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RALLY NEWS NO.14
Cookstown Service/Monday 3.15
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 22
1ST
(1) Derek McGarrity/Dermot O'Gorman (Impreza WRC) 2.32.28.3
2ND
(4) Andrew Nesbitt/James O'Brien (Impreza WRC) 2.32.32.9
3RD
(5) Eamonn Boland/Francis Regan (Impreza WRC) 2.34.29.7
4th
(7) Tim McNulty/Eugene O'Donnell (Impreza WRC) 2.35.51.1
5th
(3) Austin MacHale/Brian Murphy (Focus WRC) 2.37.33.8
6th
(16) Sean Devine/James McKee (Impreza WRC) 2.43.50.0
7TH
(57) Garry Jennings/Rory Kennedy (Lancer N) 2.45.21.5
8TH
(20) Paddy White/Graeme Stewart (Impreza WRC) 2.49.43.7
9TH
(18) Alan Nesbitt/Paddy Robinson (Impreza N) 2.49.58.3
10TH
(14) Aaron MacHale/Ger McMonagle (Lancer N) 2.50.53.6
11TH
(17) Willie Fannin/Mick Courtney (Impreza N) 2.52.17.1
12TH
(25) Derrick Jobb/Killian Duffy (Celica) 2.53.32.6
13th
(45) Conor McCloskey/Damien Duffin (Lancer N) 2.54.53.8
14th
(46) Michael McColgan/Kevin Flanagan (Lancer N) 2.55.03.3
15th
(34) Brian O’Mahony/John Higgins (Puma) 2.55.10.8
One dimension of what has been a fantastic three way tussle for the
lead of this Meteor Electrical Circuit of Ireland came unstuck in
stage 22 Boyds Mountain. Eugene Donnelly and co driver Paul Kiely had
to call it a day on the start line of stage 22 when their Corolla WRC
refused to go any further. The centre differential had blown, all the
fluid had disappeared, no more drive. Through stage 21 Eugene had
dropped half a minute to McGarrity and Nesbitt. He knew he was in
trouble but there was nothing he could do.
Eugene reported. “Very disappointed,
that’s the first time the wee car has really let me down with a
mechanical problem”.
That makes it a 2 horse race for the lead – Derek McGarrity dropped 7s
to Nesbitt through stage 22. When he got to the stage finish
McGarrity said he was glad to have only dropped the 7s. He climbed
out of his Subaru here at Cookstown, came round to the front right
corner and pointed at the rim. There was a 6 inch by 3 inch chunk
missing, but somehow or other the Pirelli tyre had stayed inflated.
“It happened a couple of miles into that stage, the wheel vibrated the
whole way through, a lucky escape. I’m amazed Nesbitt didn’t take more
time”.
So, McGarrity leads by 4.5s with just the spectator stage at St Angelo
to go. Yes, Nesbitt has had the edge there over the last couple of
heads, but it has only been by a fraction of a second. If Nesbitt can
pull out more than 4.5 seconds it will be nothing short of a miracle.
News of another angle is that the unofficial word is that the times
for stage 8 where Andrew Nesbitt was so unhappy at the chicane set up
will stand.
Eamonn Boland and Tim McNulty had smooth runs through the last few
stages to hold on to 3rd and 4th. Austin MacHale
is still running at reduced revs but firmly ensconced in 5th.
Sean Devine stead in 6th.
Garry Jennings maintains his Group N advantage and he laughed at the
end of stage 22 when he reported overshooting a junction, a symptom of
his relaxed attitude. Paddy White in 8th has a growling
rear differential in his Impreza WRC. Alan Nesbitt, 2nd in
GpN and 9th overall, has a blow out in his exhaust but
otherwise OK. Aaron MacHale is still down in power but happy to be 3rd
gpN and into 10th overall. Willie Fannin continues to go
backwards, now 4th gpN, his Impreza damaged after an
accident, the turbo has blown, the diff has blown and he has had yet
another puncture. Brian O’Mahony in 15th continues to lead
his class despite his Puma having gear stick problems. Donagh Kelly
has pulled out of the rally – couldn’t get his Lancer turbo changed in
time. Raymond McLaughlin is still in the top 20 despite dropping over
2 minutes when he slid his Lancer off the road at a hairpin left, a
recalcitrant differential not helping his cause.
More news later. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net |
