UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 4 Warhouse Hill 2
1st
(2) Patrick Elliott/Rory Kennedy (Impreza WRC) 27.54
2nd
(1) Charlie Donnelly/Paddy Toner (Corolla WRC) 28.08
3rd
(6) Noel Redmond/Alan Keena (Impreza WRC) 28.45
4th
(5) Michael Barrable/M Morrissey (Focus WRC) 28.54
5th
(8) Alan Ring/Adrian Deasy (Impreza N) 29.48
6th
(9) Willie Fannin/Mick Courtney (Impreza N) 29.53
7th
(7) David James/Sean Mullally (Focus WRC) 29.56
8th
(10) Gabriel Martin/Paddy Robinson (Lancer N) 30.08
9th
(12) Ian Barrett/Eoin O'Flaherty (Lancer N) 30.09
10th
(15) PJ McGrath/Killian Duffy (Lancer N) 30.25
Patrick
Elliott was fastest through stage 4 by 3s over Charlie Donnelly the
latter fastest on stage 3 by 4s. It’s a close battle at the top,
with Elliott holding the upper hand at the moment. Aaron MacHale
saw his chance of his first National win disappear when his Focus
WRC suffered a puncture after the chicane in stage 4. Aaron dropped
close to 2 minutes, his total now 30.38.
Donnelly
commented here at service In control “Its going a good bit better
now, stage 3 was good, but I just didn’t gel on stage 4”. Patrick
Elliott said “We had a couple of moments in stage 4 and we caught
Aaron MacHale although he didn’t hold us up. Overall its going
well”.
Noel
Redmond has moved up to 3rd place and he also caught and
passed Aaron in the stage but again said he lost no time, and went
on to tell us that his Subaru was a whole lot better after first
service. The mechanics had lowered the car a little, hardened the
rebound and also he had picked a slightly harder compound tyre which
all made the car easier to drive. Michael Barrable felt that he also
was going better, that his pace had come up.
Alan Ring
is now up to 5th overall as well as leading group N. Alan
reporting no big problems, he was 3s faster than Willie Fannin
through stage 3 but then Fannin was 3s faster than Ring through
stage 4, so there’s no change there. Gabriel Martin was very quick
through both the stages so he’s moved up to 3rd in group
N ahead of Ian Barrett. Ian felt he didn’t really enjoy stage 4 and
his time suffering slightly accordingly. Tadgh Linehan lost a bit of
ground over those 2 stages. The petrol gauge on his GpN Impreza
isn’t working and he feels he possibly has far too much fuel in the
car and the weight of that is making the Subaru swing the tail.
Trevor
Harding arrived into service with his Subaru draped like a wedding
car with red tape, clear evidence of another excursion for Trevor
through a junction and his co driver Gary Nolan joked “He’s going
for the entertainer of the rally award!” Maurice Moffett continues
to be the man to beat in the 2 wheel drive category, his total
30.34. While Willie Whitty is on 31.10. Mick McQuaid 41.48. Gwyn
Thomas in the Puma 31.10. Ted O’Shaughnessy in the blue twin cam
Corolla is running at No.46 and he’s going hard, almost equal with
Maurice Moffett on times. Peter Kelly in the yellow Escort picked
the wrong tyres for that loop, still going OK.
Eddie
Garry, co driven by Sean Duggan, has retired his older model group N
Impreza with a broken clutch. Eddie is still waiting for his new
Impreza WRC. Niall Maguire’s retirement on the first stage was down
to an electrical problem. Niall eventually got his Subaru going but
he had lost so much time he headed back to Clonmel. Trevor & Kenny
Bustard in the Impreza at No.31 have had some brake problems, their
total now 31.48. Paul Elliott has got his Lancer sorted out and he’s
gone well over the last few stages. More news later. BRIAN & LIZ
PATTERSON www.rallynews.net
