RALLY NEWS NO.8 Armagh/Regroup/Saturday 11.15am

UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 8 BLACK HILL
1st (1) Eugene Donnelly/Paul Kiely (Corolla WRC) 1.07.08.1
2nd (4) Peadar Hurson/Damien Connolly (Impreza WRC) 1.07.33.9
3rd (3) Eamonn Boland/Francis Regan (Focus WRC) 1.07.41.2
4th (25) Garry Jennings/Enda Sherry (Impreza WRC) 1.08.17.7
5th (13) Gareth Jones/David Moynihan (Impreza WRC) 1.08.43.3
6th (20) Gwyndaf Evans/Huw Lewis (Lancer N) 1.08.50.8
7th (17) Kris Meeke/Glenn Patterson (Citroen C2) 1.09.03.8
8th (14) Mark Higgins/Rory Kennedy (Impreza N) 1.09.04.5
9th (15) Rory Galligan/Greg Shinnors (Lancer N) 1.09.52.7
10th (33) Julian Reynolds/Gordon Noble (Impreza N) 1.10.38.7
11th (22) Stuart Jones/Craig Parry (Lancer N) 1.10.39.9
12th (26) Colm Murphy/Ger Loughrey (Impreza N) 1.10.46.1

Eugene Donnelly was fastest through the Black Hill stage to re-exert his authority on this Ulster Rally while Kris Meeke dropped back following a small accident. Conditions were still very wet and the roads were flooded when Donnelly came through, the Pirelli Tarmac Champion admitting to a bit of a spin at a junction right into a muddy narrow road. Eugene said “It was very dangerous, as bad as it gets”. Peadar Hurson also had a spin, but at least Peadar reckons that his Subaru is OK following the earlier accident. He described the conditions as “treacherous”. Garry Jennings misjudged his tyre choice, was too ambitious, and had to be very cautious. Eamonn Boland was 3rd fastest through the stage and reported no problems.

Kris Meeke described his accident thus “It was half a km into the stage, it was shiny tar, we braked early but the car just sat up on the water and aquaplaned into a hedge. The spectators were great at getting us out.” Kris lost just over a minute.

Gwyndaf Evans continues to lead group N and was fastest again, although by just 0.2 of a second from Mark Higgins. Gwyndaf said “That was better”. Mark Higgins felt that he had a front right puncture, then worked out that he hadn’t but there must be something bent in the steering of his Impreza as it doesn’t want to turn into left handers. Rory Galligan said he is still messing up, arriving into square corners too quick. Colm Murphy feels he just can’t commit in these conditions. Julian Reynolds had an overshoot through the tape at a junction, neither Julian nor his co driver Gordon Noble at all happy at some of the places the spectators are standing. Roy White is still struggling with the broken centre diff pump, couldn’t fix it at service, he is having to drive around the problems and set a very respectable time in stage 8. Stuart Jones turned in a good time for stage 8 and he’s up to 11th o/a.

Darren Gass and Neil McCance, Fiesta S1600 and Lancer respectively are listed as retirements on stages 6 and 7. Phillip Morrow got his Lancer out of the field eventually and made it here to Armagh but was over maximum lateness. “Bad manners and a big rope got it out”….

In the National Rally Tony Davies led after stage 7 in his Subaru with Camillus Bradley 2nd, David Kynaston 3rd, David Armstrong 4th and Paddy McVeigh 5th in his Subaru, John Bogie 6th in his Metro 6R4. Raymond Conlon is 7th in his black Twin Cam and Trevor Lancashire 8th in his Escort. Tony Davies had some gear change problems coming into service but should be OK. Steve Hendy had been 2nd but retired with wiper and windscreen misting problems then 2 punctures. John Bogie is having massive windscreen misting problems in his 6R4. Camillus Bradley lost some time when he stopped last night to make sure Mark Jasper was OK, his 6r4 was on its roof after leading. Camillus also had problems this morning when he went off backwards at a hairpin left square right. Paddy Conlon wanted to know “if any man would give him a couple of tyres for his Corolla?”. David Armstrong hasn’t been out for 16 months and he is stepping up the pace now with Sean Mullally having stepped at the last minute to co drive. Wesley Patterson has retired with a broken gearbox. Adrian Kermode/Maurice Beckett have a slender lead over Ray Cunningham in the Historics, Kermode’s Porsche suffering a small electrical problem. John Keatley had been ahead but his Porsche has stopped.

More news later. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON (with thanks to Michael Patterson/Zoe Todd and Ciara Conlan). www.rallynews.net
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