UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 6 Bun-na-Leaga

1^st (2) Eugene Donnelly/Carl Moore (Corolla WRC) 45.22

2^nd (18) James Cullen/Reba Graham (Lancer N) 45.32

3^rd (5) Niall Maguire/Paul McLaughlin (Impreza WRC) 46.02

4^th (9) Martin Doherty/Andrew Cullen (Impreza WRC) 46.13

5^th (8) Andrew Stewart/Fabian McShane (Lancer N) 47.06

6^th (25) Stuart Darcy/Brian Boyle 9lancer N) 47.26

7^th (19) Eugene Ferry/John Gallagher (Escort) 47.47

8^th (12) Damien Gallagher/Mac Walsh (Escort) 48.08

9^th (6) James Gillen/John McCafferty (Impreza) 48.26

10^th (11) Brendan Kelly/Ger Callaghan (Lancer N) 48.41

Having led the rally from the first stage James Cullen’s grip on the lead slackened through stage 6 when his lancer piled into a bale at a chicane and he had to reverse.  Rapidly drying roads meaning his tyres went off the boil did not help Cullen’s cause either. 

Eugene Donnelly really turned on the style over the last couple of stages to give his guest co-driver Carl Moore even more to goggle at as the Tarmac Champion fairly chucked the Corolla down these Donegal roads. Eugene said. “We’re having fun, but taking no risks, not pushing too hard. Really enjoying it”.  Donnelly covered the 7.24 miles of that 6^th stage in 6m51s.  Martin Doherty did 7.03. Paul Gallagher 7.04. Niall Maguire 7.07.  James Gillen 7.15 and James Cullen down on 7.16. 

Niall Maguire damaged a right rear rim on his Subaru earlier which cost him a few seconds. Martin Doherty had a spin on stage 5 otherwise going well.  James Gillen has recovered well from putting his Subaru off the road and into a garden earlier on, a puncture not helping his cause.

Stuart Darcy has had a good run over the last few stages, but is still 20s down on Andrew Stewart in the fight for 2^nd in group N.  Stewart was saying earlier that the handling of his Lancer wasn’t to his liking, it seems a lot better now. Brendan Kelly is over a minute behind Stuart Darcy, Brendan having had a couple of spins and also is under strict instructions to bring the Lancer home all in one piece as Shaun Gallagher is using it next week for Rally Ireland.

Eugene Ferry in the ex Keenan black Escort leads class 14 and indeed is best of the 2 wheel drives after stage 6. Damien Gallagher leads class 13 in his Escort.  Robbie Peoples dropped back slightly, his total now 49.55, his Escort suffering a broken rear spring.  We reported earlier that Hugh Martin Doherty was stuck off the road – he managed to get the Subaru out of the ditch and is continuing in the rally but way down the field.

On the Trackrod Rally in Yorkshire Matthew Wilson leads after stage 5 from Mark Higgins with Steve Perez 3^rd.  David Higgins leads group N by 25s from Rory Galligan. Just 20 cars started the International part of the rally.

More news later.

BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net