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| The Kerry Mini Stages |
| RALLY NEWS No.4 - Finish - Tuesday @ 12:58:11 |
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RALLY NEWS NO.4 Banna Beach Finish/Sunday 3.45
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 4 – FINAL STAGE
1st (1) Keith Cronin/David Power (Lancer N) 34.57
2nd (4) Thomas Fitzmaurice/Fionn Foley (Lancer N) 35.18
3rd (3) Stuart Darcy/Diarmuid Falvey (Subaru) 35.33
4th (5) Anthony O'Halloran/Charlie McEnery (Lancer N) 35.39
5th (7) Mike Quinn/Sean Enright (Escort) 36.53
6th (8) Sean Flanagan/Brian Duggan (Impreza N) 37.01
7th (11) Kevin O'Donoghue/Joe O'Leary (Escort) 37.12
8th (6) Brian O'Mahony/John Higgins (Impreza N) 37.20
9th (9) Ed Synan/Denis O'Connell (Escort) 37.43
10th (20) Gary Reidy/Jim Casey (Escort) 38.15
Keith Cronin once again demonstrated what a brilliant young driver he is by bringing his Lancer home the very clear winner of this tough Banna Beach Kerry Mini Stages Rally. Keith’s co driver today was David Power and at the end of the 4 stages David said. “I just wish it had been a 2 day rally instead of one, it was brilliant to set beside Keith”. Billy Coleman Award winner Keith said. “It was a fine rally, a bit tricky at times, we had a good stage 3”. Indeed that stage 3 set the seal on Keith’s victory. Thomas Fitzmaurice had led the rally initially and then was only 2s down at service after stage 2 but in stage 3 Keith was 14s up on Fitzmaurice despite the fact that stage 3 Kilflynn was Thomas’ home stage. Fitzmaurice commented at the finish. “Maybe we were lucky to finish. I broke the manifold on the car at the end of the last stage but it is great to have a podium place on my home rally”. Third placed Stuart Darcy said. “The stages were good and I enjoyed the day but I just can’t fathom where I lost some time in places. Perhaps it is down to left hand drive I just don’t know”.
Alan Ring/Adrian Deasy were heading for a very steady 5th at the end of stage 3 but in stage 4 their Lancer sustained a puncture, when their Lancer aquaplaned and a front wheel got knocked back into the sill. The intercooler was also damaged. They dropped over 9 minutes in the stage so they have finished well down the order. How this will affect the Top Part West Coast championship we must wait until the calculators click into action. It did appear that Ring had the championship sewn up but it could be with all this time loss Ed Synan may take the honours. A further complication is that stage 4 has been interrupted because of an accident. This will entail a large number of cars getting a “nominal” time. This could affect Alan Ring’s position in the final classification. Unofficial word from the scene of the accident is that it is not too serious.
Further stories this afternoon included: Ray Hilliard/Senan Raggett retired with electrical problems on their Lancer. Brian O’Mahony improved to 8th place and said. “I could do with another 20 stages to get used to the car and the water was coming into the car so badly through the last stage that my feet are soaked!” Mike Quinn got over early problems with the throttle cable on his Escort to finish best 2 wheel drive. Sean Flanagan had a steady run and may be the group N champion on the Top Part championship as Anthony O’Halloran looks like he has taken 3rd o/a in his GpN Lancer. Anthony told us at the finish that at the very big cautioned jump cross roads there was a Labrador sitting slap bang in the middle of the road, and he didn’t know whether to go left or right. He said as well “If my wife Caroline had been co driving I would have had to stop!” One thing is for sure he didn’t hit the Labrador!! Finally for now we would like to say very well done to Kevin Walsh and all his Kerry MC team for such a great event. Our thanks to all the Kerry Club organisers for their great hospitality and assistance. Thanks also to all who supported and helped with the Rally News service in particular all the sponsors and also Angus Sealy and Dougie Hughes. This is our last Rally News for 2008 so we offer our best wishes for Christmas and the New Year to all and look forward to a successful and safe 2009 rallying season.
BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net |
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