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| Circuit of Kerry |
| RALLY NEWS No.1 - Pre Start - Saturday @ 18:57:03 |
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RALLY NEWS NO.1 Carlton Hotel/Rally HQ/Saturday evening
Welshman Melvyn Evans, current leader of the Dunlop National Championship, heads a very strong entry for this 3rd round of the series. Melvyn, who has Patrick Walsh co-driving, has had the gearbox of his Impreza WRC overhauled since winning the last round in Mayo. Behind Evans is Kevin Barrett, determined to shake off the disappointment of retiring his Subaru early from last weekend’s Circuit of Ireland. The car ended in the ditch on that occasion, but although a little battle scarred, was fundamentally undamaged. At No.3 in the running order is former multiple National Champion Niall Maguire, while at 4 is Derek McGarrity, fresh from victory on last weekend’s Circuit. Derek told us that his Subaru needed little more than a check-over and a new clutch following his brilliant Circuit win. Niall Maguire is the current Top Park West Coast Champion and this Circuit of Kerry Rally is Round 2 of that Championship.
West Cork man Kevin Kelleher is at 5 in the first of the GpN cars. Kevin has the differentials and gearbox overhauled since retiring from his home Clonakilty event. It is starting to look as if the increase in power output for the GpN cars now they have been allowed the 33mm turbo restrictor is putting more stress on the transmission. Local driver Thomas Fitzmaurice is running the 33mm restrictor for the first time in his Lancer. TLI man Thomas has had the car re-mapped to suit the new power band.
At 6 is the first of the cross-channel visitors to the rally, John Stone from Blackburn. John’s co-driver Lee Carter says that their recently acquired ‘works’ Skoda WRC is such a good car and gives a great feeling of stability as well as speed. Just behind Legend Fires man Stone is Mark Jasper (Hyundai WRC) and then Hugh Hunter (Focus WRC), both also UK based drivers, and very welcome they are here in Tralee. Mike Quinn, a stunning 3rd here last year in Kerry driving his Mk2 Escort and Alan Ring (Lancer) make up the top ten. The strength and variety of the entry is a tribute to Clerk of the Course Senan Raggett, Richard & Ann Talbot, and all the hard working Kerry Motor Club team.
There are loads of good drivers outside the top ten of course and a few interesting late entries as well. Just one of those is Wicklow man Danny Barry, who had hoped to compete here in preparation for the IRC Gran Canaria. However it would seem that his newly rebuilt Lancer engine has burned a hole in a piston during a late night test session. Danny is now a non-starter. His young brother Graham is doing this rally though, in Danny’s old Ford KA. There are around 16 Juniors doing the rally, plus a handful of Historic competitors, which should make for a busy weekend. There are several “OO” cars and one of them is a new BMW M3 Compact crewed by Mike O’Leary and Mike Moriarty, which should be interesting to watch. Jakes Kelly & Gary Leonard are also Ooing in Christy Carey’s Lancer.
Some changes to the entry list as shown in the programme include: - Donnacha O’Callaghan is co-driving for Kevin Kelleher and Motorsport News correspondent Sean Moriarity is sitting with John O’Donnell. Eamonn Daly was a late entry and has the No.131 on his Lancer. Anthony O’Conaill will co-drive. Brian Duggan was to have co-driven for Sean Flanagan, but Sean has withdrawn, so Brian is now with Alan Ring.
More news after stage 1: BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net
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