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RALLY
NEWS NO.9
Ballinacarriga/Sunday 2pm
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 12 Castletown
1st (3) Donie O'Sullivan/Paul Nagle (Focus WRC) 1.41.21.7
2nd (5) Liam McCarthy/Kieran Murphy (Corolla WRC) 1.43.24.7
3rd (1) Melvyn Evans/Marc Jones (Impreza WRC) 1.44.18.3
4th (17) JJ Fleming/Robbie Ward (Impreza WRC) 1.45.10.5
5th (24) Kieran O'Callaghan/Denis O'Donovan (Lancer N) 1.46.04.0
6th (7) Steve Fleck/Patrick Walsh (Impreza) 1.47.12.2
7th (12) Nigel Hiclin/Sam McMullan (Impreza WRC) 1.47.40.0
8th (14) Johnny O'Sullivan/Pat Cashman (Escort WRC) 1.48.33.4
9th (27) James O'Sullivan/Rebecca Walsh (Lancer N) 1.48.52.7
10th (169) Gabriel Martin/Mark Kane (Lancer N) 1.49.02.0
11th (11) Phil Collins/Howard Davies (Escort) 1.49.35.2
12th (18) Barry Coleman/Don Montgomery (Impreza WRC) 1.49.41.4
We reported on our last RallyNews that Donie O'Sullivan had clutch trouble on
stage 10. His engineers changed the clutch in 2 or 3 minutes at service here at
Ballingurteen, and the Bio-Clear Focus WRC was in full song in stages 11 and 12.
O'Sullivan's closest pursuer Liam McCarthy cut his Corolla WRC too tight on a
left hander in stage 11, severely bent 2 rims so took it fairly easy through the
remainder of 11 and all of 12. Melvyn Evans was 2nd fastest through stage
11, but 11s slower than O'Sullivan, and in stage 12 it was McCarthy who was
fastest but a full 25s slower than O'Sullivan. When the latter's Focus WRC
arrived into service the front tyres were in shreds, Donie commenting
"There was some light rain when I was leaving service, and I thought it was
a safer bet to fit a tyre that removed the water. However it shredded. Overall
though I couldn't ask for any better of a run, and the stages are very well
controlled".
Other changes to the leaderboard include Phil Collins moving backwards from 4th
to 11th. Johnny O'Sullivan has lost some places, his Escort WRC suffering a very
bad misfire. Eian Pritchard has withdrawn his Impreza with a mechanical
problem and Willie Power crashed his Darrian, blocking stage 11. Willie reported
that it was a crest into a sudden nasty left that caught him out, the car
breaking a wheel and ball joint.
Phil Collins commented on his stage 11 delay. "It was a fast kink
into a right 4 left 7, slippy over mud, and we clipped the bank. It didn't seem
to be any great problem, reversed out and away in 10s. Then a tyre went down,
tried to drive for a mile or so but it wasn't going to work. We stopped and
changed the wheel, we were very slow at that." In all Phil
dropped perhaps 4 and a half minutes. He did set a sparkling time in stage
12 so it obviously did not affect his confidence.
Further stories - Dave Randles now has his new Nissan Almera going a lot better
following the earlier misfire. Emily O'Mahony has reportedly retired her Puma,
reason as yet unknown. Willie Fannin's retirement was down to an accident at
Bealad church in stage 10. Johnny O'Sullivan's Escort WRC is suffering
from a very bad misfire and he may be forced to retire. JJ Fleming turned in a
very good time, 2nd fastest on stage 12, told us he was a bag of nerves earlier.
Group N leader Kieran O'Callaghan says he has nothing to gain, nothing to lose
at the moment, happy to hold station. James O'Sullivan turned in a time just a
few seconds slower than O'Callaghan, to move into 2nd gpN ahead of Gabriel
Martin. Eddie Garry was a lot quicker than Alan Ring through stage 12, so he's
back in front in that particular battle. In the Mexico WRC, Martin leads
from Sainz then Duval, Hirvonen, Solberg and Gronholm. Niall McShea 3rd in gpN,
Sola leads gpN, Arai 2nd. More news later. BRIAN & LIZ
PATTERSON www.rallynews.net
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