keep going to the end. We were able to ease off
slightly over the last 2 stages". Glen Allen said
"The car never coughed all day, although it was a fairly hard
rally. We had a great run at the end, but I've no answer to this
sort of machinery in front". James Gillen said
"I'm pleased with the 3rd place, I would more than have
settled for that before the start".
Group N on the rally was turned on its head when McKenna crashed
out. Some of the following competitors stopped to make sure he was
OK, and this could well have affected the final result, which must
remain provisional for the moment. Raymond Mason &
Seamus Donnelly have tied for Group N victory, but it will all
depend on a close study of the "interrupted stage time"
granted to Donnelly and Michael Curran. Brian Muldoon feels a bit
hard done by as he slowed down for the accident, but felt that he
didn't really need to because by that time everything was
reasonably clear. Michael Curran should have been in a
stronger position but a final stage puncture dented his hopes.
In the 2 wheel drive part of the rally it looks like Greg
McCormick has finished just ahead of Camillus Bradley with James
Cassidy 3rd, but that is to be ratified. Late retirements
included - Brendan O'Hagan, who pulled out when his front
differential started to leak oil. Just outside the above
leaderboard we have Sean Haveron making a very welcome come back,
his total time 48.14. Sean discovered the water injection was not
working in his car which slowed him throughout the day. Brian
McCloskey finished on 48.31. Dickie Curran 49.47. Finally for now,
congratulations to Philip Shaw and all at Magherafelt MC for a
great day's rallying. Many thanks to Walsh's Hotel for hosting the
rally. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net
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