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| Ulster International rally |
| RALLY NEWS No.8 - After SS8 - Saturday @ 09:51:22 |
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RALLY NEWS NO.8 Service/Antrim/Saturday
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 8 SLEMISH
1st (1) Eugene Donnelly/Paddy Toner (Fabia WRC) 52.25.8
2nd (2) Gareth MacHale/Brian Murphy (Focus WRC) 52.28.5
3rd (4) Derek McGarrity/James McKee (Impreza WRC) 52.33.3
4th (9) Darren Gass/Sean Mullally (Impreza WRC) 53.42.5
5th (8) Glenn Allen/Damien Connolly (Corolla WRC) 54.24.4
6th (5) Mark Higgins/Bryan Thomas (Impreza N) 54.42.5
7th (7) Gwyndaf Evans/Chris Patterson (Lancer N) 54.43.6
8th (10) Alastair Fisher/Rory Kennedy (Lancer N) 55.38.0
9th (32) Dave Weston Jnr/Gordon Noble (Impreza N) 56.53.1
10th (12) Adam Gould/Seb Marshall (Impreza N) 57.01.6
Just outside the top 10: Euan Thorburn 11th: Jonny Greer 12th: Kris Princen 13th: Brian O’Mahony 14th: Alan Carmichael 15th:
Just 2s covered the times of the top 3 cars through stage 8, Slemish. Gareth MacHale was fastest from Donnelly from McGarrity. Mark Higgins was fastest GpN by 2.7s from Gwyndaf Evans with Alastair Fisher 3rd fastest GpN. Gareth MacHale’s co driver Brian Murphy told us after that ultra quick Slemish stage. "“ felt we weren’t good in there. Not committed in places although it was damp in spots. We were on a cut slick tyre which was OK but there’s more in the stage”. Eugene Donnelly said. “We’re driving very much with the Tarmac Championship in mind. It has been a real struggle to do it this year so it is important for me. We were on a plain medium slick in there although it was quite wet in places. We will just leave the car as it is now. People think I know this next stage because I test there. But that is only over a wee bit of it there are many miles that I don’t know”. Derek McGarrity commented. “We went alright. It was a bit muddy and I wasn’t trusting my tyres. Driving like a woose really”. Glenn Allen reckoned that those couple of stages were better for him. Darren Gass reported a good run.
Mark Higgins said he was being pretty steady and careful on the opening stage this morning, was OK on the second one. He went on to say that he’s not really worried about Gwyndaf’s times and thinking more about British Championship points, although it is not such a big deal here because of the bonus system on the last round in Yorkshire. Alastair Fisher’s co driver Rory Kennedy commented about Alastair. “He’s doing a really good job. Listening to the notes and concentrating and his speed is coming on all the time”. Adam Gould was half a second down on Dave Weston Jnr through that Slemish stage and Adam found the going tricky this morning. His driving wasn’t helped when his in-car water bottle leaked all down the inside of his seat. The Slemish stage went right past Alan Carmichael’s home and although he set a good time it could have been better if his Lancer’s manifold hadn’t come adrift. Also the 4th gear wasn’t working. Jer O’Donovan stepped up the pace this morning and is up to 16th o/a.
David Bogie was slowed when a rear wheel filled with mud right at the start of the Slemish stage on the square right square left through the farmyard. Kris Hall’s retirement seems to be confirmed on the Cairncastle stage. The problem is reportedly a broken drive shaft. This means that Craig Breen only has to get through the next 2 stages unscathed and he has won both the UK and Irish Fiesta series. The Fiesta series finishes after stage 10 which will give Breen free rein to have a go through the afternoon stages. In the National Rally George Robinson in his Impreza WRC has surged to the front with Declan McNaughton, Seamus O’Connell and Camillus Bradley 2nd, 3rd and 4th in their Escorts.
On the IRC Barum Rally in the Czech Republic Kris Meeke’s Peugeot suffered a puncture on the Super Special last night and lost 31s. He cleared SS2 with no problems this morning 5s slower than Kopecky but 5s up on Bassos. Kris & Paul are now 11th o/a after 2.
More news later: BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON 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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