UNOFFICIAL INTERNATIONAL L/BOARD AFTER SS9
1st (3) Juho Hanninen/Mikko Markkula (Fabia S2000) 1.19.59.9
2nd (1) Andreas Mikkelsen/Ola Floene (Fabia S2000) 1.20.04.1
3rd (2) Jan Kopecky/Pavel Dresler (Fabia S2000) 1.21.09.4
4th (9) Mathieu Arzeno/Renoul Jamoul (207 S2000) 1.22.54.0
5th (7) Robert Barrable/Damien Connolly (Fabia S2000) 1.23.43.5
6th (4) Craig Breen/Gareth Roberts (207 S2000) 1.24.04.5
7th Wiegard 1.24.33.5: 8th Jennings 1.25.53.9: 9th S. Moffett 1.26.17.8: 10th D. Kelly 1.26.44.2: 11th M. McCormack 1.27.54.3: 12th J. Moffett 1.28.16.4.
UNOFFICIAL NATIONAL L/BOARD AFTER STAGE 9
1st (103) Darren Gass/Enda Sherry (Impreza WRC) 1.22.03.4
2nd (102) Eugene Donnelly/Paddy Toner (Corolla WRC) 1.23.23.3
3rd (104) Kenny McKinstry/Noel Orr (Impreza WRC) 1.24.52.2
4th (101) Derek McGarrity/James McKee (Mini WRC) 1.25.32.1
5th (107) Steve Perez/Paul Spooner (Focus WRC) 1.25.53.6
6th (110) Adrian Hetherington/Gary Nolan (Escort) 1.29.06.9
At the front of the International Rally there is a huge battle between Skoda team mates Juho Hanninen and Andreas Mikkelsen with no quarter being given. Mikkelsen was fastest through the first stage after service, Redrock, to reduce the gap at the front to 5s. Hanninen said. “We are pushing very hard”. Mikkelsen commented. “We are pressing on very hard. We had a big moment in that stage, the car hit the bank five times”. Kopecky is going at a slightly reduce pace and seemed more relaxed and he commented on the stage being a little drier. Arzeno felt he had picked the wrong tyres and dropped quite a few seconds. Robert Barrable on the other hand had a good run and he joked at stage finish. “Not through any gates that time!”
Craig Breen is chiselling away at Barrable’s times in front and he said. “The car feels as if the changes we made to the rear suspension have made an improvement and I think it will work even better on the next two stages. German driver Wiegand picked too soft a tyre for that stage and dropped a few seconds. Garry Jennings was group N through the 25km test. Sam Moffett reckoned he should have chosen a harder compound tyre and dropped 12s to Jennings and 3s to Donagh Kelly. Mark Donnelly was lying 11th leaving service but his Lancer has stopped in the stage. Alan Ring’s Lancer is stopped because of fuel pump problems. Marty McCormack reported an overshoot at a square right corner. His team reckon now that the problem with his Citroen’s gear change is in the box, not in the change mechanism. Josh Moffett feels he is learning all the time and certainly his times are a credit to the young driver. Tommy Doyle was 12th fastest through the stage in his Clio and is now lying 14th o/a. Kevin O’Connor continues to lead the Citroen Tracing Trophy. Joe McGonigle is now 2nd.
In the National Rally Darren Gass was 11s faster than Eugene Donnelly through stage 9 with Kenny McKinstry 20s down on Donnelly. Derek McGarrity continues to struggle with his Mini WRC and was 5th fastest. Drew Stewart seems to have his Escort clutch problems sorted and is still holding a top 10 place. Raymond Conlon is going hard in his black twin cam but tyre wear is a big problem. Wesley Patterson leads the Historic category and holds a top 10 place in the National Rally.
More news later: BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON & Michael: fwww.rallynews.net Follow Twitter @Pacenotes
