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RALLY NEWS NO.3 Tubbercurry/Service/Sunday/Noon
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 2 Achonery
1st (1) Aaron MacHale/Killian Duffy (Focus WRC) 14.41
2nd (8) Niall Maguire/Paul McLaughlin (Impreza WRC) 14.49
3rd (6) Sean Devine/Damien Connolly (Impreza WRC) 14.51
4th (5) Charlie Donnelly/Herbie Blackburn (Corolla WRC) 15.01
5th (172) PJ McDermott/Sean Harris (Impreza WRC) 15.34
6th (20) Ian Barrett/Eoin O'Flaherty (Impreza N) 15.37
7th (14) Michael Curran/Fabian McShane (Lancer N) 15.40
8th (165) Owen Murphy/Liam Brennan (Lancer N) 15.52
9th (10) David James/Jim Crowe (Focus WRC) 15.56
(24) Gary McPhillips/Mark Tierney (Escort) 15.56
(37) Danny McBride/Brendan McElhinney (Lancer N) 15.56
Sean Devine was the early leader of this Sligo Stages Rally but he blotted
his copy book on stage 2 with a spin, fortunately with no damage and this
allowed Aaron MacHale to surge to the front. Aaron commented here at service
in Tubbercurry: “I ran th4e anti lag on the Focus a bit too high
and it kept nosing on in the tight stuff and although stage 2 was a bit
damp I still think I chose too soft a tyre”. Niall Maguire was 2nd
fastest in the stage, the former Dunlop Champion saying that he found
the roads very slippy, a sentiment echoed by most of the other drivers.
Charlie Donnelly seemed to be at sixes and sevens and was a tad late coming
into service but reported no major problem. PJ McDermott had a spin in
stage 2 and he was another who reckoned he was on the wrong tyres. David
James had a big spin after the start of stage 2, dropped quite a few seconds.
Sean Gallagher was 5th after the first stage, but went off the road on
stage 2, on a 6 right over gravel. Although it wasn’t a bad accident
his Subaru was stuck for quite a long time and he has subsequently retired
from the rally. This particularly affects his co driver Enda Sherry who
was the leading points scoring co-driver in the Dunlop series starting
the rally.
In Group N Ian Barrett was fastest through stage 2, Michael Curran was
still settling down after his huge first stage moment. Michael’s
co driver Fabian McShane joked. “I nearly needed my nappy changed
after that first stage!” Ian Barrett won a bet of a pint with his
co driver Eoin that they would be fastest group N on the opening stages.
Ian also said that his Impreza was going brilliantly, that the engineers
discovered there had been some problem with the centre differential. Kevin
Kelleher had an overshoot at a jump into square right in stage 2 and lost
4 or 5 seconds, his total now 16.01. Owen Murphy is running with 165 on
his Lancer and he felt very nervous starting the rally, a semi spin on
the first junction not helping his cause, but he has settled down well
now and as can be seen above is 3rd GpN. Frank Wray feels he can’t
keep his Lancer straight and following his misfire on the first stage
he is now a minute off the pace on 17.03.
Stephen Simpson, one of the top visitors to the rally and competing in
the MSA Asphalt series, is on a total of 16.29, having slid his Hyundai
into a field in stage 2. John price is going pretty well, despite having
fitted wet weather tyres to his Metro, he is on a total of 16.18.
Further stories include: Gary McPhillips and Rodney Wilton set equal fastest
time in stage 2 in the race for Escort honours, both drivers remarking
on how slippy it was. Joe and Dermot McHugh in the Escort Cosworth got
held up badly in stage 2 when they stopped to make sure Anthony O’Halloran
was OK. Anthony’s Manta was on fire although Wesley Patterson who
had squeezed past the stricken Opel reckoned that it had not been in an
accident, that it may have been something mechanical. Brian O’Mahony
had a few 6th gear moments in his Clio in stage 2, but still going well.
Paul Elliott’s Lancer was reportedly on its roof in stage 2. Paul
Kiely had a very good run and he’s just a few seconds outside the
top GpN times in his Sligo Autosport Centre Lancer.
More news later. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net |
