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RALLY NEWS
NO.1
Clonakilty/Saturday 09.00
The weather forecast may be middling enough but the atmosphere, the buzz, the
promised competition on this West Cork Rally looks to be hot stuff indeed. There
are a few non-starters amongst the top advertised entries. Michael Barrable, Bob
Fowden, Pete Doughty, Cahal Arthurs and Kevin Barrett are missing - but there
are more than enough great drivers and fabulous cars to make for a memorable
rally.
Melvyn Evans, fresh from winning the Epynt Rally last weekend in his Subaru WRC,
leads the 151 cars in the main field away from Clonakilty. In addition there
will be over 20 historic cars, led by Joe Connolly (Escort), Frank Cunningham (CooperS),
Martin Ward (manta) and Chris Nutt (Porsche 911) joining in from stage 5.
In the main field, behind Evans, running with no 3, is Donie O'Sullivan in the
Bio-Clear Focus WRC. Donie was testing the Ford this week up at the Newcastle
stage, has made a lot of changes to the differential settings and front
suspension geometry, and is a lot happier with the car than on his first outing
in Galway.
Similarly, Liam McCarthy has been carrying out a lot of work on his Corolla WRC,
and is more than happy with the way the car is going. Maurice Gass
at No.6 also has been doing some set-up work with his new Hyundai and he is
looking pretty confident. These four, Evans, O'Sullivan, McCarthy and Gass
promise to be the early front runners, but then it's a long tough rally and many
drivers, right up into the top 20 or so seeds, could be making the headlines
before the weekend is over.
Melvyn Evans is the man in form, Donie O'Sullivan is a great driver in a superb
car, McCarthy is the local man and a previous winner, Gass is a brave,
courageous driver who will give it everything.
The rally is the opening round of the 023 Tiles Southern 4 Championship and is
also a counter in the new Rallysport Challenge, and as such gives the drivers
extra incentive for success here.
At No.7 is Steve Fleck, this time with Patrick Walsh co driving. Steve is
driving his older Group A Impreza; his Subaru WRC still damaged after an
accident on last weekend's Epynt event. Denis Cronin is at 9 and has been
carrying out extensive suspension changes to his Celica. While at 10 is
John Dalton in the first of the 2 wheel drive cars, his powerful Darrian T90.
Right behind John is his great rival and friend Phil Collins in his Mk2 Escort.
Then Its Nigel Hicklin and Johnny O'Sullivan, Impreza WRC and Escort WRC
respectively. At No.17 is JJ Fleming, the Galway man having changed his
new Impreza to right hand drive, and could go well this weekend, although he has
no testing done. Barry Coleman is at 18, Peter Lloyd 19, both in Imprezas
and Noel Redmond, with Jakes Kelly co driving in an Hyundai WRC, round off the
top 20.
Interesting, there is a third Hyundai WRC in the list. Eurocables man Shane
Braniff is tucked away at No.53 in his new Accent. Just outside the
top 20 is Welshman Eian Pritchard at 21. He is driving his Group A Subaru,
not the WRC car. Paddy White is at 22 and he has had a lot of work carried
out to his Impreza WRC. John Morgan is at No.23. An engineer, Tommy Field,
has flown over from Britain and was rebuilding the engine yesterday in Pat
Murphy's garage in Clonakilty.
Kieran O'Callaghan at 24 is the first of the Group N drivers, Kieran in an ex
Aaron MacHale Lancer. The Group N category is very strongly supported,
with Mark Morgan, Willie Fannin, James O'Sullivan and Alan Ring just some of
local man Kieran's opposition. We mentioned above top 2 wheel drive
exponents, John Dalton & Phil Collins - some further names to look out for
include Tom Randles, who has upgraded his Escort to a 2.5 Millington engine.
Gwyndaf Evans in a Mk2, local man Willie McCarthy in an Escort and a whole lot
more.
Further non-starters include Richie Curran (28): Guy Woodcock (30): Eoin Doyle
(37): Gareth Lloyd (40). One side benefit of the non-shows is that many of the
reserves will get a run….
More news from service. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON
www.rallynews.net
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