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| Jim Clark Rally 2008 |
| RALLY NEWS No.7 - After SS13 - Wednesday @ 11:33:35 |
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RALLY NEWS NO.7 Charterhall Service/Sunday 09.45
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 13 Bothwell
1st (4) Tim McNulty/Eugene O'Donnell (Impreza WRC) 1.21.26.9
2nd (2) Eamonn Boland/Damien Morrissey (Impreza WRC) 1.21.42.9
3rd (1) Gareth MacHale/Brian Murphy (Focus WRC) 1.22.36.1
4th (14) Mark Higgins/Rory Kennedy (Impreza N) 1.24.01.0
5th (6) Aaron MacHale/Killian Duffy (Focus WRC) 1.24.25.1
6th (11) David Higgins/Ieuan Thomas (Impreza N) 1.25.41.3
7TH (15) Stuart Jones/Andy Bull (MG S2000) 1.26.04.3
8TH (19) James Wozencroft/Chris Ridge (Impreza N) 1.27.27.5
9TH (16) Jonny Greer/Jonny Hart (Lancer N) 1.28.05.5
10TH (23) Kevin & Martin Kelleher (Lancer N) 1.28.32.6
Although Tim McNulty has dominated this Jim Clark Rally from the start it is far from over yet as Eamonn Boland was over 7s faster through today’s opening stage to leave the gap at 16s with 4 stages remaining. When McNulty brought his Subaru into service he said. “I was too cautious, I should have pushed a wee bit harder. I will have a different head on for the next one.” As for Eamonn Boland he just said that he had kept it “nice and tidy” and it had gone well. Gareth MacHale commented. “I’m happy out, I’m in a bit of a no-man’s land with the times”.
Mark Higgins and Rory Kennedy continue to lead the Tesco 99 British Championship contenders as well as holding first in Group N. When the results were revised overnight Mark was given a different “nominal” time for one of the stages yesterday where he stopped to help Phillip Morrow, and this moved from up from 5th to 4th. Mark said when he reached service. “The car felt nice this morning, the fog was down a bit on that Bothwell stage but it wasn’t too bad.” Co driver Rory Kennedy rolled his eyes heavenwards for a second and said “When it is a 400 straight and you’re absolutely flat out and there’s a right 4 at the end, you’re thinking, where is it!!” Aaron MacHale reported a spin at the big hairpin where his Focus cut out and he had to reverse which cost him about 10s.
David Higgins said that he pushed hard over the stage, he got a bit wide on the run down the hill at the fast hairpins which may have cost him a little time. Stuart Jones, 3rd in group N and in the British Championship points, said about his MG. “There are a couple more improvements we can make for the next rally. It is all power here, we are doing as well as we can.” As regards that opening stage today he continued. “We got a bit of fog and it was quite tricky as it was my first time on that stage. You always wonder a bit going over the crests”.
James Wozencroft lost a few seconds in that opening stage and he said. “I had a spin at the tight hairpin and then at the jump over bridge into square left where the TV cameras are. I parked it in the fence and had to reverse out. It was a silly mistake, but most of the stage went well”. Jonny Greer reported no problems. While Kevin & Martin Kelleher, 10th o/a and best of the Irish GpN drivers, is now taking it steady, intent on trying to get a maximum GpN Tarmac Championship score at the end of the day.
Adam Gould continues to have a good run in his Clio and is lying just outside the top 10. He reported that Bothwell stage to be a bit slippy but otherwise OK. George Thomas continues to lead the Citroen C2R2 Cup contenders. He was lying 13th overnight and had a good run this morning despite his clutch sticking a little bit off the start line. Marty McCormack is 2nd in the Citroen C2R2s, Marty 22nd in the standings and was delayed late on Saturday with a broken drive shaft and some road penalties. Other drivers just outside the leaderboard include Karl Simmons in 12th: Wyn Humphreys 14th: Dale Robertson 15th. Donegal crew Martin O’Donnell and his co-driving fiancé Leona O’Donnell continue to lead class 1 in their Honda Civic with Mark Gamble 2nd in the class and leading the Suzuki Cup with Galway’s Ross Forde 2nd in the Suzuki Cup. Danish driver Niki Bjeg is 3rd.
More news later: BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net
*For SMS results text RALLY ITC to 60066 (UK): Or 53030 (Irl.): Text RALLY ITC OFF to stop. Cost 25p/30c. Provided by stagetimes.com
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