RALLY
NEWS NO.5
Finish/Ennis/Sunday
5.45pm
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 9 – FINAL STAGE
1st (2) Patrick Elliott/Rory Kennedy (Impreza WRC) 1.04.11
2nd (1) Charlie Donnelly/Paddy Toner (Corolla WRC) 1.04.50
3rd (3) Aaron MacHale/Eugene O'Donnell (Focus WRC) 1.05.20
4th (5) Niall Maguire/Sean Mullally (Impreza WRC) 1.06.45
5th (4) Denis Cronin/Helen O'Sullivan (Impreza WRC) 1.07.39
6th (9) Kevin Barrett/Barry Goodman (Impreza WRC) 1.07.52
7th (7) Sean Gallagher/Enda Sherry (Impreza WRC) 1.08.19
8th (11) Alan Ring/Adrian Deasy (Impreza N) 1.09.28
9th (18) Gabriel Martin/Paddy Robinson (Lancer N) 1.09.51
10th (15) Kevin & Martin Kelleher (Lancer N) 1.09.53
The leading cars are through the final stage and on their way here
to Ennis for the champagne ceremony at the finish ramp outside the
beautiful St. Flannans College and unofficially Patrick Elliott/Rory
Kennedy have clinched a marvellous victory in their Impreza WRC
with Charlie Donnelly/Paddy Toner 2nd in their Corolla WRC.
Following much counting and re-counting of points it would appear
that Charlie Donnelly has done enough to clinch the Dunlop National
Championship even if Patrick Elliott was to win the final round
down in Skibbereen. If Patrick should win Skibbereen the two
would then be equal on points, with 4 wins and 4 second places each
and the tie decided then would be the highest opening score, which
was Charlie Donnelly. Charlie’s co driver Paddy Toner
had already won the co driver’s part of the Dunlop Championship.
Aaron MacHale stayed right on the pace throughout the day and set
a fastest time in stage 6 so well deserves his 3rd place.
Alan Ring & Adrian Deasy have won group N today in their Impreza
N12 from Gabriel Martin with Kevin Kelleher 3rd. Mike Moloney was
the best 2 wheel drive competitor finishing 11th in his Escort with
Paul Gallagher 2nd in the 2 wheel drive division. Enda Keenan
is 3rd 2 wheel drive and wins class 14.
When Patrick Elliott arrived here at the ramp he said: “Its
good to win but disappointing to lose the championship. It was a
good rally, maybe we pushed too hard in the middle loop.”
43 year old Charlie Donnelly commented: “Between bad
form, punctures, wrecking and tearing, its some crack to have won
the championship. Well done to Paddy here, and everyone who
looks after the car as well as all the organisers and marshals”.
Third placed Aaron MacHale said – “That’s about
as hard as I’ve ever driven today, great experience”.
Denis Cronin said: “The day was good practice for the Cork
20 and Helen had good fun hanging on to the gearstick!”
Niall Maguire had a smooth run to 4th place. Kevin Barrett was well
pleased with his new car and getting 6th on his first outing. Sean
Gallagher in 7th said his Subaru was not right on the power all
day.
Group N winner Alan Ring said: “It was a tricky day, pleased
to have won, we’re in good order for the championship, it
wasn’t easy backing off over the last few stages”.
Willie Fannin had been battling for Ring for gpN supremacy, both
today and in the championship, and he said: “The puncture
done us in, we set some cracking times towards the end, we’ll
go to Skibbereen and try our best”. Gabriel Martin came
into 2nd gpN and he felt that he was on the wrong tyres towards
the end. While Kevin Kelleher came into 3rd and said “We
went well this evening but I will have to waken up in the mornings”.
Two wheel drive category winner Mike Moloney brought his raucous
rotary Mazda engined Escort in here to the finish and said.
“We hit a jump on the 2nd last stage very hard. We had been
putting Radweld in the radiator all day to try and seal it and whatever
way I’ve cracked it on the jump it seems to have sorted it.
The WGT Auto Developments engine has been fantastic today”.
Finally for now, our thanks to all at the Clare Motor Club
especially CoC Jim Casey and all the team. There was an accident
in stage 5 today where Limerick man Thomas White was seriously injured,
and everyone’s thoughts are very much with Thomas and his
family.
BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net |
