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| Ulster International rally |
| RALLY NEWS No.6 - After SS6 - Friday @ 21:09:02 |
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RALLY NEWS NO.6 Antrim/Service/Friday
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 6 TORR HEAD
1st (1) Eugene Donnelly/Paddy Toner (Fabia WRC) 39.43.8
2nd (2) Gareth MacHale/Brian Murphy (Focus WRC) 39.46.7
3rd (4) Derek McGarrity/James McKee (Impreza WRC) 39.48.3
4th (9) Darren Gass/Sean Mullally (Impreza WRC) 40.44.0
5th (8) Glenn Allen/Damien Connolly (Corolla WRC) 41.08.3
6th (7) Gwyndaf Evans/Chris Patterson (Lancer N) 41.16.2
7TH (5) Mark Higgins/Bryan Thomas (Impreza N) 41.17.5
8TH (10) Alastair Fisher/Rory Kennedy (Lancer N) 41.56.6
9TH (12) Adam Gould/Seb Marshall (Impreza N) 43.08.0
10th (17) Euan Thorburn/Campbell Roy (Impreza N) 43.08.5
Just outside the top 10: Dave Weston 11th: Kris Princen 12th: Brian O’Mahony 13th: Jonny Greer 14th: Alan Carmichael 15th:
The big news in from Torr Head is that Keith Cronin has crashed his Lancer. Keith, who was jointly leading the British Championship starting this event, was 5th o/a after the Tardree stage and in really top form. He said then “I’m feeling more confident although intermediate tyres have turned out to be wrong as the roads are bone dry up here.” Keith was fastest group N through that 5th stage, 8s up on Mark Higgins. But it seems to have all gone wrong on Torr Head for Keith and co driver Greg Shinnors. The most important thing is that they are both reported to be OK and the way the points are structured the British Championship is not beyond Keith’s grasp.
Eugene Donnelly turned in a fastest time through the Glendun stage to draw level with Derek McGarrity for the lead, and then on Torr Head Eugene was almost 3s faster than Gareth MacHale with Derek McGarrity a further 1s back. This means that Eugene goes into the overnight halt with a slender lead. Eugene said. “We made a slow start to Glendun and I wanted to change the diff settings but I couldn’t find the switch for a few seconds. Anyway the car was really nice to drive then. We had a good run”. Gareth MacHale told us. “We had a great stage, 100 per cent”. Derek McGarrity commented. “I’m going to have to go harder. Maybe I should grow a beard!”
Mark Higgins said. “Tardree was really difficult. I had 4 intermediate tyres on and now I have switched the two on the front to slicks. The car is really good although not ideal”. Adam Gould has moved up the GpN standings, his Impreza a lot better now with the new pump fitted in the power steering. We mentioned earlier that Euan Thorburn had a slow time through Tardree. It would appear that he was delayed behind Danny Barry’s accident. We think Dave West Jnr also lost time there. Nik Elsmore said. “I’m not brave enough here. I had a very big moment on Torr Head, at the right hander with the green box”. David Bogie reported his Evo 10 very tail happy with the current tyre set up, but great fun to drive. Brian O’Mahony struggled a little through Tardree but was 7s faster than Kris Princen through stage 5.
Marty McCormack was bedding in the new brakes of his Citroen through stages 4 and 5 but still turned in some quick times to extend his Citroen Racing Trophy lead over Jason Pritchard. Marty is now in 17th o/a. Jason is 20th 37s back. Alan Carmichael is leading the UK & Irish Evo points here today and is planning to change his Lancer gearbox at service tonight. He had a new dog box fitted for today but it seemed to lose 4th gear. Brian O’Mahony is now just 18s behind Princen in the battle for cl.3 honours. Cork man O’Mahony has had a ball over these Co. Antrim stages. Finnish driver Matti Rantanen is 3rd in cl.R3, his Clio in 16th o/a.
More news later: BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON & Michael: www.rallynews.net
*For SMS results text RALLY ITC to 53030 (Irl) or 60066 (UK). Text STOP to switch off. Cost 30c/25p. Provided by stagetimes.com
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