1^st (2) Andrew Nesbitt/James O'Brien (Impreza WRC) 7.59.0

2^nd (1) Mark Higgins/Bryan Thomas (Focus WRC) 8.04.7

3^rd (9) Eamonn Boland/Francis Regan (Focus WRC) 8.08.7

4^th (4) Derek McGarrity/Dermot O'Gorman (Impreza WRC) 8.10.5

5^th (8) Matthew Wilson/Scott Martin (Focus WRC) 8.11.5

6^th (3) Eugene Donnelly/Paul Kiely (Corolla WRC) 8.12.4

7^th (5) Tim McNulty/Eugene O'Donnell (Impreza WRC) 8.13.6

8^th (6) Austin MacHale/Brian Murphy (Focus WRC) 8.20.7

9^th (7) Peadar Hurson/Damien Connolly (Impreza WRC) 8.21.4

10^th (11) Rory Galligan/Greg Shinnors (Lancer N) 8.28.3

Andrew Nesbitt was fastest through the opening stage of this Ulster Rally, but despite being on home territory Andrew wasn’t getting it easy as all the top drivers were absolutely flying.  Andrew said. “The car feels really good, the stage was tight and twisty, a bit slippy in places.”  Mark Higgins, 5s down on Nesbitt, told us. “We pushed quite hard, not a silly pace, the car was fine but maybe set a little bit soft in the suspension”.  Eugene Donnelly was 3^rd on the road but 6^th fastest in his Corolla, Eugene saying. “I suppose that’s my normal slow start, not going bananas, the car felt really good. I’ll maybe soften the suspension a wee bit, let the car bend”.   Eamonn Boland was obviously trying pretty hard, set a good time and whereas last weekend on the Galway Summer Rally Eamonn was saying that the suspension felt too stiff and choppy, today he seems really happy with the Focus.  Derek McGarrity wasn’t hanging about either, and when his Subaru came to a halt he told us. “Went OK, a wee bit of understeer but I was messing with the differential set ups before the start of the stage, and then during the stage, in the belts, I couldn’t reach the knob to adjust the diffs again”.

Young Matthew Wilson started his comeback in fairly dramatic fashion – when his Focus slithered to a halt he told us, and his father Malcolm, “We had a massive lock up, a real big moment”.  At that he pointed to a trail of oil up the left hand side of the Ford and gave his father an enquiring look.  Malcolm shrugged his shoulders and told him not to worry, yes, it was engine oil, but it should be alright. Interestingly the car gave trouble last weekend pushing oil out the breather. 

Tim McNulty in the Pierse backed Impreza WRC reckoned he had picked too soft a tyre otherwise everything was good.  Austin MacHale said he had a problem with his intercom system, an intermittent fault, otherwise everything was OK.  Peadar Hurson reported that his Impreza was a bit soft in the suspension and perhaps lacked a bit of go.  Prodrive representative Steve Smith was at the side window listening to the comments and remarked that they should be able to change the anti roll bar set up and get the car going a bit better at next service.

David Higgins was the first group N car on the road, current Pirelli British Rally Champion David saying as he brought his Lancer to a halt “We went OK, maybe a bit of understeer through the last couple of miles of the stage. I think I picked too soft a compound tyre and also I put little cuts in the tyre in case there was any mud. But there was no drama, its good to get the first stage over”.  David’s Mitsubishi team mate Rory Galligan was a few seconds faster and it was of note that Rory had picked a slightly harder compound tyre, although the Oldcastle man did say that he needs to stiffen the Lancer to compensate, and also adjust the mapping so that the car reacts better under braking.

Justin Dale was next on the road in the works Ford Fiesta, former British Champion Justin saying. “I think this is the first proper tarmac stage for the car and it felt fine, I’m not bothered about the times just yet, just getting the car round, and of course its good for me to be back on the scene.”  Just for interests sake Justin’s time was 8.55.7, so he wasn’t a mile away.  Colm Murphy in his gpN Impreza set a scorching time of 8.33.1, Colm saying he had got a bit sideways at time and was surprised how little grip there was.  Seamus Leonard in his Lancer was on 8.47.1 and he found the brakes fading a little towards the end, also admitting he was a bit rusty after a 3 month lay off.  Garry Jennings was disappointed with his time of 8.50.2, but did say that something broke in the handbrake department when he was trying it out just before the stage start.

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

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