UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 2 Coolfree
1st (3) Kevin Lynch/Francis Regan (Impreza WRC) 16.50.4
2nd (1) Glenn Allen/Damien Connolly (Corolla WRC) 17.00.9
3rd (2) John McCarthy/M Morrissey (Corolla WRC) 17.10.5
4th (10) Brian McGillen/David Doherty (Impreza N) 17.28.9
5th (12) Garry Jennings/David Moynihan (Lancer N) 17.41.4
6th (15) Pete McCullagh Jnr/Alan Dolan (Lancer N) 17.53.2
7th (4) Stephen Moore/Tony McHugh (Focus WRC) 17.54.2
8th (9) Dominic McNeill/Francis Kenny (Escort WRC) 18.01.5
9th (5) Kevin O'Kane/Martin Brady (Impreza WRC) 18.02.4
10th (11) Brian Lawlor/Peter Kavanagh (lancer N) 18.05.6

Kevin Lynch was fastest on the opening stage of this Cork Forestry, lost a couple of seconds on stage 2 when his Impreza WRC slid into a ditch on a square left. There didn’t seem to be any damage to the car and Kevin still leads overall. John McCarthy was fastest on stage 2. John, the championship leader, arrived in here to service with bits of cloth stuffed into his Corolla’s demist vents, reporting that there was a pin hole in the cooling pipe under the bonnet and steam was coming in and misting up the windscreen. Glenn Allen had a good run through that 2nd stage and reported all well.

Brian McGillen held on to his group N lead despite his Impreza having slight damage to the rear suspension. Garry Jennings had a good run through the 2nd stage but still had to give best to McGillen. Pete Willoughby speeded up on that 2nd stage, Pete saying “There were 2 things I forgot to switch on at the start of the first stage. The differentials and me!” Brian Lawlor, apart from in his own words “being a bit shy” picked a wider tyre and it didn’t really work well, on top of which he caught James Murphy in the stage. Pat O’Connell set good times in his group N Lancer despite having 2nd and 3rd gear trouble. Keith Cronin, a nephew of Denis Cronin’s, set a couple of good times and reports all well with his car.

Further stories included – Neil Weaver having to do half of the first stage and all of the 2nd one with his Corsa stuck in 2nd gear, his total 19.21.2, which is not so far away everything considered. James Murphy lost all the power steering on the first stage and then spun on the 2nd between the 2 hairpins, and the spectators had to push the car to get it going. Dominic McNeill forgot to switch his anti lag on so he dropped a few seconds. John Hickey had to take to the trees at one point to avoid a stricken Escort in stage 2. Adrian Hetherington lost several minutes when his Escort gearbox jammed up. Danny Barry lost 4 minutes in stage 1 behind an accident. Sean Lynch is having a reasonable run in his Impreza WRC but is losing time catching cars. His total 18.50.0. Sean Devine also lost time behind another car. Stephen Dolan has had his Group N Impreza on its roof, still going but the inside of the car got soaked, including the pace notes! Pat O’Connell has retired his Lancer on stage 1 with engine troubles.

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