RALLY NEWS NO.5 Lurgan Park/Saturday 4pm

UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 6
1st (2) Kevin Lynch/Francis Regan (Focus WRC) 11.50.2
2nd (1) Mark Higgins/Michael Gibson (Impreza WRC) 11.57.8
3rd (6) Charlie Donnelly/Andrew Mullen (Corolla WRC) 12.00.8
4th (3) Kenny McKinstry/Noel Orr (Impreza WRC) 12.02.0
5th (9) Richard Hogg/Mark Hanna (Octavia WRC) 12.25.6
6th (8) James Gillen/PJ Gillespie (Impreza) 12.27.2
7th (11) Garry Jennings/Darragh Mullan (Lancer N) 12.29.3
8th (4) Niall McShea/Steven McAloon (Impreza WRC 12.32.0
9th (12) Mike Curran/Brid Deary (Lancer N) 12.33.8
10th (15) John & Amanda McKeown (Escort Cos) 12.37.3

There were certainly dramas aplenty through stage 6 with Mark Higgins losing the lead after getting his Subaru very sideways onto the grass over at the gravel section, Mark lucky indeed that the Subaru didn’t clatter into the trees. As it was he dropped 12s and the lead to Kevin Lynch, while amazingly Charlie Donnelly set fastest time overall. Lynch commented at stage finish. “We changed the mapping on the Focus on to the gravel mapping and if we had done that earlier it would have made a big difference”. Mark Higgins said. “It was a big moment, at the long left hander, we got on to the grass and it was a close thing”. An extra twist to this situation is that the final stage, stage 8, is not now being run so there is just one stage left in the rally. The reason why the last stage is being abandoned is that the event has run pretty late this afternoon because of the conditions, and as well as that the organisers, the North Armagh Motorcycle & Car Club, have got a huge job on their hands clearing up the mess caused by the incessant rain.

Charlie Donnelly commented following his stage 6 run. “I knew it was possible in this car to set fastest times, its just that I made small mistakes earlier”. Charlie’s fastest time got him ahead of Kenny McKinstry, Kenny reporting that he also got well out of line and dropped a few seconds.

Further stories include both Derek McGeehan and Nigel Worswick reckoning that they blew their respective top 10 places because of spins on that 6th stage. While Richard Hogg and James Gillen continue to have a massive battle for 5th and 6th overall. Nigel Worswick commented when he brought his Escort Cosworth/WRC in after the stage. “We got one wheel on the grass, and she was spinning, it was where Snijers spun a few years ago”.

Garry Jennings has held on to his group N lead with Niall McShea now up into 2nd in the category ahead of Michael Curran. Garry said after the stage. “That was the first time I tried to keep it straight through the gravel section, no sliding, not so good to watch, but fast”.

More news after final stage: BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net

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