UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 6 New Inn
1st
(3) Kevin Lynch/Gordon Noble (Impreza WRC) 47.14
2nd
(10) Charlie Donnelly/Paddy Toner (Corolla WRC) 48.41
3rd
(2) Jim Harrison/Harvey Bell (Impreza WRC) 48.43
4th
(5) Ray Breen/Andrew Purcell (Focus WRC) 48.50
5th
(8) Sean Devine/James McKee (Impreza WRC) 49.13
6th
(9) Melvyn Evans/Sean Mullally (Impreza WRC) 49.17
7th
(1) Niall Maguire/Paul McLoughlin (Impreza WRC) 49.25
8th
(11) Sean Gallagher/Enda Sherry (Impreza WRC) 49.31
9th
(17) Kevin Barrett/Barry Goodman (Impreza WRC) 49.43
10th
(12) Willie Fannin/Mick Courtney (Impreza N) 50.40
On every
stage Kevin Lynch heads the time sheets, the Dungiven man looking
fairly invincible at the front of this Cavan Rally, his Impreza WRC
seemingly not missing a beat. Patrick Elliott had worked up to 2nd
place, but the Virginia man lost 3 minutes when his Subaru slipped
off the road in stage 4. Patrick got going OK but has called it a
day after stage 6. Adrian McElvaney was also making a bit of a
charge following a slow start, but he put his Subaru off the road in
stage 5. By all reports there was no big damage, but the narrow
road was blocked for several minutes and half a dozen cars got held
up. In the meantime we have sued Sean Devine’s time for the stage
for those delayed cars.
Charlie
Donnelly was knocked well down the leaderboard because of a stage 2
puncture. Charlie has been setting 2nd fastest times over
the last 3 stages to work his way back into 2nd place,
but he is making no impression on leader Lynch, and admits that at
times he is braking just that little bit too early. Jim Harrison 3rd
in taking it relatively handy following his 3rd stage
accident, Jim taking no chances at the moment. Ray Breen in 4th
discovered a small problem with his Focus turbo actuator at last
service, he says the car is going a lot better but he is still
making no inroads on the rally leader. Having said that Ray lost a
couple of seconds in stage 4 behind Elliott’s accident. Sean Devine
in 5th is losing a little ground, his Subaru well down on
power. Welshman Melvyn Evans in 6th is slightly amazed at
the speed of the cars in front, and he has just decided to let them
battle it out and he’s driving his own rally.
Niall
Maguire in 7th won this event last year and is the
current Dunlop National Champion, but he is a bit amazed also at the
speed of the top cars. Niall says he is having a good clean run, no
real problems but no answer to the top times. He feels as well that
the stages are deceptively difficult and could bite.
In Group N
Willie Fannin is still the man to beat despite his bad back. Mike
Curran is now a clear 2nd in the category and James
O’Sullivan just held on to 3rd despite an overshoot in
stage 6, same place as where Harrison went off the road. Alan Ring
is 4th group N. Young Ian Barrett was expected to
challenge for gpN honours, but is well off the pace now his Lancer
suffering gearbox/transfer box difficulties. Pat Price is also well
down the order in his Lancer, the car suffering from a busted shock
absorber early on, Pat saying he was limping along like a duck with
a broken wing.
Maurice
Moffett was leading the 2 wheel drive category, but we have no times
for him after stage 6 as he was running late following a broken fan
belt in his Starlet. Unconfirmed reports suggest he may have road
penalties coming into service. At the moment then we have Enda
Keenan on a total of 52.04, Enda saying he’s burning tyres off at a
fierce rate. Gordon Rogers is on 52.11, Mervyn Wedlock on 52.57
despite a stage 5 misfire in his Mk2 Escort. In class 15 David
McNulty now has his Escort Cosworth almost a minute ahead of Joe
McHugh. McHugh admitting he has no answer today. Arthur Kierans
would normally be on a level with the best of the Mk2 Escorts, but
his example suffered a stage 2 puncture, lost nearly a minute, but
he has battled back to 4th in class.
More news
later. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net
