1^st (1) Mark Higgins/Bryan Thomas (Focus WRC) 50.25.3

2^nd (2) Andrew Nesbitt/James O'Brien (Impreza WRC) 50.33.9

3^rd (3) Eugene Donnelly/Paul Kiely (Corolla WRC) 50.49.9

4^th (4) Derek McGarrity/Dermot O'Gorman (Impreza WRC) 51.25.4

5^th (5) Tim McNulty/Anthony Nestor (Impreza WRC) 51.32.7

6^th (9) Eamonn Boland/Francis Regan (Focus WRC) 51.36.0

7^th (6) Austin MacHale/Brian Murphy (Focus WRC) 51.59.9

8^th (8) Matthew Wilson/Scott Martin (Focus WRC) 52.08.1

9^th (7) Peadar Hurson/Damien Connolly (Impreza WRC) 52.11.7

10^th (10) David Higgins/Daniel Barritt (Lancer N) 53.41.7         

Some stage 10 times: McNulty fastest 7.37.3.  Nesbitt 7.38.7: Higgins 7.39.2: Donnelly 7.42.0: Boland 7.43.2:

Conditions were just about perfect for the opening stage of this 2^nd day on the Ulster Rally.  All the top drivers cleared the stage successfully, and although there were no major changes on the leaderboard there were still plenty of drams. Rally leader Mark Higgins’ Focus was off the road. Tim McNulty set fastest time and Matthew Wilson had a major spin. 

Mark Higgins recounted that about a mile into the stage the back of his Focus flew up in the air on a big jump and stepped out sideways, the car careered down the stage backwards and slammed into a telegraph pole.  There was extensive damage to the bodywork, Mark and co driver Bryan Thomas were well shaken up.  Somehow or another they got themselves back on course and still set a really good time, just 4s slower than Nesbitt and just 7s down on McNulty’s fastest time.  McNulty seemed really focussed at stage finish, the Subaru sounding and looking the business.  Andrew Nesbitt reported a good run, but he was shaking his head when he told of the marks on the road and scenery where Mark Higgins had his moment.

Eugene Donnelly set 3^rd fastest time, Eugene saying that he had a good clean run although he felt that he was braking a little early towards the end of the stage. Derek McGarrity was quite a few seconds off the pace of the cars in front, Derek finding the stage very gravelly and loose. Eamonn Boland was just a few tenths of a second slower than Tim McNulty.  Eamonn started the rally at a great pace, seemed to lose his concentration somewhat as darkness descended last night, but he certainly has his Focus well on the pipe this morning.

Young Matthew Wilson’s spin happened at a Right 3, the car pirouetted down the road and Matthew counts himself a very lucky young man to have got away with the incident and not to have hit Malcolm’s nice wee Ford.  Peadar Hurson felt he had a good run and indeed that is reflected in his stage time.  Austin MacHale had an overshoot at a junction, otherwise he would have been right with the fastest times. Austin’s time was 8.17.2 as against Nesbitt’s 8.16.5, which is a good indication of MacHale’s pace this morning.

David Higgins continues to lead group N, but he seemed slightly distracted this morning, and no wonder, as his lovely little 3 year old daughter Alicia was taken into hospital during the night with a suspected viral infection.   

Just outside the top 10 Seamus Leonard in 11^th and 2^nd group N put his Lancer off the road at a hairpin for about 15s. Alan Nesbitt is 12^th and 3^rd group N, Aaron MacHale 13^th and 4^th GpN. Garry Jennings 14^th and 5^th gpN following yesterday’s brake problems and a slowish time this morning.  Barry Clark is 15^th and 6^th gpN. Then its Glenn Wilson, Martin Doherty, Lorna Smith, Stephen Petch and Keith McElhinney rounding off the top 20 and leading his class in his Civic. 

Justin Dale has been credited with a scratch time for stage 4 where he stopped at Rory Galligan’s accident to make sure he was OK, so Justin is now 16^th in the overall classification, going like a train in his new M-Sport Fiesta and leading the Super 1600 class from  Brian O’Mahony in his Puma. Cork man Brian, who is leading the class in the Pirelli Tarmac c/ship, was hampered yesterday with some intercom problems. Further down the list is Sean McArdle in his Cordoba WRC, Sean was delayed by a lengthy stage 8 puncture.

In the National Rally Mark Jasper led after stage 8 from the similar Metro 6R4 of John Price. Steve Hendy was 3^rd in his Escort WRC, Chris Davies 4^th in his Darrian. Last year’s National winner Camillus Bradley was a splendid 5^th in his Mk2 Escort. Steve Fleck 6^th. Enniskillen man Stewart Clarke 7^th in his beautiful Ford Escort RS1800. John Stone 8^th in another Metro 6R4. 

More news later. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net   (with thanks to Michael Patterson & Zoe Todd)

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