RALLY NEWS NO.7         Clonakilty Service/Sunday 11am

UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD START OF DAY 2 (before SS9)

1^st (3) Liam McCarthy/Kieran Murphy (Impreza WRC) 54.23.4

2^nd (4) Denis Cronin/Helen O'Sullivan (Impreza WRC) 54.23.7

3^rd (12) Tony Davies/Jakes Kelly (Impreza WRC) 55.21.9

4^th (8) Steve Fleck/Mark Aspinall (Impreza WRC) 55.29.0

5^th (24) Ashley Field/Janice Hooley (Darrian) 55.49.0

6^th (11) John Dalton/Gwynfor Jones (Darrian) 55.53.4

7^th (7) Bob Fowden/Jerry Hynes (Impreza WRC) 56.13.8

8^th (6) JJ Fleming/Robbie Ward (Focus WRC) 56.29.1

9^th (15) James O'Sullivan/Kieran O'Callaghan (Lancer N) 56.52.4

10^th (9) Nigel Hicklin/Sam McMullan (Octavia WRC) 57.02.4

11^th (23) Willie Power/Adrian Deasy (Darrian) 57.34.3

12^th (19) Mark Morgan/Tony Fisher (Lancer N) 58.02.0

13^th (36) Kevin Kelleher/Martin Kelleher (Lancer N) 58.08.3

14^th (31) George Thaw/Tony Ettunger (Impreza WRC) 58.24.8

15^th (26) PJ McGrath/Damien Morrissey (Impreza N) 58.26.3

There were no major changes to the leaderboard when the results were checked over by Alan Hartigan and company last night in the Quality Hotel.  The gap between Liam McCarthy and Denis Cronin remains at a scant 0.3 of a second, although no doubt that will change rapidly as the drivers tackle the first of today’s 8 fabulous special stages.  The battle for 3^rd and 4^th is no less intense, with Steve Fleck determined to close the 7.1s gap with Tony Davies.  Indeed the story is the same throughout the leader board with a lot of rivalries to be resolved. 

One major change this morning is that Phil Collins and co driver Derek Brannigan were left scratching their heads in bewilderment as their Escort ground to a halt leaving parc ferme at the model railway village.  The 2.5 litre Millington engine broke it’s cam belt at the virtually no more than tick over, and the expensive rattle of valves against pistons spelt the end of Phil’s West Cork charge for this year. 

Overnight class leaders include: Ashley Field in the Darrian. The English driver is leading Class 14 from the similar Darrian of John Dalton. Despite prop shaft trouble on yesterday’s last stage, Gwyndaf Evans leads cl.13 in his Escort from Sean Ryan’s Peugeot. Tim O’Donovan leads cl.11 in his Toyota Corolla and Keith Power cl.6 in his Puma.  Peter Hughes 9Escort) leads cl.12. Martin Lordan (Escort) leads cl.9.  Paul Cooper has his Metro 6R4 at the front of cl.15 and Gerry O’Mahony leads cl.10 in his Mk2 Escort.  David Parle leads cl.2 in his Civic and Thomas Scallan leads cl.3 in his Astra.

The Historic section of the rally is divided up into all sorts of classes, and as far as we can tell Gareth Lloyd, with comedian Wyn Thomas on the notes, in their West Wales Rally Spares Escort leads overall.  Todd Falvey would appear to be 2^nd in his Porsche 911 and leads cl.D from John Farrell. The latter had some mechanical problems (an oil union burst early on). Barry Duggan leads the cl.B section in his Escort. Chris Jennngs and co driver Wiz Corns lead cl.A in the Volvo Amazon.  There are 20 Historics still running, also 107 cars in the main field, and around about 20 Sunday runners now tagged on at the back. 

Finally for now, if you are out spectating today please note that the times on the programme map are incorrect, but the times on the centrefold time table are correct.