RALLY NEWS NO.5                       Ballymena Finish… Saturday 5pm

UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 8 BALLYPATRICK
1st (3) Kevin Lynch/Francis Regan (Impreza WRC) 23.40
2nd (2) Derek McGarrity/James McKee (Impreza WRC) 23.53
3rd (14) Raymond Johnson/Richard Bell (Lancer N) 24.58
4th (11) Seamus Donnelly/Billy McCullins (Lancer N) 25.02
5th (5) Denis Biggerstaff/Damien McCann (Impreza WRC) 25.11
6th (9) Adrian McElvaney/Paul Kelly (Impreza WRC) 25.23
     (12) Michael Curran/Fabian McShane (Lancer N) 25.23
8th (22) Sean Devine/Killian Duffy (Impreza N) 25.30
9th (15) Raymond Mason/Peter Martin (Lancer N) 25.35
10th (29) John Mckeown/Mandy McKeown (Esc.Cos) 25.44

Kevin Lynch notched up yet another fastest time through stage 8, Ballypatrick, to extend his lead over Derek McGarrity to 13s. Lynch reported no problems at stage finish.  McGarrity on the other hand, as well as his ongoing gear box maladies, reckoned that his car had broken a front drive shaft in the stage. This is going to make it pretty difficult for him to get to the finish, let alone mount any big challenge over the final 2 stages.   

Glenn Allen and his co driver Damien Connolly had been in 3rd place starting Ballypatrick, but their Escort WRC is reportedly stuck in a ditch.  There was certainly no sign of them at stage finish after many cars had passed through.  We are also still awaiting times for Pat Norris and Kieran Graffin. Pat was running late following a puncture, and there is an unofficial report that Graffin has mechanical problems and is stopped in the stage. On our last RallyNews we reported that both George Robinson and Kevin O'Kane had run into mechanical problems in Parkmore. George's Escort Cosworth had a broken drive shaft and he pulled out. No news on O'Kane as yet.

Over on the Tempest Rally, Mark Higgins has won, David Higgins 2nd, Austin MacHale 3rd and Matthew Wilson 4th. By our unofficial reckoning this makes David Higgins the new Pirelli British Rally Champion.
More news after final stage. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net
(with thanks to Michael Patterson)