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RALLY NEWS NO.6 Service/Sunday 3.20
UNOFFICIAL
LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 6 War House Hill
1st
(2) Ray Breen/Andrew Purcell (Focus WRC) 44.54
2nd
(3) Charlie Donnelly/Paddy Toner (Corolla WRC) 45.00
3rd
(5) Noel Redmond/Killian Duffy (Impreza WRC) 47.03
4th
(14) Michael Curran/Fabian McShane (Lancer N) 47.18
5th
(15) Alan Ring/Derek Brannigan (Impreza N) 47.40
6th
(7) Kevin Barrett/Barry Goodman (Impreza WRC) 48.02
7th
(1)Jim Harrison/Harvey Bell (Impreza WRC) 48.06
(11)
Willie Fannin/Mick Courtney (Impreza N) 48.06
9th
(31) Joe McHugh/Declan Gallagher (Esc.Cos) 48.22
10th
(24) Eamonn Daly/Ger Healy (Lancer N) 48.32
With just 2
stages remaining this rally is far from over in leadership terms with
Charlie Donnelly making a real charge after Ray Breen. Interestingly
Jim Harrison has come barging up the leaderboard after his stage 2
accident, to keep his Dunlop championship hopes alive. Similarly
Kevin Barrett has battled back into the leaderboard following his
stage 3 puncture. Kevin’s cause is now being damaged because of 5th
gear trouble in his Subaru.
Charlie
Donnelly was fastest through stage 5 by 1s from Ray Breen. On stage 6
Donnelly was 16s quicker than Breen who had an indiscretion at one
square right corner. Donnelly commented. “The rally is great craic,
I’m keeping the pressure on, the stages are really good, in the dry,
real driver’s stages”. Ray Breen explained that he had bumped his
anti lag up another notch in stage 6 just to try it, it was the first
time that he had, but on a square right the car pushed the nose and he
had a bit of a spin over gravel. He lost time getting out of the
situation and had to select reverse.
Jim Harrison
lost a few seconds through stage 5 when he caught with Noel Redmond
and admits to not having a great run through stage 6 saying he was
“scrappy”. Noel Redmond is really struggling with his Subaru, saying
he is arriving at a lot of the junctions sideways, the car is all over
the road and he has had at least one spin in the last 2 stages,
finding the roads very slippy.
In Group N
terms young Michael Curran was fastest by far through stages 5 and 6.
Michael saying he’s not relaxing, keeping the pressure on. Early group
N leader Alan Ring admits that he is making heavy weather, hard work,
of these stages now. Willie Fannin is 3rd group N but knows
himself he is not having a great run today. Top group N runners PJ
McGrath and young Ian Barrett have put their cars off the road within
a few corners of each other on stage 6. PJ got very sideways on a
hairpin right and ended up in the ditch. While Ian Barrett went
straight on at a 3 right. Eamonn Daly is going well in his gpN Lancer
trying a new set up for today. Gabriel Martin is just outside the
leaderboard on 48.48 in his GpN Impreza. Don Butler (gpN Lancer)
49.10. James O’Sullivan has speeded up and is on 48.53, James still
very unhappy with the turbocharging of his Lancer and says there is no
torque and no go.
In the race
for 2 wheel drive honours Liam Wall has his nose in front, but the
similar class 13 Escort of James Coleman is just 9s back. David James
has recovered from his stage 3 engine mounting problem but he is
another 30s behind Coleman. In class 14 Martin Ward is having some
starter motor problems but his main class rival, Douglas Richardson,
is losing gears and time rapidly with his Escort. Out at the front of
the rally Shaun Gallagher and his co driver Joan Gallagher are setting
some scintillating times although not trying to beat the clock by any
means. Former Billy Coleman Award winner Shaun helping with the rally
as a way of repaying some of the assistance he has received through
the Billy Coleman Award scheme.
Finally for
now many thanks to the wonderful Micro-Cam people, Charlie & Amy for
the splendid cups of tea! Thanks also to Noel Clark & Dougie Hughes &
Daphne Millar. More news later. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON
www.rallynews.net
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