RALLY NEWS NO.8
Service/Mallow/Sunday 11.30am
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER
STAGE 10 Moll Carthys
1st (4) Tim
McNulty/Anthony Nestor (Impreza WRC) 1.21.29
2nd (1)
Eugene Donnelly/Paul Kiely (Corolla WRC) 1.22.12
3rd (2)
Derek McGarrity/Dermot O'Gorman (Impreza WRC) 1.22.15
4th (6)
Eamonn Boland/Francis Regan (Focus WRC) 1.22.37
5th (7)
Pieter Tsjoen/Eddy Chevaillier (Corolla WRC) 1.23.11
6th (5)
Austin MacHale/Brian Murphy (Focus WRC) 1.24.34
7th (11)
Denis Cronin/Helen O'Sullivan (Impreza WRC) 1.25.38
8th (18)
Colm Murphy/Ger Loughrey (Impreza N) 1.27.16
9th (15)
Garry Jennings/Rory Kennedy (Lancer N) 1.28.13
10th (20)
Aaron MacHale/Ger McMonigle 9Lancer N) 1.29.10
Eamonn Boland was fastest
through stage 10, Moll Carthys, with Tim McNulty and Eugene
Donnelly equal 2nd fastest, 2s down. McGarrity
lost 7s to Donnelly and slipped from 2nd to 3rd,
Derek having a wild moment at a square right corner over
gravel. His Subaru slid nose first up on top of a small
wall damaging a front rim. Somehow or another the Pirelli
tyre didn’t go down and Derek was able to keep going but was
a little cautious on the fast stretch towards the end, just
in case the tyre did let go. Interestingly, Eugene Donnelly
had a wild moment at the same corner but he knocked the back
of his Corolla and deranged the tracking somewhat. However
Eugene was able to keep going at full speed.
Rally leader Tim McNulty
commented. “We slackened off a little, it was a bit damp and
gravelly in places, we had a good buffer on the first stage
so I knew I could afford to take it steady”. Eamonn Boland
also clipped a back wheel but lost no time and indeed was
fastest. Pieter Tsjoen said. “I am too cautious. We have
changed the suspension a little, the roads are less bumpy
than yesterday, it is more comfortable for me, especially in
the dry weather”. Austin MacHale’s Focus had a bit of a
spin on a damp stretch under trees and Austin lost a few
seconds to the leaders. Denis Cronin in 7th is
not setting the roads alight today, Denis freely admitting
that he has lost motivation, that he has no chance of
catching the cars in front. Denis is now looking very strong
for the 023 Tiles Championship. This is the penultimate
round, the Fastnet being the final decider.
Colm Murphy continues to lead
group N, Colm saying. “Went well, although the car is all
over the place, I’m being reasonably careful, I’m on my
damage limit for this weekend”. Garry Jennings continues to
hold 2nd gpN and is on course for the category in
the Pirelli Tarmac c/ship. Nigel Hicklin, 10th
overnight and now 11th, has been off the road
twice in 2 stages, no damage. Paddy White struggled through
the first 2 stages today having picked an intermediate tyre,
Paddy is 15th o/a. Erik Wevers, 12th
on the list, reckons he’s just not committed enough. Brian
O’Mahony, 16th o/a in his S1600 Puma, says the
car is running out of puff at high speed, he needs a couple
more gears. Kevin Kelleher has moved up to 14th
this morning, the Clonakilty man has stiffened up the
suspension on his Lancer and is a lot happier.
James O’Sullivan on
the other hand is unhappy, feels his lancer is running off
line and he’s losing time. James is 17th just
ahead of Alan Nesbitt, Alan still running a standard gearbox
and just trying to get the car to the finish, still thinking
of Pirelli Tarmac c/ship gpN points. Tadgh Linehan in 19th
spun the Bio-Tech Impreza at a hairpin in stage 10 and is
kicking himself! Eddy Garry has had a good clear run this
morning, he’s 21st in his Impreza WRC. Tom
Randles is 23rd and has discovered a sensor in
his Celica was switched on to safe mode. That is now
corrected and the times are starting to flow. Eugene Meegan
still leads cl.3. BP Doherty has now moved into the lead of
cl.7. While John Dalton continues to lead the National part
of the rally.
Garry Cooney in his
Lancer at car number 51 was 50th overnight after
a series of dramas yesterday which included overshoots on
stages 1 and 2, completely lost in stage 3 and was off the
road into a drain, dropped 8 minutes, but still thoroughly
enjoying this Murphy Construction Cork 20! More news later.
BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON
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