RALLY NEWS NO.4                   End of stage3/Saturday 2pm
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 4 ROSSBEG
1st (1) Patrick Elliott/Paul Goodman (Impreza WRC) 29.00
2nd (5) Seamus Leonard/John McCafferty (Impreza WRC) 29.12
3rd (4) Kevin Barrett/Sean Mullally (Impreza WRC) 29.26
4th (6) PJ McDermott/Paddy Robinson (Impreza WRC) 29.30
5th (14) Stuart Darcy/Enda Sherry (Impreza) 29.41
6th (18) Danny & Rory McBride (Lancer N) 29.49
 
THE ABOVE LEADERBOARD IS COMPLETELY UNOFFICIAL.  The times have been calculated using an inverse system as the first 7 cars were stopped at the scene of Kevin Lynch’s accident. 
 
When the cars left service after stage 2 it was a short road section up to the start of stage 4 (Rossbeg).  Stage 3 was scheduled to be Glen O’Glenties but it wasn’t run because of a funeral although it should now run as stage 6 and 9.  Anyway, Kevin Lynch was leading the rally by 44s from Patrick Elliott and Kevin had some adjustments made to his Subaru new suspension and was going to try it out on that Rossbeg stage. Unfortunately just over halfway through the 16km stage Kevin’s Subaru must have got out of phase on the jumps and there was a fairly big accident.  The following drivers all stopped to make sure that Kevin and co driver Francis Regan were OK, which they were. The other drivers were also worried about the Subaru going on fire. Happily that did not happen. 
 
All this drama meant that the first driver with a competitive time was Stuart Darcy followed by Joe McHugh. Stuart reported a really good run as did Joe McHugh.  Manus Kelly had an engine problem and it looks as if his 6th o/a position may have gone. Danny McBride continues to lead group N and he’s really pushing on in his Lancer. Sean Flanagan was either running very late at stage finish or may have stopped.  Brian Brogan has been getting used to a new engine in his car and he has started to speed up.  Frank Wray has been going well despite his Lancer losing its brakes earlier on. Damien Gallagher led class 13 at service and he’s playing a percentage game over these jumpy stages that is paying off. Alistair Cochrane is 2nd to Damien in cl.13 and Victor Hunter 3rd. Young Conor Harvey, with Patrick McDaid on the notes, is out to enjoy himself today in his Civic and he’s leading class 3.  Shaun Gallagher is best front wheel drive in his Citroen and Gary McPhillips best rwd in his Escort.
 
Looking back to times from stage 2 and Portnoo man Casimer Magill in his Escort was coming into the top 10 and going well. Daniel Conaghan was leading class 12 in his Escort and Mark Sheahan was leading class 6 in his Clio which should make the Border Championship pretty interesting.  The special Border Championship prize today from McAree Engineering will be for the best class 2 time in stage 4. 
 
News from WRC Rally France (Corsica) is that Sebastien Loeb (surprise surprise!) leads by 45s from Hirvonnen with Duval 3rd and Latvala 4th despite a gearbox oil leak and Solberg 5th. 
More news later: BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net

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