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RALLY NEWS NO.6 Maghera/Finish/Saturday 6pm
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 6 – FINAL STAGE
1st (1) Charlie Donnelly/Paddy Toner (Corolla WRC) 35.04.0
2nd (2) Glenn Allen/Damien Connolly (Corolla WRC) 35.09.1
3rd (7) Seamus Heron/Elaine Doherty (Focus WRC) 36.16.0
4th (10) Neil McCance/Sean Ferris (Lancer N) 36.25.5
5th (31) Cathal Rogers/John McCafferty (Lancer N) 37.06.9
6th (15) John McGlaughlin/Stephen McAuley (Lancer N) 37.28.0
Charlie Donnelly/Paddy Toner have scored a back to back win on this KBB
Doors Tour of the Sperrins Rally with a little good fortune. Charlie’s
Corolla clutch slipped like mad through the last stage and Glenn Allen
closed in from 18s back to just 5s. As it was Glenn Allen had to be content
with 2nd and in another upset Sean Devine crashed his Subaru out on the
final stage to let Seamus Heron/Elaine Doherty through to a podium place
in their Focus WRC. Stephen Moore/Tony McHugh as well as Raymond Johnston/Richard
Bell were held up behind the Devine accident. They lost several minutes
and many places on the leaderboard which is going to affect their championship
positions unless the organisers, the Magherafelt Motor Club, find some
way of equalising their times.
Neil McCance/Sean Ferris scored a great group N win, 4th overall as well
in their Lancer a fair indication of their speed today. Cathal Rogers
came through from a lowly seeding and with John McCafferty on the pace
notes took 5th o/a and 2nd in group N. John McGlaughlin/Stephen McAuley
were 3rd in the GpN category in their Lancer.
Frank Kelly would appear to have won the 2 wheel drive battle in his Mk2
Escort and indeed Frank could be as high as 7th o/a, just ahead of Aidan
Toner also in an Escort. Provisionally Enda McNulty had come into 9th
but it now transpires that he has recieved a 1 minute jump start penalty
allowing Stephen Moore into 9th unless he gets his final stage time amended.
Charlie Donnelly commented at the finish ramp here outside Walsh’s
Hotel. “A brilliant event, very enjoyable, absolutely class”.
Charlie’s co driver Paddy Toner laughed and said. “Everything
was perfect, even Charlie went well!” The last minute clutch problem
was a real sweat for Charlie but he nursed the Corolla through with all
his typical skill and driver sympathy. Second placed Glenn Allen said.
“A good rally, at the end of the day Charlie had it, at least it
leaves us with a good points score”. (Charlie Donnelly was not registered
for the championship which gives Glenn a maximum).
Seamus Heron laughed when he got his Focus WRC to the finish and said
“Its not often we get here to the finish ramp let alone in 3rd place!”
He went on to say about Sean Devine’s accident. “That’s
a very big jump, its flat out into a narrow place and the first time over
it we landed so hard the visors came down and I thought I had broken the
head lights!”
Neil McCance commented. “We had a great day, no major dramas, a
couple of slides on the shiny stuff but the car went well and the stages
were very good”.
Just a few further stories include – Johnny McKenna/Noreen McShea
reportedly unhurt following their accident on stage 5. Richard Cathcart’s
retirement was down to a blown gearbox on his Subaru. Dominic McNaughton
looks like he may come into 11th place and Adrian Hetherington into 12th.
Finally for now very well done at Magherafelt MC for a great day’s
rallying. The amount of effort and expertise that has gone into this rally
would put many a more major event in the shade. Thanks as well to all
who helped and supported our Rally News service.
BRIAN & LIZ & MICHAEL PATTERSON www.rallynews.net |
