No.1 seed Gareth MacHale reported his car cutting out through stage 1, possibly with a fuel pressure problem. His brother Aaron lost time with a spin and feels there is something wrong with his car also and doesn’t know whether it is suspension or tyres.
Tim McNulty reported no problems at stage finish. Derek McGarrity lost a few seconds when he jumped on the brakes at the first junction and the car stalled.
Triton Showers man Kevin Barrett had a good run through the stage, as did Craig Breen in his S2000.
Fastest conventional GpN car was Alastair Fisher and he felt his Lancer moving about a little at the back. Garry Jennings said that his new car is completely different from his old one, doesn’t slide about at the back so much. Richard Cathcart had a big overshoot at the first junction. John McGlaughlin was well down in the dumps, his new Lancer misfiring between 2000 and 4000 rpm. John felt the engine was flooding. Neil McCance was the fastest of the registered Evo Challenge contenders.
Daragh O’Riordan from Midleton in Co. Cork had a great run through that opening stage but felt his Impreza WRC front differential was not working properly.
More news later: BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON (with thanks to Michael Patterson) www.rallynews.net
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