RALLY
NEWS NO.12 End of stage 17/Monday 11 am
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 17 BOCKETS HILL
1st
(1) Derek McGarrity/Dermot O'Gorman (Impreza WRC) 1.41.47.7
2nd
(2) Eugene Donnelly/Paul Kiely (Corolla WRC) 1.42.02.0
3rd
(4) Andrew Nesbitt/James O'Brien (Impreza WRC) 1.42.02.4
4th
(5) Eamonn Boland/Francis Regan (Impreza WRC) 1.42.38.3
5th
(7) Tim McNulty/Eugene O'Donnell (Impreza WRC) 1.44.00.9
6th
(3) Austin MacHale/Brian Murphy (Focus WRC) 1.45.20.8
7th
(16) Sean Devine/James McKee (Impreza WRC) 1.48.16.8
8th
(57) Garry Jennings/Rory Kennedy (Lancer N) 1.59.27.9
9th
(17) Willie Fannin/Mick Courtney (Impreza N) 1.52.53.0
10th
(21) Donagh Kelly/Adrian Deasy (Lancer) 1.53.25.2
11th
(20) Paddy White/Graeme Stewart (Impreza WRC) 1.54.07.4
12th
(18) Alan Nesbitt/Paddy Robinson (Impreza N) 1.54.12.1
The
pressure is really on at the front of this Meteor Electrical backed
Circuit of Ireland. Little more than a handful of seconds split the
top 3 cars starting this 3rd and final day. Wet roads
greeted the drivers when they left Enniskillen for the opening
stage, Bockets Hill, beyond Ballygawley roundabout. Those wet roads
were thought to have perhaps favoured Eugene Donnelly, but it was
Nesbitt who was quickest over the tortuous 9 mile stage with a time
of 9.15.8. Derek McGarrity recorded 9.18.0 and Eugene Donnelly
9.21.8. Some times Eugene would pick tyres that would be faster on
the second of a group of 3 stages. We must wait and see. What could
have an effect this morning is that the second stage of the day,
Sturgeon Bridge, has been delayed by 40 minutes, which means that
any heat in the tyres will have well and truly dissipated by the
time they got started.
McGarrity
commented at the end of the first stage this morning. “We had a huge
moment on a right hander, it was only a 6th gear
corner!” Co driver Dermot O’Gorman said. “I was reaching for the
hand brake!” Interestingly, Derek, going for his hat trick of
Circuit wins today, seems to be in great form, laughing and joking
at controls, no sign of the brows down and scowls of previous
events!
Eugene
Donnelly said. “We took it very steady, no problems”. Andrew
Nesbitt remarked. “We picked a cut slick tyre, they worked well, no
problems”. A further twist to this whole Circuit race at the front
is that a query has been lodged regarding the stage 8 chicane
yesterday where Nesbitt lost over 30s to his closest rivals. Andrew
at that time claimed that the chicane was not set up as per road
book. Reportedly the Stewards of the rally are having a look at
this, so this rally might not even be over when the cars cross the
St. Angelo finish line!!
Eamonn
Boland in 4th place had a smooth run, although his Subaru
seemed to be dropping a fair wee bit of oil from the engine breather
pipe at the stage finish. Tim McNulty said he was being just a bit
too cautious on the wet roads. Austin MacHale’s Focus WRC seemed to
be running a whole lot better than yesterday afternoon when the
exhaust manifold flange was leaking, and hot gas was basically
melting bits and pieces of the engine. Sean Devine in 7th
had never driven his Impreza WRC on wet roads until this morning, he
is intent on just holding on to his position from here to the
finish.
Garry
Jennings in 8th still leads Group N, the Kesh man now in
cruise mode to get the car to the finish. Garry’s co driver Rory
Kennedy joked that they were doing little more than recce speed, and
went on to talk about himself and Brendan Kelly going to do the
London Marathon for charity in a couple of weeks. Willie Fannin, 9th
overall and 2nd GpN, says his Impreza is a nightmare to
drive this morning, the centre diff is not working, and its throwing
the car all over the place. Donagh Kelly has escaped some of his
time loss following his accident yesterday. He is 10th
overall. Paddy White had a smooth run into 11th this
morning. Aaron MacHale is just outside the leaderboard, had a spin
this morning, and the car is still down on power. Fastest
group N driver this morning was Alan Nesbitt who is going pretty
hard, and at this rate could well make the top 10. Brian O’Mahony
was 14th on the overnight results, delayed this morning
when his Puma had an overshoot into a ditch. The highly tuned Puma
wouldn’t be the easiest car to drive on these wet, tight, twisty
roads, especially when you have been up all night with food
poisoning like Brian has! At least he’s still going, and along with
his father Frank, who is further back in an Impreza WRC, and both
still raising funds for the Temple St. Children’s Hospital.
Conor
McCloskey celebrates his 19th birthday today, and he is
in 16th place. Conor very happy to be still in the rally,
his Lancer in the wars yesterday afternoon, when it clattered into a
telegraph pole on a downhill square right over gravel, damaging the
intercooler and the radiator. Young Peter Wilson from Kells, Co.
Meath, is still doing a brilliant job, with Lisa Rose on the notes.
Their Civic in the top 15 and leading its class, but struggling this
morning as they have no wet weather tyres.
More news
later. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net
