RALLY NEWS NO.8 Service/Saturday
5.30
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 21 (Final stage)
1st (2) Derek McGarrity/Diarmuid Falvey (Impreza
WRC) 2.04.25.7
2nd (1) Eugene Donnelly/Paul Kiely (Corolla WRC)
2.05.05.6
3rd (4) Eamonn Boland/Francis Regan (Focus WRC)
2.06.49.9
4th (11) Mark Higgins/Rory Kennedy (Impreza N)
2.09.27.3
5th (12) Rory Galligan/Greg Shinnors (Lancer N)
2.09.27.3
6th (15) Ryan Champion/Craig Thorley (Lancer N)
2.10.12.2
7th (16) Guy Wilks/Phil Pugh (Ignis) 2.10.33.4
8th (24) Colm Murphy/Ger Loughrey (Impreza N)
2.12.08.8
9th (30) Stuart Jones/Craig Parry (Lancer N)
2.12.42.9
10th (29) Conrad Rautenbach/Dave Senior (Impreza
N) 2.14.05.0 **
Derek McGarrity and his new co driver Diarmuid Falvey scored
a momentous win here on this Jim Clark Rally to keep his hopes alive
in the Pirelli Tarmac Championship. Eugene Donnelly & Paul Kiely
fought back hard after their Corolla WRC had a mechanical problem in
the transmission but couldn't catch the flying McGarrity. Eamonn
Boland in 3rd also was delayed with a puncture and then
mechanical troubles, Eamonn and his co driver Francis Regan scoring
a couple of fastest times on their way to 3rd place.
There was a huge battle over the last few stages between Rory
Galligan and Mark Higgins for group N supremacy, with British
Champion Mark Higgins pulling out all the stops to force his Impreza
into equalling Rory Galligan's Lancer in overall stage times,
Higgins getting the nod for fastest on the first and last stages.
It was quite an achievement by Mark Higgins and quite a result for
their group N Pirelli shod Impreza.
Best of the Irish Tarmac Group N finishers was Colm Murphy,
he was able to ease off once his big rival Seamus Leonard had
retired with turbo charger problems. Roy White provisionally is the
2nd Tarmac c/ship finisher in group N.
Guy Wilks and his co driver Phil Pugh had a great rally to
bring their Suzuki Ignis into victory on the Super 1600 category.
Derek McGarrity commented at the finish of the last stage.
"Its been a brilliant rally for us. On the last 2 stages I was a bit
pensive, I didn't want to make any silly mistakes. It was a great
rally and a good race. Eugene had his problems of course, it was
nice for Diarmuid here to co drive for me for the first time and
win. He did a fantastic job." Derek went on to say as regards going
to the Isle of Man, to the Manx Rally, it will all depend on Pirelli
- "It is their decision". Eugene Donnelly said at the finish. "I
felt I drove well, we had a lot of fun sliding through the junctions
on the last couple of stages. Fair play to Derek he got the hammer
down when it mattered. He's had his fair share of bad luck as well.
We will score good points in the tarmac championship and that's
important". Eugene is of course the defending tarmac champion and
leads the current points table very conclusively.
In the Fiesta Sporting Trophy Simon Hughes & Claire Mole
came through to a great victory with Jonny Wigmore 2nd
and Owen Murphy overcoming an overshoot and soft brake pedal
troubles to battle back from 5th to 3rd at the
end.
Finally for now many thanks to everyone who helped and
supported the RallyNews. Special thanks to John Mole and his team
and Charlie McGuckin & Amy from MicroCam and Liam Hayes for helping
with RallyNews distribution.
BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net
