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| Circuit of Munster |
| RALLY NEWS No.3 - After SS2 - Sunday @ 11:35:19 |
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RALLY NEWS NO.3 Service/Kilmallock/Sunday
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 2
1st (1) Niall Maguire/Enda Sherry (Impreza WRC) 16.33
2nd (4) Melvyn Evans/Patrick Walsh (Impreza WRC) 16.36
3rd (3) Kevin Barrett/Sean Mullally (Impreza WRC) 16.37
4th (5) Daragh O'Riordan/Tony McDaid (Impreza WRC) 16.45
5th (2) Derek McGarrity/James McKee (Impreza) 16.54
6th (10) Eamonn Daly/Brian Doherty (Lancer N) 17.23
7th (12) Ed Synan/Denis O'Connell (Escort) 17.52
8th (16) James Murphy/Anthony Nestor (Escort WRC) 17.56
9th (8) Mike Quinn/Grainne McEnery (Escort) 17.57
(20) Mark Sheahan/Anthony O'Conaill (Citroen C2R2 Max) 17.57
11th (11) Paul Purtill/Kaye Shanahan (Escort) 18.01
Through the 20kms of stage 2, Ramhorn Line, Niall Maguire had a great run to move into the lead of this Circuit of Munster Rally. Niall commented. “There are places where it is very greasy and there was a square left in a narrow lane and I really struggled to get the car round it”. Kevin Barrett’s Subaru was getting serviced by the McKinstry team beside Maguire’s and Kevin reiterated Maguire’s thoughts when he said. “Where there is grip its good but there were places there was no grip. It was a bit of a lottery. I can see where you could get more time in there”. Melvyn Evans said. “Its hard to find the braking points and we have a slight shudder in the brakes. But I think I’ll go for it this time and put on slick tyres”. Daragh O’Riordan was very nervous before the start but is settling down now and trying slightly different set-ups in his Subaru in preparation for the Donegal Rally. Derek McGarrity in 5th place seemed unsettled on that 2nd stage following his “moment” on the first one when the Subaru clipped a rock.
Eamonn Daly continues to lead Group N from Sean O’Donovan in his Impreza. Young Shane Maguire is lying 3rd in GpN. Eamonn Daly told us. “I’m surprised at the time because I lost 10s with an overshoot. The van that I did my recce in had a broken speedometer and some of the distances aren’t very good”. Sean Flanagan had a good time in stage 2 but is well down the classification following his first stage puncture. Anthony O’Halloran is in the same boat.
Kieran Daly has retired his Citroen C2R2 Max, the Senator Engineering car sidelined by a broken ball joint. Kieran hopes to get doing some stages as a course car to help with his build up for the Donegal Rally. It was unfortunate for Kieran to retire from his home rally especially as Senator Engineering is just across the road from the service area. Mark Sheahan continues to lead class 6 and hold a top 10 place. Mark said “We’re not doing anything stupid. I backed off on the 2nd stage as it is so greasy under the trees. This C2R2 Max is an amazing car, it doesn’t have the huge power but unbelievable handling”. David Quigley/Des Sherlock are lying 2nd in class 6 in their Civic.
Mike Quinn is still having rear brake locking troubles and he has cut the rear pads in half to try and lessen their effect. Mike said. “I was nearly off 25 times in the 2nd stage!” James Murphy is driving the stages at times as if he thinks he is still in the forests and went off the road at a bridge and lost a few seconds. Then he cut a corner too tight, knocked a bit out of a wheel and has damaged the track control arm, but he is still 8th o/a. John McQuaid lost 10 – 15s when he spun his Escort at the acute right corner in stage 2. Joe Connolly lost 6m when he punctured a rear tyre on his Escort. Peter Cummins in the Darrian had a clean first stage but lost momentum on the 2nd when the slippy roads affected the handling of the Darrian. Unconfirmed news is coming in that Kris Meeke has put his Peugeot off the road on a tight 5 left in Rally Sardinia and may be out of the event.
More news later: BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net
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