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RALLY NEWS NO.11
Clones Service/Sunday 5.45
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 14
1st (1) Derek McGarrity/Dermot
O'Gorman (Impreza WRC) 1.30.23.8
2nd (2) Eugene Donnelly/Paul
Kiely (Corolla WRC) 1.30.31.9
3rd (4) Andrew Nesbitt/James
O'Brien (Impreza WRC) 1.30.41.0
4th (5) Eamonn
Boland/Francis Regan (Impreza WRC) 1.31.07.1
5th (7) Tim McNulty/Eugene
O'Donnell (Impreza WRC) 1.32.16.8
6th (3) Austin MacHale/Brian
Murphy (Focus WRC) 1.33.41.7
7th (16) Sean Devine/James
McKee (Impreza WRC) 1.36.06.1
8th (57) Garry Jennings/Rory
Kennedy (Lancer N) 1.36.48.6
9th (17) Willie Fannin/Mick
Courtney (Impreza N) 1.39.57.2
10th (20) Paddy White/Graeme
Stewart (Impreza WRC) 1.41.25.7
11TH (14) Aaron MacHale/Ger
McMonagle (Lancer N) 1.41.47.4
12TH (18) Alan Nesbitt/Paddy
Robinson (Impreza N) 1.41.51.3
Through stage 13 Andrew Nesbitt was
fastest and then again through stage 14 to try to claw back the time
lost with his stage 12 puncture. Eugene Donnelly had a good run as
well, but could only equal McGarrity through stage 13, and then was a
few seconds faster through 14. Eamonn Boland has been sitting quietly
in 4th place, setting good times, but making no impression
on the three battling in front. When asked about his puncture Andrew
Nesbitt told us. “I think it was a pot hole before a jump that did the
damage. When the car landed the tyre was flat. I had to try half the
stage on a flat wheel, so hopefully there is no damage to the
suspension. The car felt alright in the next couple of stages. Trouble
is supposed to come in threes, that was a bent arm yesterday, a
chicane this morning and now a puncture”. Derek McGarrity said.
“We’ve been going OK, but at the start of that last stage (Garranroe)
I cut a left hand corner too tight, the wheels started to vibrate and
I thought I had a puncture. I was afraid then to commit to right
handers in case it slid away. When I realised that it was Ok, that it
wasn’t punctured, I pushed like a lunatic”. Eugene Donnelly said.
“We kept it tidy and clean, pushed really hard, had a great run on
that stage after service. But then with all the delays I found it
really hard to get back into the groove. The car has been handling
well”.
Delays indeed ….the rally is now
running approximately 1 hour 30 minutes late, and the organisers have
decided to forgo stage 15, Altnaponer, and go straight to St Angelo.
Tim McNulty has had another good stage
to hold on to 5th place. Austin MacHale had a rotten stage
14, dropped more time. Austin’s trouble would appear to be a damaged
exhaust flange where it connects up to the exhaust manifold. There
are flames and heat shooting out of the gap and starting to burn the
bits and pieces surrounding it. Austin has turned off the anti lag and
is keeping the revs down, but he is in grave danger of the whole car
going up in smoke. The trouble started yesterday and there was
actually a car dispatched to MSport at Cockermouth during the night.
The new part arrived back here this morning and was fitted, but it
doesn’t seem to line up properly or something, and Austin is in real
trouble. So much so that he could well retire. There is, however, some
sunshine on Austin’s dark horizon at the moment in that his son Gareth
has just scored a brilliant win on the Mitchelstown Forestry to
increase his lead in the Forestry Championship. Gareth was actually
leading by 28s starting the last stage, but his Corolla WRC stalled on
the start line and he dropped at least 20s, so he did well to keep
John McCarthy’s similar machine at bay. Especially as McCarthy was on
his home patch and has done the rally many times.
Here on the Circuit Sean Devine
survived a spin to hold on to 7t. Garry Jennings is keeping
it all together very nicely to lead Group N and stay in 8th
overall. Willie Fannin is still adjusting his Impreza suspension and
diffs and holds 2nd gpN.
More news later. BRIAN & LIZ
PATTERSON www.rallynews.net
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