When Garry Jennings brought his Subaru into service his co-driver Rory Kennedy told us. `It did not feel like anything special, Garry was going up a gear all the time making the most of the traction in the treacherous conditions`. Declan Boyle remarked. `We are getting cleaned by Garry, we are going to raise the car up a little and get it to lean a bit more and hopefully get some more grip`. Desi Henry in 3rd reported clipping a stone, he thought he had a puncture but was OK. His co-driver Liam Moynihan commented. `The car is super`. Keith Cronin in 4th has recovered from that first stage delay behind McNulty`s incident, and has been setting fastest R5 times. Alistair Fisher equalled Cronin in stage 3 and he commented. `We are bedding ourselves in, getting used to the capabilities of this new engine. On the 2nd stage we were on the rev limiter, the 3rd stage went well`.
Further stories include: Declan Gallagher setting the pace in the Modified category, although he is driving a World Rally car. Declan said. `I got a bit of a feel for the Subaru in stage 2 and went well in stage 3, but nothing silly`. Wesley Patterson caught Brendan Cumiskey at the end of stage 2. Brendan had misjudged his braking into a square left with a bale, and got stuck behind the bale. Stephen Wright told us. `I am feeling the winter break. I have not driven much since last October`. (Stephen did go to Kirkistown 2 weeks ago but his Fiesta R5 suffered a loose turbo pipe).
Paul Rowley, although seeded further back, is setting good time in his Fabia S2000 although concentrating on keeping it clean and tidy. Aaron MacHale is struggling to get to grips with the left hand drive on his recently acquired Fabia S2000. Callum Devine in the Opel Adam reports all well and says he needs a turbo on some of these long straights. David Guest spun his Lancer on the 2nd stage and said he is being very cautious. He commented. `You would run out of road very fast!
Following our dramas with the Vito yesterday we would like to thank Ger in the tow truck and Robert Barrable for rescuing us and giving us a Fiat Ibiza to drive. Many thanks as well to Bill Adair and all his team who are letting us work in the kitchen of their motor home while they furiously fit the thousands of Pirelli, Michelin and Hoosier tyres that surround us!
More news later: BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON & MICHAEL & ZOE PATTERSON www.rallynews.net *Follow RallyNews on Twitter & Facebook @Pacenotes or @Real_RallyNews
