UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 4 The Meale

1^st (2) Charlie Donnelly/Paddy Toner (Corolla WRC) 32.04

2^nd (3) Patrick Elliott/Rory Kennedy (Impreza WRC) 32.07

3^rd (6) Glenn Allen/Damien Connolly (Corolla WRC) 32.46

4^th (10) Michael Curran/Fabian McShane (Lancer N) 33.07

5^th (4) Niall Maguire/Paul McLaughlin (Impreza WRC) 33.08

6^th (18) Kevin Kelleher/Martin Kelleher (Lancer N) 33.25

7^th (17) Martin Doherty/Andrew Cullen (Impreza WRC) 33.31

8^th (9) Noel McCarrick/Paddy Robinson (Impreza WRC) 33.45

9^th (15) Aaron MacHale/Ger McMonagle (Corolla WRC) 33.52

      (19) Alan Ring/Adrian Deasy (Impreza N) 33.52

There has been a major upset on this Mayo Stages Rally with 2 of the top drivers crashing out on the Lough Mask stage. Ray Breen was leading when he crashed his Focus WRC after the village and Sean Devine had been 6^th but lost time in stage 2 with a broken drive shaft and then crashed his Impreza heavily into a wall just before the village in the Lough Mask stage.  This left Charlie Donnelly with a very slender lead over Patrick Elliott while Glenn Allen held 3^rd place.  Glenn Allen commented. “It’s a while since I’ve done one of these national rallies and I’m amazed at the way the pace has stepped up”.  Although Charlie Donnelly was leading here at first service he didn’t look terribly happy as he recounted some problems. Hi Corolla’s dip stick came loose and the car started to pump out oil causing lots of smoke billowing from under the bonnet and Charlie was forced to slow down. 

Further news on Breen’s accident is that it was at a 5 left into 4 right with water on the road, the car aquaplaned and slid into a field breaking 3 wheels.  Otherwise no real damage and the car should drive back once the wheels are replaced.  Part of the problem for Breen was that the field was 2 feet below the level of the road.

Patrick Elliott in 2^nd place reckons there is a lot to come from his new car, he’s not pushing it too hard.  Niall Maguire was hampered with intercom troubles earlier and then had a big spin in stage 3, lost quite a bit of time.  Noel Redmond has pulled out, his Impreza P2000 suffering a broken turbo.  Jack Sleator is running quite late in his Skoda WRC following some fuel pump problems. Aaron MacHale had a spin at the hairpins in stage 3 otherwise going well.  Had a good time in stage 4. 

Michael Curran continues to lead group N despite a slight misfire in his Lancer. Michael also had a puncture at the end of stage 3 and a little bit of clutch slip. Alan Ring found the going pretty slippy but setting good times.  Kevin Kelleher had a fastest group N time through stages 3 and 4 despite his Lancer still having some small turbo problem and Kevin holds 2^nd in Group N. Alan Ring is 3^rd gpN.   Michael McColgan spun his red Lancer at the water barriers up on the top of Partry Mountain stage. Graham Quinn had 2 overshoots in his gpN Lancer. Thomas Muldoon has made it here to service but may retire his Lancer because of differential problems. While Paul Kiely is also having a differential problem with his Group N Lancer.

After 2 stages Gordon Rogers continued to lead the 2 wheel drive category in his Escort with Maurice Moffett 2^nd in his Starlet. Dominic McLoughlin is fairly well on the pace in his rear wheel drive Peugeot and Mark Alcorn in the Corolla is setting some quick times. Unfortunately Liam Wall has crashed his Escort out of the rally. Liam is pretty badly shaken but unhurt while his co driver Bob Kelly has fractures of the lower limbs and is stable in hospital. More news later. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net

Our thanks to Derek Brannigan for the help ..and the coffee! Thanks also to Joan Gallagher.