RALLY NEWS No.7 - Lurgan Park - Saturday @ 16:28:32
RALLY NEWS NO.7 Lurgan Park Saturday 4.20
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 7
1st (1) Kris Meeke/Gerry McVeigh (Mini WRC) 14.17.7
2nd (2) Kenny McKinstry/Lesley McGaffin (Impreza WRC) 14.34.9
3rd (4) Garry Jennings/Kerry McCarter (Impreza 555) 14.51.8
4th (3) Derek McGarrity/Kieron Graffin (Mini WRC) 14.54.4
5th (6) Derek McGeehan/Laurie Smith (Mini WRC) 15.06.6
6th (5) Kevin & Paul Barrett (Impreza WRC) 15.06.9
7th (10) Ray Brammer/Damien Fleming (Impreza WRC) 15.16.7
8th (7) Stuart Biggerstaff/Danny O'Carroll (Metro 6R4) 15.16.9
9th (12) John McKeown/Tommy Speers (Escort WRC) 15.27.3
10th (11) Alan Carmichael/Neil Doherty (Impreza WRC) 15.40.1
Kris Meeke was 3s faster than Kenny McKinstry through stage 7 to leave his lead at over 17s with just one stage remaining. Kris said after the stage. “We had a good wee run. I’m enjoying it and not pushing too hard.” Kenny McKinstry admitted that he is now going into cruise mode. He certainly cannot catch the flying Mini WRC in front and he is under no real pressure from behind. Garry Jennings is keeping the hammer down and there is certainly a race on for 3rd place between Garry and Derek McGarrity. Derek did say however. “I’m not putting my neck on the chopping block”. Derek McGeehan was maybe slightly disappointed with his stage 7 time but he is still a very solid 5th o/a and coming under increasing pressure from Kevin Barrett in 6th. Kevin had a really good run through that 7th stage.
Mark Doyle managed to get some wet weather tyres from his home in Gilford and he is knocking on the door of the top 10 once more.
In the race for the FIA Historic category Jimmy McRae has shown all his class to get ahead of both Drew Wylie and Raymond Johnston. Simon Gordon/Billy Regan in the Nova are having a massive battle with Ian Millar/Ronan O’Neill (Escort) for class 2A honours. There was just half a second between them after stage 6 and Simon Gordon’s Nova clutch is making huge squealing noises so he is not sure if he can keep his nose in front. Robert Coulter has bumped the front of his Anglia but managed to keep going.
Jonny Leonard/Cormac McElvaney in the FAL backed Fiesta are leading class 1 and they are putting in a strong drive with consistent times keeping them in the top 30. The slippy conditions are certainly favouring some of the more entertaining drivers and it is a toss up between Gary Toner in the Alpha Cam BMW and Alan McKay in his ever sideways Anglia. Paddy Houlihan is having a ball co-driving in a “OO”ing Escort that is now looking very secondhand after the rear quarter panel made contact with something a lot more solid.
More news later: BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net With thanks to Michael & Zoe Patterson. Follow RallyNews on Twitter @Pacenotes or Real_RallyNews
