RALLY NEWS NO.5 Service/Sunday 3.30

UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 6 Ninemilehouse
1st (2) Patrick Elliott/Paul Goodman (Impreza WRC) 42.37.6
2nd (4) Ray Breen/Martin Brady (Focus WRC) 42.38.4
3rd (1) Niall Maguire/Paul McLaughlin (Impreza WRC) 43.27.9
4th (9) PJ McGrath/Billy Collins (Impreza WRC) 43.43.6
5th (7) Kevin Barrett/Sean Mullally (Impreza WRC) 44.06.5
6th (11) Andrew Purcell/Mark Wiley (Lancer N) 44.23.9
7th (16) James M Stafford/Frank Dwyer (Darrian) 44.31.2
8th (28) Trevor Mulligan/Lisa Roe (Escort) 44.50.1
9th (20) Neil Williams/Eurig Davies (Escort) 45.10.0
10th (18) Shay Power/Martin Croke (Escort) 45.31.3

Less than 1 second separates the first 2 cars going into the final loop of 2 stages which should make for some exciting driving. PJ McGrath dropped a place on that loop having run his Subaru wide on a corner and into a ditch. Having said that it is tight at the top, Patrick Elliott’s attitude very much is that “We’re not about to settle for 2nd, but we’re also not sticking our necks out to win. It’s all about points in the Dunlop for us and keeping ahead of Niall Maguire”. Ray Breen commented. “It’s going a lot better now, but there’s a bit left, there’s a lot of rallying in that Slievenamon stage”. Niall Maguire said. “We had a good run through stage 5, not so good in stage 6 where we lost it on a square left”. Niall went on to say that he felt really low and down after the punctures, but all things considered 3rd place isn’t too bad.

PJ McGrath was disappointed at losing the time and losing 3rd place and he said. “It was a 3 left into a 3 left, I just ran wide into the ditch. Hit a rock as well and thought for sure I had a puncture, but it didn’t go down”. Kevin Barrett was disappointed at some of his times, the Triton Showers man said. “I just wasn’t attacking in Slievenamon the way I should Have been and I wasn’t seeing very well either. Coming out of the darkness into the light was difficult.” Andrew Purcell is now setting some stunning times to lead group N and move into 6th place just ahead of James M Stafford who now leads the 2 wheel drive contenders. Welsh visitor Neil Williams is lying well up the leaderboard in his Mk2 Escort but there is a chance that he may not continue as the gearbox is starting to give trouble. When the mechanics changed the oil they were finding bits of metal debris floating about.

Alan Ring slowed slightly through stage 6 when he found his Lancer brakes glazing. Sean Flanagan lost a bit of time with a massive spin in stage 5. Sean’s total now 46.07.0 which puts him just outside the top 10. Also just outside that leaderboard is James Coleman, his Escort on a total 45.57.3. Mark Nangle was starting to feature in group N but then his Lancer incurred a puncture and he dropped approximately 1m30s. Liam McCarthy & Kieran Murphy reckoned their Corolla WRC just isn’t pulling out of corners and they are disappointed with their times. Their total now is 45.50.1. Kieran Marshall has retired his Civic when it lost drive, possible down to a damaged inner joint on a shaft. John Dalton continues to have problems with his Darrian. There seems to be fuel feed problems and the car has just cut again at a chicane. Derek Brennan/Robbie Webster crashed out of the 1600 modified class lead on a tightening corner at the end of stage 4.
More news later: BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net

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