RALLY NEWS NO.2
Dingle/Service/Sunday 11.30am
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 2
Lispole
1st (1) Ray Breen/Andrew Purcell
(Focus WRC) 11.13
2nd (3) Tim McNulty/Anthony Nestor
(Impreza WRC) 11.31
3rd (2) Charlie Donnelly/Paddy
Toner (Corolla WRC) 11.39
4th (9) Martin Doherty/Andrew
Cullen (Impreza WRC) 11.51
5th (10) Aaron MacHale/Eugene
O'Donnell (Corolla WRC) 11.54
6th (5) Niall Maguire/Paul
McLaughlin (Impreza WRC) 11.56
7th (4) Patrick Elliott/Rory
Kennedy (Impreza WRC) 11.57
8th (8) JJ Fleming/Robbie Ward
(Focus WRC) 12.03
9th (17) Andrew Stewart/Paddy
Robinson (Lancer N) 12.11
(32) James M. & James F Stafford (lancer
N) 12.11
Despite blitzing the opposition on the first
2 stages Ray Breen said he still found the roads slippery and damp,
but otherwise no problem. Tim McNulty in 2nd place
felt that he was on the wrong tyres, he picked a dry weather tyre
for his new S11 and they just didn’t work. Charlie Donnelly in 3rd
place got a bit flustered at the start of the first stage and
stalled his Corolla. Charlie, winner of the opening Dunlop round in
Mayo, certainly gave himself quite a handicap, 22s slower than Breen
through that stage. Then in stage 2 Lispole, Charlie’s Corolla was
4s down on Breen’s Focus WRC.
An early retirement was Glenn Allen, his
Corolla WRC stopping with electrical/ECU troubles in Anascaul
village on a road section.
Andrew Stewart and James Stafford were
fastest in the Group N category, by just a whisker from Alan Ring
with a horde of top Group N drivers such as Willie Fannin and Kevin
Kelleher not far away.
Stories from the front of the field included
Patrick Elliott spinning his Impreza and damaging the rear bumper.
Michael Barrable stalled his Focus WRC and then switched off the
anti lag, didn’t have a good run at all and wasn’t happy. JJ
Fleming had a decent run in his Focus, the problem with the
differential before the start sorted out.
Peter Kelly retired his Escort with a broken
clutch and Phillip Johnson didn’t even make the first stage, his
lancer’s gearbox casing splitting. Noel Redmond is on a total of
12.15, having picked the wrong tyres and spinning his new Impreza.
Niall Maguire said he had a great run on the first stage, but wasn’t
at the races on the 2nd and doesn’t really know why.
Kevin Kelleher said his car is v ery nervous over the bumps and
dancing around, no confidence in it. Willie Fannin feels his car is
down on power. Alan Ring found the 2nd stage very
slippy. Andrew Stewart hasn’t been out for a while, was just ever so
slightly rusty on the first stage but went well on the 2nd.
Not as well though as James Stafford running
at No.32 in his Group N Lancer – he had a stunning time on the 2nd
stage. Ian Barrett is building up his confidence following a
disappointing run in Mayo, on a total now of 12.38. Jack Sleator is
on 13.24 having spun his new Impreza WRC. Tadgh Linehan’s Bio-Tech
Group N Impreza was down the time sheets slightly, Tadgh reporting
that his tyres just weren’t working, and he was getting no grip at
all.
More news later. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON
www.rallynews.net
