RALLY NEWS NO.5                                  Lurgan Park/Saturday/2.30
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 5
1st (1) Kevin Lynch/Francis Regan (Impreza WRC) 9.19.1
2nd (2) Mark Higgins/Michael Gibson (Lancer WRC) 9.26.0
3rd (3) Kenny & Susan McKinstry (Impreza WRC) 9.32.6
4th (5) Charlie Donnelly/Noel Downey (Corolla WRC) 9.33.7
5th (10) Darren Gass/Sam Cross (Impreza WRC) 9.36.7
6th (7) Glenn Allen/Brian McCracken (Corolla WRC) 9.44.8
7th (4) Peadar Hurson/Damien Connelly (Impreza WRC) 9.47.2
8th (8) James Gillen/PJ Gillespie (Impreza) 9.53.6
9th (11) Garry Jennings/Darragh Mullan (Lancer N) 9.59.5
10th (14) John McGlaughlin/John Rowan (Lancer N) 10.05.5
 11th (6) Denis Biggerstaff/Stuart Biggerstaff (Impreza WRC) 10.06.2

On that 5th stage Kevin Lynch said when he brought his Subaru into the stop control “It was OK but I’m trying not to make any mistakes, it would be easy to throw the rally away”.  When Mark Higgins brought his Lancer WRC into the control Mark and his co driver Michael Gibson looked optimistic, hopeful that they had followed up their 4th stage fastest time with another good one.  However it was not to be, Kevin Lynch was a full 3.2 seconds faster and in Lurgan Park terms that is a lifetime for one stage. Mark could hardly take it in but that is what the clock said. Mark did admit to taking a gamble on tyres but he didn’t expect this blow. Kenny McKinstry on the other hand had a real good clean run to move from 5th to 3rd. 

Darren Gass had been 3rd but an overshoot at a square left cost many valuable seconds. Peadar Hurson fitted new tyres to his Subaru for that stage and his time was a lot more respectable.  Charlie Donnelly also had a good run an said everything was good. Denis Biggerstaff had a massive spin in his Subaru and nearly went backwards into a wall, just missing some trees.  There was no damage to Denis’ car but he dropped perhaps 14s with the escapade. James Gillen is hanging in well to his top 10 place and he reckoned the roads were not just as slippy that time.

In Group N Garry Jennings once again was fastest. John McGlaughlin lost some time when he did some ploughing at a hairpin left. Trevor Harding put his Subaru off the road backwards into the trees, he reckoned that he must be in the running for entertainer of the rally award!  Sean Haveron reported a very slight hesitation in his Escort Cosworth, it happens at about 3000 revs and he particularly suffers on the square and hairpin corners. Will Corry really enjoyed that last stage and he is now starting to get into the way of the McKinstry WRC. Corry is 19th o/a while Sean Haveron has moved into the lead of class 3 ahead of Brian Dowey with John McKeown 3rd.

Rodney White made a small mistake coming through the last chicane but his Sunbeam was unscathed and he continues to set a great pace. However he has now dropped to 3rd in class 2.  Wesley Patterson is back into the lead ahead of Phil Collins. Camillus Bradley is 4th and Kris Meeke 5th. Meeke has a few niggly problems with his Escort including sticking brakes but he is battling on regardless.

More news later: BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net

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