RALLY NEWS NO.8 Millstreet/Sunday
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 11
1st (1) Daragh O`Riordan/Tony McDaid (Fiesta WRC) 1.50.46.0
2nd (3) Keith Cronin/Marshall Clarke (Citroen DS3R5) 1.51.39.9
3rd (8) Declan Gallagher/Ryan Moore (Starlet rwd) 1.59.31.1
4th (22) Stephen Wright/Mike Galvin (Peugeot R2) 2.01.26.9
5th (25) Cal McCarthy/Eamonn Dullea (Civic) 2.02.05.6
6th (34) Callum Devine/Paddy McCrudden (Fiesta R2) 2.02.52.9
7th (33) Martin Donnelly/Brian Doherty (Corolla WRC) 2.03.14.6
8th (16) Brian O`Keefe/Sean Hayde (Impreza N) 2.03.32.7
9th (27) Stephen Carey/Ella Ryan (Civic) 2.03.53.1
10th (45) Pauric Duffy/Kevin Glynn (Fiesta R5) 2.04.27.8
Keith Cronin is pushing his new Citroen DS3R5 to the limits but cannot match the flying Fiesta WRC in front of Daragh O`Riordan. Indeed Keith is pushing so hard that he overshot a corner and his car flew up a resident`s driveway. In overall terms Keith`s car is just too low geared to match the world rally car for top speed on the faster sections today. Keith remarked that he is still getting to grips with the new car and experimenting with braking distances. Where there is a run off area he is leaving is braking very late. Daragh O`Riordan told us after that stage 11. `That stage is so fast it is dry in places and then very greasy. It is tricky. I have to get the car home now`.
Declan Gallagher in the Starlet is now thinking of the home straight and like many of the drivers it is a matter now of conserving the cars and keeping on track for the Millstreet finish ramp. Callum Devine was a fraction quicker than Stephen Wright through that stage 11 but in overall terms Stephen has a good time buffer in the R2 category. Still no sign of Kevin Eves who was lying 3rd in R2 so we presume the Peugeot misfire has caused retirement. Brian O`Keefe has edged ahead of Stephen Carey in the standings. O`Keefe reckons his Subaru clutch is on its last legs. Carey was a wee bit slower through stage 11 than his last run over the stage.
Rob Duggan is running his new Lancer in the Rally 2 category and he really is setting some spectacular times, faster than Declan Gallagher but slower than Keith Cronin. Alan Treacy is now 8th in the National part of the rally, Alan is recovering his confidence following brake troubles yesterday in his Toyota TC. He is concentrating now on class points in the Southern 4 championship. Jack Newman/JP McAree have had their Escort re-tracked following a brush with a wall this morning in stage 8 and they are now setting decent times and lying 5th in the Nationals.
Ian Chadwick is 7th in the International having lost a huge amount of time yesterday when his Skoda got stuck in a ditch at a chicane. The car was relatively undamaged but there were no spectators to help get the car back on track. Father and daughter crew Paul & Jenna Browne (Civic) have had a good run today and are up to 3rd in class 11F in the National category. Luke McCarthy is 2nd in that class and James Fitzgerald 1st, both also in Civics.
In the Historic Rally Denis Moynihan (Escort) still leads from Andy Johnson (Chevette) with Aidan O`Connor 3rd despite a flashing oil light on his Mk1 Escort. More news later: BRIAN & LIZ PATTERON www.rallynews.net *Follow RallyNews on Twitter @Pacenotes or @Real_RallyNews
