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RALLY NEWS
NO.7 Service/Fornenst Fossa/Sunday 11am (Fornenst is an old Ulster
word that means close by or near to)
UNOFFICIAL HISTORIC L/BOARD AFTER STAGE 6 BALLAGHBEAMA
1st (1) Ray Cunningham/Richard Hyland (Mini Cooper) 51.06
2nd (2) Dessie Nutt/Geraldine McBride (Porsche 911) 51.29
3rd (17) Adrian Kermode/Liz Jordan (Porsche 911) 55.50
(72) James Stait/Gill Cotton (MG Midget) 55.50
Ray Cunningham was fastest again of the Historics through stage
6, Ballaghbeama, Ray having a really good run. He did spin the Mini
earlier on Molls Gap which was a reminder of just how tricky the
conditions are. Coming down the Ballaghbeama hill Cunningham caught
up with Mike Doody’s Mini and lost a few seconds there but
still Cunningham was still 8s up on Dessie Nutt at stage finish.
Dessie said “I will just have to try harder. Of all the times
I’ve done the Gap that was one of my worst efforts. We did
get some heavy rain at the black fence which was a bit daunting”.
Adrian Kermode is still trying to come to grips with the older Porsche
but is managing to hold on to 3rd in the Historics although James
Stait is pushing hard in the MG Midget, and despite a spin on Molls
Gap was 4s faster than Kermode’s Porsche. Alan Courtney/Aggie
Foster retired their Mini with a broken drive shaft a few kilometres
into Molls Gap.
UNOFFICIAL POST HISTORIC L/BOARD AFTER STAGE 6 Ballaghbeama
1st (3) Todd Falvey/Dan Barry (Porsche 911) 49.34
2nd (6) Nick Whale/Sally Woods (Porsche 911) 49.41
3rd (15) James Sutherland/Howard Pridmore (Porsche 911) 50.18
4th (8) Denis & Dan Moynihan (Escort) 50.24
5th (16) Mike Doody/Jonathan Doody (Mini Cooper) 51.15
6th (9) Frank Cunningham/Aaron Forde (Escort) 52.17
7th (28) Kevin Flanagan/Adrian Parry (Mini) 52.22
8th (20) Martin Ward/Linda Conroy (Manta) 52.24
Following his fastest Post Historic time over Molls Gap Todd Falvey
had to give best to Nick Whale over the Ballaghbeama stage dropping
6s while fastest overall of the Post Historics over Ballaghbeama
was James Sutherland in his Porsche. Sutherland clocked 10.36, Whale
10.41 and Falvey 10.51. Whale commented “Just didn’t
get it together on Molls Gap, lost the notes about 3 times and as
well as that the grip seemed to vary a lot. I felt I went well though
in Ballaghbeama”. Todd Falvey reported no real problems on
Ballaghbeama but his lead over Whale is whittled back now to 7s.
Mike Doody dropped some time when his Mini steering rack came loose
in Ballaghbeama. Frank Cunningham is struggling on the uphill sections
as his Escort seems to be well down on power. Chris Browne/Ali Cornwell
is just a few seconds behind Martin Ward, then its Martin Sheehan,
struggling a little after hurting his back on a Molls Gap jump and
then it is Marc Duez/John Muth, the Belgian crew making little impression
on the guys in front.
UNOFFICIAL CLASSIC L/BOARD AFTER STAGE 6 Ballaghbeama
1st (50) Martin McCormack/Joe Agnew (Escort) 49.30
2nd (91) Tom Randles/Sean Duggan (Escort) 50.11
3rd (11) Martin Freestone/Joanne Oakey (Escort) 52.52
Young Martin McCormack has really flown over this morning’s
2 stages – he was 13s quicker over Randles on Molls and then
28s up on the Ballaghbeama stage. For a young man only rallying
for just over a year Martin is going very well, but with a big brother
like Greg it is only to be expected!! Greg won the Modifieds here
a few years ago. Tom Randles feels that perhaps he has picked the
wrong tyres for this morning but for sure he’s going to have
to fight very hard to stop the slide. Martin Freestone is also struggling
with the pace, his Escort rear suspension not full recovered from
the rigours of the Roger Albert Clark Rally 2 weeks ago.
UNOFFICIAL MODIFIEDS L/BOARD AFTER STAGE 6 BALLAGHBEAMA
1st (95) Dessie Keenan/Enda Sherry (Escort) 45.50
2nd (104) Pat Donegan/Andy Donoghue (Escort) 46.45
3rd (96) Phil Collins/Adrian Deasy (Escort) 47.22
4th Martin McGee: 5th Frank Kelly: 6th Fergus O’Meara: 7th
Brian Brogan: 8th Lloyd Hutchinson: 9th John Riordan:
Dessie Keenan set a screamer of a time over Ballaghbeama to increase
his lead on Pat Donegan, the latter still suffering gearbox problems
with his Escort. Phil Collins survived a big spin but still set
a good time. Phil was indulging in one of his famous late braking
escapades and spun at the end of a long straight.
More news later. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net |
