Through stage 6 Mushera, Tim McNulty was fastest from Darren Gass and then through stage 6A, which is the 2nd part of Mushera, Craig Breen was fastest from Alastair Fisher. Conditions continued to be very difficult for the drivers with the torrential rain showers and standing water. Tommy Doyle was forced into retirement when water got into the electrics of his Clio. When Gareth MacHale reached service he said. “I am breaking early for anything that looks dangerous. It is really horrible in places, I’m driving in the middle of the road. If it dries up then I can up the pace.” When asked was he thinking of the championship Gareth nodded affirmation. Tim McNulty told us that he is trying to keep it steady and keep it all together. Darren Gass commented. “This yoke doesn’t like the puddles!”
Denis Cronin told us that every time one of the big showers descended his Subaru windscreen misted over once again and he couldn’t see a thing. Worse than that, Denis is feeling really off colour and seems to be suffering from flu. Craig Breen picked a wet weather type tyre for that loop of stages which really paid off. However, towards the end of the 2nd Mushera stage the rubber started to melt and roll on the rims. Craig said that he noticed that as the roads dried the world rally cars got the advantage. Craig is praying for more rain!
Alastair Fisher told us that he really struggled through stage 6 as he didn’t have enough cuts in his Lancer’s tyres. Owen Murphy had a clear enough run through that loop. Sebastian Ling is lying just outside the leaderboard in 11th o/a. In the tussle for Citroen Racing Trophy supremacy Robert Barrable took a few seconds off Marty McCormack in stage 6 and then Marty was the faster of the two in stage 6A. Marty said that his windscreen fogged up in stage 6. Barrable commented. “We’ve had a good run, it’s a quick enough pace out there”. Adrian McElhinney spun his Citroen C2R2 Max three times on one stage. He managed to keep it out of the hedge. His co driver Shane A Buckley joked “He must have gone light headed since he got married last week!” Brian O’Keefe in the blue GpN Impreza is 13th o/a and he is another with screen misting up problems.
Ed O’Callaghan is setting a cracking pace to lead the National Rally, over a minute up now on Washington James in his Darrian. Geoffrey Dolan in his Sunbeam in 3rd and Mervyn Wedlock 4th. Mervyn is worried about his Escort’s rear differential that is screaming its head off. The team has changed the axle oil and discovered filings in the old stuff. There does not seem to be enough service time today to change the axle. Leonard Downey in the yellow Escort bent a steering arm on his Escort and managed to get it straightened.
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