RALLY NEWS NO.3 Service/Sunday 1pm

UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 3 Brogan
1st (1) Ray Breen/Andrew Purcell (Focus WRC) 24.10
(3) Patrick Elliott/Rory Kennedy (Impreza WRC) 24.10
3rd (2) Charlie Donnelly/Paddy Toner (Corolla WRC) 24.12
4th (4) Adrian McElvaney/Paul Goodman (Impreza WRC) 24.15
5th (5) Niall Maguire/Paul McLaughlin (Impreza WRC) 24.24
6th (6) Glenn Allen/Damien Connolly (Corolla WRC) 24.35
7th (8) Michael Barrable/M Morrissey (Focus WRC) 24.47
8th (10) Aaron MacHale/Craig Parry (Corolla WRC) 25.05
9th (7) Kevin Barrett/Barry Goodman (Impreza WRC) 25.06
10th (9) Sean Devine/Damien Duffin (Impreza WRC) 25.09

Its hot and heavy stuff at the front of this Monaghan Rally with Patrick Elliott leading after the first stage, his Subaru overshooting a junction in stage 2, which allowed Charlie Donnelly into the lead after that 2nd stage. Charlie however wasn’t fantastically quick in stage 3 where his tyres went off the boil in the warm sunshine. In stage 3 Elliott set a fastest time to move into the joint lead with Ray Breen. As can be seen above, Charlie Donnelly is only a couple of seconds behind in 3rd place, and interestingly Adrian McElvaney was fastest through stage 2, by 1s from Charlie Donnelly, who was 4s faster than Breen.

Breen commented here at service in control. “We’re going OK but it is very slippy in places, there is a fine line, and no tell tale signs on the road, very hard to commit. The car is 100 per cent but we were trying a little experiment with the anti lag, being able to change it with a button on the steering wheel. But there was a 3s delay it was a bit confusing and we scrapped the idea”. Charlie Donnelly said he went OK but reckons he needed to pick a harder compound tyre. Patrick Elliott’s co driver Rory Kennedy said their overshoot at a junction in stage 2 was an absolutely huge affair. Perhaps fortunate to lose so little time.

Adrian McElvaney commented. “We seem to be lacking in top speed in the fast sections although having said that there are places I could go harder, but other spots maybe I’d be better not going any harder, we’ve had a few near ones!” Niall Maguire has been setting a great pace but the 5 times winner of this rally lost a few seconds in stage 2 when a rear tyre deflated, Niall not sure if he clipped a stone or anything, but down it went anyway. Glenn Allen was setting a cracking pace through the first couple of stages but his Corolla WRC seemed to slow in stage 3. Glenn saying that whenever he changed up a gear with the paddle shift the engine seems to go flat, which sounds suspiciously like further ECU trouble or electronic troubles. Michael Barrable has come up to 7th place, Michael saying. “I’m comfortable with the pace at the moment, we’ve tried a few tweaks, there’s a lot left in the car particularly over the real fast stuff”.

Kevin Barrett said. “We’re bedding in”. While Sean Devine, also in an Impreza WRC, reported “We’re getting there slowly but surely”. Aaron MacHale said his Corolla seems to be bottoming out over the jumps. Martin Doherty is having a good run so far, is really enjoying the sunshine, his Impreza WRC on a total of 25.10. Hugh M Doherty still have that vibration in 5th and 6th gear in his Impreza WRC and also the dashboard readout seems to have gone haywire and he is really struggling.

In Group N Alan Ring is edging ahead although he said he missed a few gears in his Impreza N12 through the first stage. Alan’s total is 25.31. Willie Fannin 25.35. PJ McGrath is on 25.55. Ian Barrett on 25.58 having set a 2nd fastest GpN time through stage 3. Tadgh Linehan is a long way from his Cork base and he’s going OK, on a total of 26.17. Kevin Kelleher has had poor reward for driving all the way from Clonakilty, co-driver Martin leaving at 3.30 yesterday morning to pick Kevin up in Dublin to arrive into the Hillgrove at 8am for the recce. Anyway, the pair have dropped 2 minutes on the 2nd stage because of a puncture. Kevin said there was a rock in the road right in front of him and he couldn’t avoid it. He reckons also the clutch is giving a little bit of trouble.

In the Modified section of the rally Maurice Moffett seems to be setting the pace now in his Starlet on a total of 25.37. Trevor Lancashire is on 26.05 and Enda Keenan on 26.09. Mark Alcorn was fastest modified on the opening stage but has retired his Corolla TC with a rattling crank shaft/main bearings. Mac McKenna didn’t reach the first stage in his Peugeot 205 rwd before his engine cried enough. Enda Keenan is driving a brand new and lovely black Mk2 Escort, and he has blooded the new car, knocking the tail light out against the Monaghan scenery in a big drift! Circuit of Ireland modified winner Camillus Bradley looks like he is going to have to pull out, his Escort suffering a misfire. Gordon Rogers was missing here at service. David McNulty’s Escort Cosworth clutch is slipping. He switched off the anti lag and reckons if he nurses the car he could just about get it to the finish if everything else is OK. More news later. BRIAN 7 LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net

 

             

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