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RALLY NEWS NO.6 Clonakilty/Saturday 6.30
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 8
1st (3) Donie O'Sullivan/Paul Nagle (Focus WRC) 1.13.00.9
2nd (5) Liam McCarthy/Kieran Murphy (Corolla WRC) 1.14.51.2
3rd (1) Melvyn Evans/Marc Jones (Impreza WRC) 1.15.44.7
4th (11) Phil Collins/Howard Davies (Escort) 1.15.59.8
5th (24) Kieran O'Callaghan/Denis O'Donovan (Lancer N) 1.16.08.9
6th (17) JJ Fleming/Robbie Ward (Impreza WRC) 1.16.19.1
7th (26) Willie Fannin/Michael Coleman (Impreza N) 1.16.48.7
8th (14) Johnny O'Sullivan/Pat Cashman (Escort WRC) 1.17.12.1
9th (7) Steve Fleck/Patrick Walsh (Impreza) 1.17.24.2
10th (12) Nigel Hiclin/Sam McMullan (Impreza WRC) 1.18.00.7
Through stages 7 and 8, the Ring and Lislevane, Donie O'Sullivan was fastest again, his Bio-Clear Focus WRC the class act of the field. Liam McCarthy is hanging grimly on to 2nd, his Corolla WRC's handling now fairly awry, the drying roads emphasising the broken rear anti roll bar. Liam is hoping to get a new roll bar sent down from Carrigtwohill to be fitted at first service tomorrow. Melvyn Evans is another fighting wayward handling, but he has managed to come up to an overnight 3rd, his cause helped when Denis Cronin retired his Celica out of that position. The Toyota suffered gear change maladies leaving service.
Donie O'Sullivan commented here at the final service of the day "We had a nice clean run, we've done enough work for one day on the stages so there were no heroics. It was a very rewarding day, a lot of work in the stages, something to do every inch of the way, and you don't get that on every rally". Interestingly, Donie was fastest on 6 of the 8 stages today, beaten only on stage 2 when he lost a few seconds when he caught up with Melvyn Evans' spinning Subaru, and then on the first run over the Ring where he made a poor tyre choice.
In Group N Kieran O'Callaghan was the man to beat all day, and although Willie Fannin managed to set a couple of gpN fastest times, in general it was O'Callaghan who had the edge, and pretty cool he looked about it as well. 023 Tiles man James O'Sullivan was expected to be right on the gpN pace, but he's had a miserable day, his Lancer suffering all sorts of troubles, mostly centred around the clutch. James' total is 1.19.10.1. Alan Ring in his new Munster Joinery Subaru is on 1.20.06.9. Gabriel Martin changed the dump valve on his Lancer at last service, but is still only showing 1 bar boost, and is now going to try changing the inter cooler. Gabriel is driving the door handles off the car trying to set the times.
Phil Collins was delighted with his day's run and reported no troubles on his way to 4th overall, which is pretty remarkable for a Mk2 Escort. We reported earlier that Gwyndaf Evans had a severe misfire and lost at least a minute in stage 6. Gwyndaf has got that fixed and went fairly well through stages 7 and 8, but is definitely being hampered by his hurt hand. Tom Randles has new tyres fitted to his Mk2 and he went well through 7 and 8.
Unfortunately tomorrow's opening stage, stage 9, which was also to be stage 13, has had to be cancelled because of a bereavement.
In the WRC in Mexico Loeb has retired, the Citroen suffering a holed sump 30 miles from service. Martin leads. Sola leads PWRC from Arai, Paassonen 3rd and Niall McShea a brilliant 4th.
Back here in Clonakilty Frank Cunningham led the Historic part of the rally after their first 2 stages, his Cooper S 2s ahead of Joe Connolly's Escort with Anthony Ward 3rd in an Escort. Martin Ward (Manta) had 2 spins, but we think held on to 4th. Chris Nutt lost a bit of time, he thought the Porsche clutch cable had broken, but in fact his gear knob had come off and jammed under the clutch pedal. There we go now! More RallyNews tomorrow..
BRIAN AND LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net
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