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RALLY NEWS NO.2
Gulladuff/Service/Saturday/11.30
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 1 Sixtowns
1st (1) Charlie Donnelly/Paddy Toner (Corolla WRC) 6.36.5
2nd (2) Glenn Allen/Damien Connolly (Corolla WRC) 6.38.9
3rd (7) Seamus Heron/Elaine Doherty (Focus WRC) 6.44.0
4th (3) Sean Devine/Damien Duffin (Corolla WRC) 6.45.6
5th (10) Neil McCance/Sean Ferris (Lancer N) 6.49.5
6th (14) Errol Clarke/Martin McGarrity (Lancer N) 6.50.6
7th (5) Raymond Johnston/Richard Bell (Impreza WRC) 6.53.1
8th (11) Johnny McKenna/Noreen McShea (Lancer N) 6.57.8
Changeable weather conditions greeted the drivers when the tackled the
fist stage, Sixtowns, with its variety of road surfaces past the Davagh
forest complex and up on to the high ground past Crocknagonnellagh Hill.
Although there was a heavy rain shower before the first cars arrived the
roads dried remarkably quickly in the high winds. This is making tyre
choice a nightmare for the crews although Glenn Allen said at stage finish.
“We noticed this happening on the recce and I think we got the tyre
choice about right”. Charlie Donnelly reported his Corolla
misfiring between gears, sounds like an electronic problem. Sean
Devine said he was being very cautious. Stephen Moore was a bit
off the pace, on a total of 7.02.1, Stephen saying it was his first time
in the Focus on wet tarmac. Richard Hogg spun his Skoda, said he
does not want to damage the car and his tine was 7.20.1.
Seamus Heron reported smoke inside his Focus, found it disconcerting but
still set a very good time. George Robinson seemed to have no real
problems but his time was 7.20.7.
Richard Cathcart is the first group N car on the road, the Fermanagh man
unhappy at stage finish saying that he picked too soft a compound tyre
and his Lancer was all over the place. Neil McCance had a good run and
was fastest of the gpN cars so far. Johnny McKenna reported that
he lost a mountain of time at a chicane, that when he pulled the hand
brake on he inadvertently knocked off the master switch and the engine
stalled. Through all that he still had a very good time. Eoin
McErlean reported no anti lag on his Lancer and his time suffered accordingly
7.,13.0.
Please note the above times are from the first cars only and the leaderboard
will need updated later on.
Looking further afield to the WRC Sardinia Rally news is coming in that
Gareth MacHale has retired or at least has dropped off the leaderboard
having put his Focus off the road on stage 8. Loeb still leads after
stage 8 by 29s from Gronholm with Hirvonen 3rd. Henning Solberg is 4th
in his Focus, Danny Sordo 5th and Petter Solberg 6th in his Subaru.
More news later. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON (with thanks to Michael Patterson)
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