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| Circuit of Kerry |
| RALLY NEWS No.6 - After SS8 - Sunday @ 17:18:07 |
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RALLY NEWS NO.6 Finish/Fels Point Hotel Tralee/Sunday 5.20
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 8 – FINAL STAGE
1st (1) Patrick Elliott/Paul Goodman (Impreza WRC) 1.08.44
2nd (2) Niall Maguire/Enda Sherry (Impreza WRC) 1.08.50
3rd (14) Mike Quinn/Grainne McEnery (Escort) 1.12.30
4th (8) Kevin & Martin Kelleher (Lancer N) 1.12.33
5th (6) Garry Jennings/David Moynihan (Lancer N) 1.12.57
6th (7) Alan Ring/Adrian Deasy (Lancer N) 1.13.09
7th (17) Des Moore/Arthur Kierans (Escort) 1.14.03
8th (9) Thomas Fitzmaurice/Fionn Foley (Lancer N) 1.14.47
9th (18) Trevor & Kenny Bustard (Lancer N) 1.15.15
10th (15) Ed Synan/Denis O'Connell (Escort) 1.15.18
This Circuit of Kerry Rally was a cliff hanger right to the last yards of the 8 special stages with Patrick Elliott converting a 6s deficit starting the final stage to a 6s win. This is 7 rallies in a row that Patrick Elliott and his co driver Paul Goodman have steered their Subaru to victory. Indeed, Patrick Elliott will soon be able to call this Kerry Rally his own as today’s victory makes it a hat trick of wins here. The rally was remarkable as well in that a 2 wheel drive car driven by Mike Quinn finished 3rd overall. Group N was also hugely dramatic – Garry Jennings and Kevin Kelleher in their respective Lancers were tying for supremacy going into the final stage. West Cork man Kevin Kelleher with his brother Martin on the pace notes gave it everything, and unbeknown to them, Garry Jennings was having a clutch problem and it transpired then that Kelleher was 14s faster to take group N victory. When Patrick Elliott stepped out of his silver Subaru here at the Fels Point Hotel Rally HQ he said. “I’m really surprised to have won. If the rain had not come in Niall would have taken it. We just had the right tyres for the conditions. It was a tough day a very nervy rally for us but a very good event”. Patrick’s co driver Paul Goodman said. “It was unbelievable to take 12s in 15.8km on that final stage”. When Niall Maguire arrived into the finish ramp he had the look of a man in complete depression. He was utterly despondent and he said. “I thought I had it but between me and the tyres and the slippy roads we’ve let it slip”.
Group N winner Kevin Kelleher said. “Garry Jennings gave us a hard battle. We had a fabulous run on the last stage. That stage was very kind to us all day”. Mike Quinn’s co driver Grainne McEnery was smiling from ear to ear when she emerged from the Mk2 Escort and in a rather croaky voice after shouting all the pace notes she said. “That was tough going. Thank God it went well for us and the rain stayed away plus the car stayed together”.
In terms of championships, Patrick Elliott has extended his lead in the National Championship and Niall Maguire keeps his lead in the West Coast series. Despite damaging his Lancer towards the end when he hit a bale, Thomas Fitzmaurice’s 8th o/a and 4th GpN should be enough to maintain his GpN lead in the National C/ship. In the Junior section of today’s rally with one stage remaining Stephen Greaney and co driver Kieran Feeney in their Civic had a 22s lead over the similar Civic of Patrick Kelly with Patrick Slattery 3rd.
Finally for now our congratulations and thanks to CoC Senan Ragget and all his Kerry MC team for organising such a great weekend’s rallying. Part of that has been the splendid service area under the direction of Brendan Farmer allied to the hospitality of the Fels Point Hotel. Special thanks to all who supported and helped with the Rally News service, especially Dougie Hughes and Angus & Jane Sealy for results.
BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net
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