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RALLY NEWS NO.5
Service/Friday 4.30
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 4 Rooskey 2
1st
(4) Eugene Donnelly/Paul Kiely (Corolla WRC) 25.32.6
2nd
(10) Kevin Lynch/Allan Harryman (Impreza WRC) 25.33.2
3rd
(7) Tim McNulty/Anthony Nestor (Impreza WRC) 25.37.4
4th
(5) Derek McGarrity/Chris Patterson (Impreza WRC) 25.44.6
5th
(11) Gareth Jones/David Moynihan (Impreza WRC) 25.42.0
6th
(8) Eamonn Boland/Francis Regan (Focus WRC) 25.44.9
7th
(1) Gareth MacHale/Paul Nagle (Focus WRC) 25.49.5
8th
(6) Andrew Nesbitt/James O'Brien (Lancer WRC) 25.58.3
9th
(2) Matthew Wilson/Michael Orr (Focus WRC) 26.05.7
10th
(19) Mark Higgins/Rory Kennedy (Lancer WRC) 26.14.5
Car No.3 Colin McRae/Nicky Grist (Metro 6R4) 25.58.2: Leading National
Rally, time good enough for 8th o/a International Rally.
NEWS COMING IN….
Eugene Donnelly’s Corolla is reportedly stopped at the end of SS5
following a small fire. More news to follow…….Eugene going
again..could be late….
Out at the front of the International Eugene Donnelly set fastest time
through stage 4 to get past Kevin Lynch and into lead with his Corolla
WRC. The actual stage times make interesting reading: Donnelly
clocking 7.23.0. Gareth Jones 7.23.3: Tim McNulty 7.23.9: Gareth
MacHale 7.24.0: Kevin Lynch was back on 7.28.1. Although Lynch lost
the lead he didn’t appear too downhearted, the problem from earlier
with the gear change and the oil leak seemed to have been corrected
and Kevin’s attitude was that there is still a long rally ahead.
Eugene Donnelly had picked a cut slick tyre and said everything went
well. It is a fair reflection on the improvement in the weather, the
drying roads and the drivers really getting their confidence up that
most people were over 20s faster at least on their 2nd run
through that Rooskey stage.
Tim McNulty took a short cut over the grass at one corner, clipped a
rock and was thankful that the Pirelli tyre didn’t deflate. Gareth
MacHale had a good run through the stage, much faster than his first
time through it. Gareth showing a lot more confidence in the car and
the brakes. Similarly Matthew Wilson turned in a good time, Matthew
saying “The car is now sorted”. Both Andrew Nesbitt and Mark Higgins
seemed a lot happier with their respective Lancer WRC cars through
that stage 4 and apparently there was quite a bit of fine tuning to
the cars at service.
Further stories from stage 4 include – Hugh M Doherty having some
brake troubles with his new Focus. Kevin Barrett’s Impreza once again
filled with smoke and Kevin stopped briefly to check that the car
wasn’t on fire, but then decided to finish the stage and have another
look. Stephen Murphy is just 2s outside the l/board, having adjusted
the diff settings on his Impreza WRC he set good times through stages
3 & 4. Seamus Leonard emerged from the stage with the front right
corner of his Lancer quite badly damaged and he had lost a bit of
time. Colm Murphy had a power steering hose on his gpN Impreza
replaced at service so he was back in full flight and recorded a good
time. Michael Curran did 7.53.4 on stage 4. Shaun Gallagher 7.54.2.
Garry Jennings 7.56.9 and Roy White 7.57.1. Willie Fannin reportedly
crashed his GpN Impreza in stage 4. The story is that he hit a tree
and damaged the radiator. Willie and co driver Mick Courtney were
unhurt. This does cause a blockage for a few minutes.
Earlier Connor McCloskey crashed his gpN Lancer off the road on the 3rd
corner of the first stage. Happily there was no damage to the car at
all, it was just stuck in a ditch. Conor Curley and co driver Nigel
Fraser retired on stage 2 when their Escort broke a drive shaft.
Latest reports are that Cathal Curley is towing the Escort in, the
spectating Austin Fraser saying that Cathal has at last found his true
vocation!
In
the National Rally after 3 stages Colin McRae was leading by almost a
minute from Dessie Keenan in 2nd in his Escort. Then it was
Phil Collins a further 18s back with Camillus Bradley 4th,
Damien Gallagher 5th, Wesley Patterson 6th – all
in Escorts. Paul Gallagher 7th in his Corolla.
More news later. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON
www.rallynews.net (thanks to Michael Patterson/Zoe Todd) Thanks
also to Ciara Conlan….
**FOR LIVE SMS RESULTS: Irish mobiles text RALLY ITC to 53503: UK
mobiles text RALLY ITC to 60066. Cost 30c/25p
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