RALLY NEWS NO.4                    End of SS5/Saturday 09.30

UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 5 Windy Gap
1st (4) Eamonn Boland/Damien Morrissey (Impreza WRC) 1.03.04.7
2nd (3) Tim McNulty/Eugene O'Donnell (Impreza WRC) 1.03.57.2
3rd (6) Derek McGarrity/Diarmuid Falvey (Impreza WRC) 1.03.57.7
4th (1) Gareth MacHale/Craig Parry (Focus WRC) 1.04.08.0
5th (5) Aaron MacHale/Killian Duffy (Focus WRC) 1.05.47.6
6th (14) Roy White/Stephen McAuley (MG S2000) 1.07.47.2
7th (12) John McGlaughlin/Crawford Henderson (Lancer N) 1.09.10.2
8th (16) Brendan Cumiskey/Conor Foley (Lancer N) 1.10.49.9
9th (17) Mike Bird/Kevin Keane (Impreza N) 1.11.54.9
10th (40) David Wright/Suzanne Wright (Lancer N) 1.14.06.4
11th (24) Tommy Doyle/Tony McDaid (Clio) 1.14.53.8
12th (22) Tom Curley/Paul Horan (Lancer N) 1.15.50.8

Day 2 of this Circuit of Ireland began for the top drivers with a blast over the Windy Gap stage down beyond Black Mountain on the Carlingford peninsula. Gareth MacHale was fastest by just a fraction of a second from Tim McNulty, but really there was only the blink of an eye between the top 5 drivers who are fighting for the lead. 

Roy White continues to lead group N but his MG S2000 has the suspicion of a mechanical worry.  Kevin Kelleher was on a fight back in group N following his puncture yesterday but the Clonakilty man has been knocked back this morning with a road penalty. 

Overall rally leader Eamonn Boland reported no problems at the end of that 6.1 mile opening stage, bright sunshine and dry roads making the drivers’ job easier.  Derek McGarrity felt that he picked slightly too soft a compound tyre, but the rubber should work well on the next stage, Cornoonagh Hill.  Tim McNulty was another to say “no problem”. While Gareth MacHale said he really enjoyed the stage, that the big jumps were just like Finland.

More on that Roy White story:  The MG starter motor has failed so he can’t switch the engine off and the on board computer is telling him that the engine is overheating.  To add to Roy and co driver Stephen McAuley’s woes their in car intercom started to break down following heavy landings on the big jumps.

Further stories from that opening Saturday stage is that Mike Bird went well. David Wright stalled his Lancer.  Tommy Doyle, who is really flying in his little Clio, ran out of top speed, when the car gets to 105 the rev limiter cuts in.  Denis Biggerstaff Is just happy to have all the gears working in his Subaru. Looking further down the list – Alan Cathcart was 15th overnight and leading Cl.N3. Martin O’Donnell was 16th and leading Cl.N2. Toni Kelly was 18th and 2nd in class to Tommy Doyle. We are getting news of further retirements: Niall Donoghue has reportedly slid his car off in the stage and John Keon has stopped which makes the total still running 19!.  At least the NI Championship part of the rally will be starting at Castlewellan shortly so that will boost the whole thing up a bit.

More news later: BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON (with thanks to Michael Patterson) www.rallynews.net
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