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RALLY NEWS
NO.8
Ballynacarriga/Sunday12.30
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 10 - Bealad
1st (3) Donie O'Sullivan/Paul Nagle (Focus WRC) 1.23.07.8
2nd (5) Liam McCarthy/Kieran Murphy (Corolla WRC) 1.24.32.9
3rd (1) Melvyn Evans/Marc Jones (Impreza WRC) 1.25.27.7
4th (11) Phil Collins/Howard Davies (Escort) 1.25.52.5
5th (17) JJ Fleming/Robbie Ward (Impreza WRC) 1.26.23.7
6th (24) Kieran O'Callaghan/Denis O'Donovan (Lancer N) 1.26.37.9
7th (14) Johnny O'Sullivan/Pat Cashman (Escort WRC) 1.27.41.9
8th (7) Steve Fleck/Patrick Walsh (Impreza) 1.27.44.3
9th (12) Nigel Hiclin/Sam McMullan (Impreza WRC) 1.28.20.9
10th (169) Gabriel Martin/Mark Kane (Lancer N) 1.28.58.2
11th (27) James O'Sullivan/Rebecca Walsh (Lancer N) 1.29.21.4
12th (21) Eian Pritchard/Martin Jones (Impreza) 1.29.33.2
Donie O'Sullivan was looking very secure in the lead of this West Cork Rally
starting Day 2. Donie's time advantage over Liam McCarthy was around about
1m50s, but it all went wrong for Donie on the start line of stage 10 when the
Bio-Clear Focus WRC's clutch started to spin and slip. He switched off the
car's anti lag to try to take the pressure off the clutch. He dropped 25s to
McCarthy who was fastest in the stage. Ironically, the clutch in the Focus
was perfectly OK yesterday and was changed at service in Clonakilty after stage
8 purely as a precaution. As for McCarthy, he was a lot happier with the
handling of his Corolla WRC having got a new rear anti roll bar brought down
from Carrigtwohill and fitted to the car. Melvyn Evans was just 1s off
McCarthy's time, and said "We're taking it steady, what we need to do to
the car, to the suspension, we can only do at home".
Phil Collins had another brilliant stage time through that tenth test, and when
asked how he went both Phil and co driver Howard Davies started to laugh.
"We had 2 very big scares over a series of jumps, and then on a long flat
left hander that wasn't flat, I found a smidgeon of dry road, about 12 inches
wide, and we caught a little bit of grip which just saved the day".
Co driver Howard chipped in "Normally that would teach a driver something,
but not a bit of it!"
In Group N Kieran O'Callaghan lost a few seconds when his Lancer punctured.
Willie Fannin who was 2nd in the category has not appeared here at service.
Gabriel Martin now moves up to 2nd GpN, but he is coming under pressure from
James O'Sullivan, who seems to have his Lancer better sorted for today.
Martin's car is still showing signs of low turbo boost, which he thinks may be a
legacy of another car running him to them yesterday. Further back in gpN
there was no sign of Peter Clifford here at service and Alan Ring turned in a
good time with the Munster Joinery Impreza to move ahead of Eddie Garry.
Gwyndaf Evans would appear not to have re-started this morning. Gwyndaf's hand
swelled up badly last night after he caught his thumb on a kick back through the
steering wheel. Willie Power's Darrian is up to 13th now, Willie reporting
a small misfire at high revs. Barry Coleman has speeded up, his Impreza just 2s
behind Power. Johnny O'Sullivan tells of a broken engine support on his
Escort WRC, and the Killarney Mazda dealer is having to back off over the jumps.
More news later. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON
www.rallynews.net
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