RALLY  NEWS NO.1                      Donegal Town - Saturday 09.00
The slightest hint of ground frost holds the promise of a warm sunny day here in Donegal, but it will not be as hot as the competition on this Donegal Harvest Rally. This penultimate round of the Dunlop National Championship, and also the final round of the Quinn Border series, has attracted a fabulous entry.  Top Group N entry James O'Sullivan, who coincidentally celebrates his birthday today, reversed his Lancer into the parc ferme car park here at the St John Bosco Centre, looked around at the World Rally Car machinery, and said. "My poor car is shaking with the weight of this machinery around it!"  There are a few non-starters from the top end of the advertised list in the programme.  Kevin Lynch, David Armstrong and Charlie Donnelly the most notable, but it is still a fabulous line up. 
English visitor Jim Harrison leads the field away; the Macclesfield man is driving the Impreza WRC S9 from the McKinstry stable, the car previously driven by Andrew Nesbitt to win the Jim Clark Rally.  Harrison had a run out in the car on Thursday, on a piece of road laid on by Niall Maguire down in Monaghan, and all went well. His co-driver Harvey Bell, a London currency exchange dealer, said about the Impreza. "Doesn't it look absolutely fabulous, although Jim has this habit of knocking corners off cars, so hopefully it will be as nice tonight!"    Niall himself commented about today. "I'm feeling OK, looking forward to it, but the stages seem tough to me, and I think it will be a finishers rally". He has a slender lead in the Dunlop series points and also has the edge with the Border championship points. The Quinn Border series is class based, and Niall's main opponent for the title is Class 10 leader David Leonard.  Patrick Elliott at No.3, also in an Impreza WRC S9, is feeling a bit down, suffering as he is with a cold, but looking forward to the rally.  Patrick reckons he is not so much worried about an overall win as long as he's figuring right at the top of the Dunlop National points. 
As we said earlier Kevin Lynch is a non-starter, mainly down to business commitments. Paul Harris at No.5 is in his normal 2 door group A Impreza, not a WRC, but not to be under-estimated either.  Tim McNulty at 6 is fresh from the Cork 20 where he really opened everyone's eyes with his speed to lead the event for much of the 2 days, so he should go well here this weekend. Cahal Arthurs at 7 drives his Hyundai WRC and the Co. Down man, 5th in the Dunlop championship, has been there or thereabouts all season, the nimble Accent could be well suited to today's stages.  Hugh Martin Doherty at 8 is making somewhat of a comeback to the sport, and drives the ex Paddy White Impreza WRC. Kevin Barrett rounds off the top 10, the Triton Showers man remarking. "Isn't it great to have a dry day on a rally for a change!"  When asked about the stages Kevin said. "We'll use more tyres today than anywhere else, the stages are so up and down it feels like twice the mileage!" 
There are many drivers on the event who could spring a surprise. Sean Devine at 16 being one of them. Joe McHugh from just up the road in Frosses, could be another. Andrew Stewart is the highest seeded group N driver in a Lancer. Then its Willie Fannin, who leads the category on the Dunlop series, but coming under pressure from James O'Sullivan. Bandon man James said "The stages are difficult, but very fast, although there is a flutter over all of them, they're the fastest tight stages I've done this year".  Some further stories include - Gordon Noble is co-driving for Rory Kennedy in a gpN Lancer. Paul Garry is with Enda Keenan. James Cullen is non-starting. Willie John Dolan, who has TV commentator John Desborough co-driving, is having problems with his Subaru electronic/turbo set up this morning, and may only do a couple of stages.  The battle for 2 wheel drive supremacy could be pretty stunning,
Camillus Bradley being the highest seed at No.30, with Pat Donegan, Damien Gallagher and Paul Gallagher just some of the names to look out for. When Paul Gallagher's co driver Karl Reid was asked who was likely to come out on top in the 2 wheel drive race, he laughed and said. "I don't know, but for whoever it is it will be like winning the Lotto!" Finally for now, welcome to the furthest travelled crew on the rally - Car No.61 Nils Warstav/Andres Granheim who drive a black Sierra Cosworth. A awesome looking beast! The Norwegians have fellow countryman John Haugland, a former driver of world renown, giving them a helping hand here in Donegal today.   More news later. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net