UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 12 Moll Carthys

1^st  (4) Tim McNulty/Anthony Nestor (Impreza WRC) 1.35.15

2^nd (1) Eugene Donnelly/Paul Kiely (Corolla WRC)  1.35.52

3^rd (2) Derek McGarrity/Dermot O'Gorman (Impreza WRC) 1.36.02

4^th (6) Eamonn Boland/Francis Regan (Focus WRC) 1.36.32

5^th (7) Pieter Tsjoen/Eddy Chevaillier (Corolla WRC) 1.37.03

6^th (5) Austin MacHale/Brian Murphy (Focus WRC) 1.38.39

7^th (11) Denis Cronin/Helen O'Sullivan (Impreza WRC) 1.40.09

8^th (18) Colm Murphy/Ger Loughrey (Impreza N) 1.42.03

9^th (15) Garry Jennings/Rory Kennedy (Lancer N) 1.43.05

10^th (20) Aaron MacHale/Ger McMonigle 9Lancer N) 1.44.10

On stage 11, Glantane, Eugene Donnelly turned in a superb time of 7.40, as against Tim McNulty’s 7.45 and Derek McGarrity’s 7.47.  On stage 12 it was a tie between Derek McGarrity and Eugene Donnelly, both on 6.00, with McNulty on 6.01.  Tim McNulty said when he brought his Pierse backed Subaru into service here at the racecourse. “We’re keeping it steady, concentrating on bringing the car home now. The roads are dry and extremely fast, I’m just doing my own thing don’t care about fastest times”.  Derek McGarrity changed the gearbox on his Subaru before that last loop of stages, Derek saying. “We had a clutch problem before the rally and changed the gearbox but the ratios were just a little low for these very fast stages”. 

Eugene Donnelly commented. “We had a great run through stage 11, I really like that stage and felt very comfortable. We had no major moments, its good to be in a fight for stage times, we’ll worry about the championship tonight!”  Interestingly, Eugene’s engineer Derek McGeehan has raised the rev limiter on Eugene’s Corolla to 9000.  This is in an effort to get more speed, but is way above the normal level for a turbo engine. Derek also said that the car has done about 800 stage miles and will need a rebuild after this event, so its fingers crossed that it gets through today. 

Eamonn Boland’s co-driver Francis Regan said after stage 12. “Everything’s working along nicely”.  Pieter Tsjoen in 5^th reported. “We still have a few seconds to go to beat these guys. It is so close.  The car feels good, but some corners I am still too cautious, braking too early, but we are trying”.  Austin MacHale rounds off the top 6. While Denis Cronin in 7^th is just driving his own rally, Denis well on course for the 023 Tiles Championship. 

Colm Murphy in 8^th and leading group N has fitted different tyres to the back of his Impreza and feels the car is much more stable and enjoyable to drive. Garry Jennings in 9^th reports no trouble and still has one eye very much on the Pirelli Tarmac gpN c/ship.  Aaron MacHale in 10^th and 3^rd group N told us that 3 miles from the end of that 12^th stage his Lancer developed a serious vibration from the back end. Aaron is worried that it might be the rear differential going as he doesn’t have a spare. Nigel Hicklin is 11^th and had some turbo problems through stages 11 and 12, a clip came off the turbo pipe. “All for the sake of an 80p clip” joked Nigel.

Erik Wevers is 12^th. Stuart Darcy 13^th. Paddy White 14^th and now running the proper tyres for the dry roads. Brian O’Mahony 15^th, still running out of revs on the quick stuff and trying to make up the time on the twisty stuff in the Puma. In the Historic section of the rally Don Moynihan leads with Sean Tracey 2^nd and Todd Falvey 3^rd. John Farrell had led but had a massive spin at a tightening 5 left and his Mk1 Escort was nearly speared by Todd Falvey’s Porsche 911. John Dalton still leads the National rally. Barry Meade leads the Juniors.

More news later. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net

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