RALLY NEWS No.5 - Lurgan Park - Saturday @ 14:53:48
RALLY NEWS NO.5 Lurgan Park/Saturday
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 5
1st (1) Kris Meeke/Gerry McVeigh (Mini WRC) 10.36.7
2nd (2) Kenny McKinstry/Lesley McGaffin (Impreza WRC) 10.47.8
3rd (4) Garry Jennings/Kerry McCarter (Impreza 555) 11.03.1
4th (3) Derek McGarrity/Kieron Graffin (Mini WRC) 11.04.3
5th (6) Derek McGeehan/Laurie Smith (Mini WRC) 11.12.4
6th (5) Kevin & Paul Barrett (Impreza WRC) 11.15.6
7th (7) Stuart Biggerstaff/Danny O'Carroll (Metro 6R4) 11.19.9
8th (10) Ray Brammer/Damien Fleming (Impreza WRC) 11.25.1
9th John McKeown 10th Martin Teggart 11th Alan Carmichael 12th Andrew Mullen
Following the lunch break the stage was reversed and slightly changed. The story however remained the same with Kris Meeke fastest from Kenny McKinstry. Derek McGarrity another “moment” that cost him a few more seconds and he dropped from 3rd to 4th behind Garry Jennings. When Kris Meeke brought his Mini WRC into the time control he said. “For me that was a bit like the first stage, I was watching myself. This time the mud is on the entry to the fast corners rather than the exit because the stage has been changed around so I was being extra careful”. Kenny McKinstry reported a “Oh dear me” situation” at one point in the stage when he very nearly lost it. When he mentioned it to co-driver Lesley she said it felt alright to her, but as Kenny pointed out she wasn’t holding the steering wheel!
When Derek McGarrity brought his Mini WRC in he said. “How the car wasn’t upside down I’ll never know. A bale kept us the right way up!” Derek said at the lunch time break that a Prodrive engineer got his lap top out and found a problem with the braking of the Mini that Derek reckoned had caused several of his problems through stages 3 and 4. It turns out that the rear differential was not releasing the pressure as required. Derek said. “I couldn’t understand it. I was going no quicker, the car just wanted to go straight on under braking”. Garry Jennings, now up to 3rd, remarked after stage 5. “We’re sticking to the middle of the road, plenty of slides, just enjoying ourselves”. Derek McGeehan is happy with the way his new Mini is going and really wants to try slick tyres this afternoon. Stuart Biggerstaff brought his Metro 6R4 after stage 5 and said. “The car was a real animal that time, all over the place, on to the grass. I think the power steering or maybe something else is broken. Even with that this man beside me, Danny O’Carroll, keeps egging me on”.
Alan Carmichael found his left hand drive Subaru even more of a handful on that reversed stage. Andrew Mullen continues to lead Group N. Mark Massey lost time with a broken driveshaft in his Lancer. Less than a second separated Jimmy McRae, Raymond Johnston and Drew Wylie through that 5th stage. Just 3s covered the three drivers in the battle for class 7, FIA Historics. Drew Wylie just has the edge over Raymond Johnston with Jimmy McRae just a fraction behind. Martin & Ben Teggart are the best of the Escorts and now lead Class 2B from Shane McGirr/Jackie Elliott in their Starlet.
More news later: BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON with thanks to Michael & Zoe Patterson
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