RALLY
NEWS NO.15 Downings Service/Sunday Noon..in the
rain!
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 17 HIGH GLEN
1st
(6) Andrew Nesbitt/James O'Brien (Lancer WRC) 1.48.21.7
2nd
(19) Mark Higgins/Rory Kennedy (Lancer WRC) 1.48.49.5
3rd
(1) Gareth MacHale/Paul Nagle (Focus WRC) 1.49.35.0
4th
(5) Derek McGarrity/Chris Patterson (Impreza WRC) 1.49.42.0
5th
(10) Kevin Lynch/Allan Harryman (Impreza WRC) 1.49.50.7
6th
(8) Eamonn Boland/Francis Regan (Focus WRC) 1.50.43.1
7th
(2) Matthew Wilson/Michael Orr (Focus WRC) 1.51.35.6
8th
(9) Austin MacHale/Brian Murphy (Focus WRC) – time to follow
9th
(12) Paul Harris/Eugene O'Donnell (Impreza WRC) 1.51.55.6
10th
(15) Stephen Murphy/M Morrissey (Impreza WRC) – time to follow
11th
(4) Eugene Donnelly/Paul Kiely (Corolla WRC) 1.52.30.2
12th
(17) Patrick Elliott/Paul Goodman (Impreza WRC) 1.53.23.2
Car 3
Colin McRae/Nicky Grist (Metro 6R4) 1.53.37.0. Colin continues to
lead National and his times are good enough for 13th
o/a in International.
Andrew
Nesbitt was fastest through the High Glen stage, streaming wet
roads making life difficult for the drivers. Andrew said. “We had
a good run, but it was very wet, very slippy”. Mark Higgins was 2nd
fast4st through the stage and with the adjustment to the overnight
results is now 28s behind his Mitsubishi team mate. Mark said.
“Really slippy, we found a comfortable pace”. Gareth MacHale was
3rd fastest and reported no problems while Derek
McGarrity was 2s down on Gareth and he again emphasised how
treacherous it was. Kevin Lynch had a good time for the stage and
reported no problems, nor did Eamonn Boland.
Eugene
Donnelly is coming back into the picture, Eugene 7th
fastest through High Glen and as can be seen above is now up to 11th
overall having been 56th at one point, although his
cause was helped when he had 3 minutes of road penalty removed
overnight. Eugene is back on course to score a bag full of
Pirelli Tarmac c/ship points to consolidate his lead in the
series.
Matthew
Wilson hit a large stone which had been pulled out on to the road.
Matthew said he had no option but to hit and thinks he may have
knocked it back in again. His Focus WRC seems to have a damaged
track control arm. Austin MacHale was in a real hurry to get out
of the stage so we need to get his stage time checked later. Paul
Harris had a good run in the Corolla and then Stephen Murphy’s
Impreza arrived in a massive rush to get clear of the stage and
his stage time need clarified also. It was immediately after that
the following drivers reported oil on the road towards the stage
finish so whether that had any connection with Murphy’s rush we
will have to wait and see. Niall Maguire retired at stage finish
with his Subaru engine seemingly blown, Niall was 16th
overnight. Hugh Martin Doherty was on totally the wrong tyres for
that High Glen stage and although he lost some time remains 14th
o/a. Colin McRae had a clear run but he also talked of the oil on
the road. Colin continues to lead the National Rally ahead of
Dessie Keenan with John Dalton 3rd in his Darrian,
Camillus Bradley 4th, Ivan Stewart 5th,
Damien Gallagher 6th.
In the
Group N category Roy White was fastest of the early runners
through High Glen although Roy felt that there was something wrong
with the steering of his Lancer, that perhaps he had a puncture,
but all looked well with the FESP car. Shaun Gallagher leads the
category overall, Seamus Leonard 2nd, Roy White 3rd,
James Cullen 4th, Colm Murphy 5th and
Phillip Morrow 6th.
Looking
outside this Shell Donegal Rally for a moment, Steve Perez who was
such a welcome visitor here last year, won the Dukeries Rally
yesterday in his Focus WRC from Jon Ingram. At Le Mans 24 Hours
our man on the scene, John McIlroy, tells us that Audi seem to be
heading for victory which will be the first for a diesel car.
Looking ahead William Fullerton, Rally Director of the Lurgan Park
event tells us there will be an announcement this week of a major
new sponsor and it is all stations go for the 12th
August spectacular rally through the Park.
More news
later. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON (with thanks to Michael
Patterson & Zoe Todd and John McIlroy)
www.rallynews.net
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