|
|
| |
| Circuit of Kerry |
| RALLY NEWS No.3 - After stage 3 - Sunday @ 12:17:45 |
| |
|
RALLY NEWS NO.3 Tralee/Service/Sunday
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 3 Knocknagoshel
1st (2) Kevin Barrett/Sean Mullally (Impreza WRC) 27.29
2nd (4) Derek McGarrity/James McKee (Impreza WRC) 27.39
3rd (3) Niall Maguire/Enda Sherry (Impreza WRC) 28.00
4th (5) Kevin Kelleher/Donnacha O'Callaghan (Lancer N) 28.30
5th (11)Declan & Brian Boyle (Escort) 28.36
6th (12) Barry Meade/Johnny Hickey (Escort) 28.37
The above times are from the first few cars only and remain provisional while we await some more cars here at service. Stage 3 has been interrupted by a couple of accidents. Mike Quinn and Manus Kelly have reportedly put their Escorts off the road. Hugh Hunter in the Focus WRC was also reported to be going quite slowly and held up following cars. Mike Quinn’s off is reported pretty minor and it is thought that he will get going and indeed with the stage being stopped he may get away with his indiscretion.
Throughout these dramas Kevin Barrett/Sean Mullally in the Triton Showers Impreza WRC have held on to their lead. No.1 seed and current championship leader, Melvyn Evans, had closed to within 1s of Kevin following stage 2 but the Welshman then lost well over a minute in stage 3 when a turbo pipe came adrift on his Subaru. Now it is Derek McGarrity’s turn to pressurise Kevin, McGarrity was fastest through stage 3 by 1s from Barrett.
When the cars arrived here at the Carlton Hotel service area Melvyn Evans told us. “We had a good stage 2 and then in stage 3 we were going well but when the turbo pipe came off we could only coast through. That’s rallying, there’s no problem with the car and the turbo is fine”. Kevin Barrett said. “I’m happy enough but I clipped a rear wheel and it filled up with mud so there was a bit of a vibration which may have cost a few seconds on that 3rd stage”. Circuit of Ireland winner Derek McGarrity, when asked if he had made a cautious start, replied. “I’m not really familiar with these stages compared to the National drivers so we went pretty well. My confidence is coming back. On that last stage on an acute hairpin left I put two wheels in the ditch which cost a few seconds. I also caught up with Melvyn’s car on the narrow section and that cost me as well”.
Kevin Kelleher arrived in here to service with his Lancer showing a very high temperature and he told us. “The gauge is going up to 118 degrees in the stage which is sending a message to the computer to cut the power. I wanted to change the radiator here at service but the time has been reduced to 16m to compensate for these delays. So I’m not too please about hat. We would need more time to change the radiator”. Mark Jasper reported no power steering on his Accent WRC so he is dropping time wrestling with the steering wheel.
A few more totals include: Alan Ring 29.32: Mark Jasper 2936: Eamonn Daly 28.47:
More news later: BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net
|
| |
| |
| |
|
| |
|
