RALLY NEWS NO.11 Armagh/Service/Saturday 4.45

UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 13 Black Hill
1st (1) Eugene Donnelly/Paul Kiely (Corolla WRC) 1.50.11.9
2nd (3) Eamonn Boland/Francis Regan (Focus WRC) 1.51.08.0
3rd (25) Garry Jennings/Enda Sherry (Impreza WRC) 1.52.21.6
4th (13) Gareth Jones/David Moynihan (Impreza WRC) 1.53.12.9
5TH (20) Gwyndaf Evans/Huw Lewis (Lancer N) 1.53.40.4
6TH (14) Mark Higgins/Rory Kennedy (Impreza N) 1.54.29.9
7TH (15) Rory Galligan/Greg Shinnors (Lancer N) 1.55.22.6
8TH (22) Stuart Jones/Craig Parry (Lancer N) 1.55.47.7
9TH (26) Colm Murphy/Ger Loughrey (Impreza N) 1.56.08.0
10TH (33) Julian Reynolds/Gordon Noble (Impreza N) 1.56.12.1
11th (23) Jonny Milner/Nick Beech (Lancer N) 1.56.13.2
12th (17) Kris Meeke/Glenn Patterson (Citroen C2) 1.58.14.2

Even with just a couple of stages remaining the upsets continue on this Ulster Rally with Peadar Hurson losing his 2nd place when his Subaru slid up a bank in stage 13, Black Hill. Apparently the stage was very tricky, very narrow and Peadar paid the price of being too exuberant and the car, although relatively undamaged, is stuck. Another major incident was Mark Higgins getting a puncture on his Subaru and losing the Group N lead to Gwyndaf Evans.

Eugene Donnelly was fastest on stage 13 and commented. “The car felt good although the roads ere drying we were on an intermediate tyre, but it was OK”. Eamonn Boland reported no problems. While Garry Jennings was knocked out of his stride slightly when he saw Peadar off the road and also feels his Impreza was getting a bit sideways at times. Gareth Jones smashed a rim on his Subaru against a rock but somehow or another the tyre stayed up although there was a serious vibration and he dropped perhaps 20s.

Kris Meeke reported that it was tricky, with dry, wet, dry patches and very narrow in places. Rory Galligan’s misery continues with yet another puncture and Rory maintains he didn’t hit anything but the edges of the road were broken and there was also rubbish on the road. Mark Higgins also said he didn’t hit anything when he got his puncture, that he was staying in the middle of the road, but he had a long way to go on the flat tyre and lost well over a minute. Gwyndaf Evans had a couple of overshoots and lost a few seconds while Stuart Jones set the fastest group N time. Colm Murphy lost a few seconds when he caught Mark Higgins. Julian Reynolds clipped a bank.

In the National Rally Tony Davies has won despite his Subaru losing 5th gear for many stages, the Milton Keynes man saying “It wasn’t ideal, 5th gear is really useful, and we couldn’t really get into 6th because I had to double shift. But we did all the hard work last night and early this morning.” Camillus Bradley came in a brilliant 2nd in his Mk2 Escort and David Kynaston was 3rd despite gearbox troubles with his Audi. David Armstrong was 4th and actually feels that he had 10s wrong on a stage time and he is going to query it. Trevor Lancashire really enjoyed the rally, thought it was brilliant, had a good run to 5th. Paddy McVeigh was 6th and won his class. Bob Dennis won group N in his Subaru, that was despite an overshoot into a field. John Bogie overcame severe misting up problems and a puncture to finish 7th.

More news after the final International stage. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net (with thanks to Michael Patterson & Zoe Todd & Ciara Conlan)

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