RALLY NEWS NO.8
Killorglin Service/Sunday Noon
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 10
1st (1) Andrew Nesbitt/James
O'Brien (Impreza WRC) 1.29.05
2nd (3) Eugene Donnelly/Paul
Kiely (Corolla WRC) 1.29.36
3rd (9) Kevin Lynch/Gordon
Noble (Impreza WRC) 1.30.10
4th (2) Derek McGarrity/Dermot
O'Gorman (Impreza WRC) 1.30.36
5th (6) Eamonn Boland/Francis
Regan (Impreza WRC) 1.30.37
6th (4) Austin MacHale/Brian
Murphy (Focus WRC) 1.31.39
7th (7) Tim McNulty/Eugene
O'Donnell (Impreza WRC) 1.32.10
8th (8) Denis Cronin/Helen
O'Sullivan (Impreza WRC) 1.34.20
9th (21) Tommy Graham/Anthony
Nestor (Impreza WRC) 1.36.07
10th (89) Terry McGonigle/Sean
Harris (Lancer N) 1.36.32
Fastest through the Ballaghbeama stage
was Eugene Donnelly with a time of 9.33, Kevin Lynch and Andrew Nesbitt tying
for 2nd fastest on 9.38. All three of the lead cars had different
bits of bother. Nesbitt reported his wipers packed the fiddle on the main road
section of Ballaghbeama and he had about 7 miles to do through pouring rain
with no wipers. Eugene Donnelly hurt his back on the big jump just after the
main road section and Eugene finished the stage in agony, so fair play to him
for setting fastest time. Kevin Lynch tackled the opening stage of the day,
the very wet Molls Gap, with the attitude of “it’s a forest stage, we’ll take
this all sideways” and set fastest time. In Ballaghbeama his charge was
somewhat thwarted when his KPL Subaru paddle gear change would paddle no more
and he had to use the conventional gear stick.
Derek McGarrity’s mood was like the
power of his engine – well down. Last year’s winner Derek said the car just
isn’t pulling and the engineers cannot find out why. Eamonn Boland in 5th
reported no problems and Austin MacHale in 6th place went well over
Ballaghbeama, one of his favourite stages. Tim McNulty in 7th has
a new door fitted to his Pierse backed Subaru, the car looking a lot more
pristine than yesterday following his accident. Tim went well over the
Ballaghbeama stage. Denis Cronin in 8th has switched his Impreza on
to full active mode and he says it feels a lot better now and he feels his
confidence coming back.
Colm Murphy was 10th and
leading Group N, but he seemed to fall asleep over Ballaghbeama, lost 10th
and Group N to the flying Terry McGonigle. McGonigle lost a few seconds on
the Molls Gap stage when the car went over a rock and lost power, otherwise
he’s flying. Denis Biggerstaff had a good run this morning to jump up a
couple of places. George Cullen in 13th is not with his Skoda at
all but is hanging in there. Alan Ring is now 14th, 3rd
in GpN and reports no troubles. Tom Randles is 15th in his Celica.
Kevin Kelleher is 16th. James O’Sullivan 17th but his
023 Tiles Lancer is blowing water and steam everywhere. The head gasket has
gone and its debatable how long the car is going to keep going. Aaron MacHale
is 18th. Kevin O’Donoghue 19th George Tracey 20th,
his Peugeot 206 WRC blowing oil fumes out of the bonnet vents and smearing the
screen making visibility very difficult for George.
Phil Collins continues to lead the
National category, but Phil and co driver Diarmuid Falvey are in some trouble
with the Escort gear box, the wipers also not working. Dessie Keenan/Enda
Sherry were fastest of the National runners this morning in their black
Escort. Peter Kelly is now up to 3rd, no sign of Willie Power’s
Darrian which had been having gearbox trouble. Colin McRae is still going
strong but says he is taking it handy enough in the wet conditions.
Late news from Willie Power/Adrian Deasy
– with having no 5th gear they have over revved the engine and it
has blown up in Ballaghbeama.
More news later. BRIAN & LIZ
PATTERSON www.rallynews.net
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