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| Circuit of Munster 2008 |
| RALLY NEWS No.5 - After SS6 - Wednesday @ 11:25:50 |
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RALLY NEWS NO.5 Service/Sunday/3.45
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 6 - Beaghcastle
1st (2) Patrick Elliott/Paul Goodman (Impreza WRC) 44.42
2nd (6) Kevin Barrett/Sean Mullally (Impreza WRC) 45.32
3rd (1) Niall Maguire/Paul McLoughlin (Impreza WRC) 45.37
4th (7) Noel Redmond/Anthony Nestor (Impreza WRC) 45.58
5th (8) Sean Gallagher/Enda Sherry (Impreza WRC) 46.12
6th (19) Ed O'Callaghan/Ger Clancy (Escort) 47.37
7th (9) Eamonn Daly/Kevin Synott (Lancer N) 47.38
8th (12) Willie Fannin/Paddy Robinson (Impreza N) 47.44
9th (10) Alan Ring/Adrian Deasy (Lancer N) 48.06
10TH (28) Eoin Doyle/Peter Brennan (Impreza WRC) 48.11
With just 2 stages remaining Patrick Elliott’s lead at the front looks fairly secure, Patrick 50s ahead of Kevin Barrett with Niall Maguire 3rd a further 5s adrift, all in Subarus. Noel Redmond scored a 2nd fastest time in stage 5, Cappagh, so he’s starting to come to grips with his new car but is in no real position to challenge the top 3. Indeed the big race now is between Kevin Barrett and Niall Maguire for runner up spot. In rallying anything can happen of course there are still a fair few miles to do before the cars cross the finish ramp at the Woodlands Hotel in Adare. Patrick Elliott commented here at service. “I find it difficult to drive in the lead, judging the speed, it is much easier to do the chasing although these conditions do suit me”. Niall Maguire had a poor time through stage 5 and he told us. “I’m lucky to be here at all. We were off the road at a junction, the tyres are too soft a compound”.
Kevin Barrett also said about tyres. “Mine are done, we are on the hardest compound that we have here”. Noel Redmond commented. “I’m really enjoying this, the car is super and the bit of tweaking has worked”. Sean Gallagher is still battling the odds with his Subaru, the dashboard readout is still kaput and now the engine is misfiring.
Eamonn Daly continues to lead group N although there is a little bit of confusion over the times for stage 6, but anyway Eamonn told us he went on to harder tyres and although he clipped a bale in stage 5 he is going well. Willie Fannin is still being shown as 2nd in GpN but he has a 75s road penalty hanging over him. Whether it will be applied or not remains to be seen. Alan Ring has gearbox troubles, 1st and 2nd ratios are more or less missing and he also had an overshoot at a hairpin left. Trevor Bustard is starting to come into the GpN picture. He is also on the edge of the top 10 in his Subaru.
In the race for 2 wheel drive honours Ed O’Callaghan is really flying through the stages and indeed caught up with Anthony O’Halloran in stage 6. Anthony is in 15th place. Andrew Purcell is another just outside the leaderboard in his GpN Lancer, Andrew battling all sorts of mechanical woes.
Further stories include Trevor Mulligan/Lisa Roe backed their Escort into a wall on a 3 right tightens continues in stage 2. The rear diff burst and the prop shaft went into the gearbox. Ed Synan, although shown on the leaderboard, struggled a little through stage 6 with differential trouble in his Escort. Paul Elliott reported his Lancer down on power in 4th and 5th gears. Mike Quinn has retired his Escort after holding 12th o/a after stage 4. Mark Sheahan continues to lead Class 6 from Ian Roche, both in Super 1600 Clios. Andrew Bushe is 3rd in that class, his Saxo now in differential trouble. Gary Reidy/Diarmuid Falvey blew the engine on their Escort in stage 5.
Looking abroad to the Barbados Rally – Kris Meeke is struggling to hold on to his lead, his Corolla WRC now 2 wheel drive having broken the prop shaft. It should be good practice for Kris for Donegal! More news later: BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net
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