RALLY NEWS NO.5            End of stage 5/Saturday 2.50

UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 5 DRUMCLAMPH

1^st (3) Eugene Donnelly/Paul Kiely (Corolla WRC) 46.34.7

2^nd (7) Peadar Hurson/Damien Connolly (Impreza WRC) 47.12.12

3^rd (6) Eamonn Boland/Francis Regan (Focus WRC) 47.25.9

4^th (2) Derek McGarrity/Chris Patterson (Impreza WRC) 47.35.2

5^th (5) Austin MacHale/Brian Murphy (Focus WRC) 48.04.2

6^th (9) Sean Devine/Killian Duffy (Impreza WRC) 49.11.5

7^th (11) Garry Jennings/Rory Kennedy (Lance3r N) 49.22.4

8^th (16) Seamus Leonard/Gerry McVeigh (Lancer N) 49.49.1

9^th (8) Gareth Jones/David Moynihan (Impreza WRC) 49.53.3

10^th (21) James Cullen/Reba Graham (Lancer N) 49.56.1

11^th (26) Connor McCloskey/Crawford Henderson (Lancer N) 50.24.9

12^th (23) John McGlaughlin/David McElroy (Lancer N) 50.27.8

13^th Roy White 14^th Nigel Hicklin 15^th Colm Murphy 16^th Tim McNulty

The roads were bone dry this time as the drivers tackled the Drumclamph stage for the 2^nd time. Once again Eugene Donnelly was fastest but this time he was 20s quicker than his first run through, a combination not only of the drying roads, but also that his Corolla brakes were now working to his satisfaction.  Peadar Hurson was 2^nd fastest, 4s down on the flying Donnelly, with Derek McGarrity a further 4s back.  At the stage finish Eugene confirmed that his Corolla brakes were sorted, it had something to do with the hand brake mechanism that was causing the problem. Peadar Hurson reckoned that he was too cautious in his tyre choice, and the car was drifting in a few places, as he said himself. “Getting away from me”. 

Derek McGarrity reported all well with his Subaru but he did lose a few seconds with an overshoot into a square left. Eamonn Boland had a good run, no problems. Austin MacHale was also in good form at stage finish, his Focus in top nick.  Sean Devine moved from 7^th to 6^th in that stage, Sean a lot happier with the performance of his Impreza. His co driver Killian Duffy saying. “Its like a different car, the engineers adjusted the diff settings and we are trying different tyres”.  Also happier with his car was Gareth Jones. The young Welshman was driving this Impreza for the first time in anger this morning and was very unhappy, but he said at the end of that 5^th stage. “Its so different, its actually wanting to go around corners now. We changed all the set up including the diffs”.  Paddy White is also getting on the pace now following his first stage shunt, getting his confidence up. 

Tim McNulty is way down the order, in a provisional 16^th place following his punctures on stages 3 and 4. Tim said. “I’m getting back into it, but yes it’s a matter now of messing about with the car and trying a few things”.  From that we take it Tim feels that any chance of victory has gone. 

In Group N Garry Jennings set a scorching pace through stage 5 to maintain his lead in the category, but interestingly the quickest group N time we have so far for this stage is James Cullen’s – 8.47.7.  Seamus Leonard did 8.50.7, Garry Jennings 8.53.5 and Colm Murphy 8.56.3.  Cullen said he is really getting to grips with his Lancer, he’s got the brakes sorted and he’s getting confidence on every stage. Colm Murphy was a lot happier with his car following some disturbing handling traits this morning. They changed the ECU setting, the engine is pulling in the right place and the car is now working. Seamus Leonard was pleased with the way he went. Connor McCloskey set a good time, but is looking for more, trying to get right in amongst the leading GpN contenders.

News of another retirement is that young Darren Gass has pulled his Super 1600 Fiesta out of the rally.  He hit a bank earlier on following a small problem with the car, but then the engine warning light came on and he didn’t really like to push on. Ironically then when he let the car sit for a while and re-started it, it seemed fine, so he is going to have a go over tomorrow’s stages under Super Rally rules.

LATE NEWS: Eugene Donnelly fastest through stage 6. McGarrity 2^nd fastest but 8s down. Hurson just 0.7 of a second slower than McGarrity.

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

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