1^st (4) Maurice Gass/Declan McKeown (Subaru WRC) 3.01.9

2^nd (1) Patrick Snijers/Willie McKee (Subaru WRC) 3.03.0

3^rd (2) Kenny McKinstry/Noel Orr (Subaru WRC) 3.04.2

4th (3) Eugene Donnelly/Barry Watt (Subaru WRC) 3.04.5

5th (9) Denis Biggerstaff/Robin McCandless (6R4) 3.05.4

6^th (16) Kevin Lynch/Martina McNicholl (Subaru WRC) 3.10.3

7^th (7) Kevin Barrett/Barry Goodman (Subaru WRC) 3.10.4

8^th (12) Glenn Allen/Brian McCracken (Escort WRC) 3.10.6

9^th (5) Ollie O'Donovan/Conor Bruton (Subaru WRC) 3.10.7

10^th (14) Gary White/Dominic Carson (Esc.Cos) 3.12.2

Stage 2 of this Triton Showers Lurgan Park Rally, and in the blink of an eye the situation has changed at the front. Early leader Kevin Lynch’s Subaru had a massive overs-shoot which cost the best part of 10s, and relegated the plant hire contractor down the order. Maurice Gass in theory also had a major hiccup, his Impreza WRC gearstick breaking off at the stem, but somehow or other the Millview Fuels man was able to flick the Impreza through the cogs to maximum effect to set fastest time and move into a clear lead. Clear is maybe misleading – only seconds separate the top crews. Kenny McKinstry in 2^nd place said "Fine, no problems, I was a bit more aggressive on that 2^nd stage but maybe slower than I should have been in certain places". Patrick Snijers commented "Yes we were quicker than the first stage, but even then I brake too early in places. It is not as slippy as I thought it would be". Eugene Donnelly said "We had a great run". Its always worth remembering that Eugene is in an older Impreza WRC than the men in front. Denis Biggerstaff slipped a couple of places on that 2^nd stage, and he said "We had a couple of almost overshoots which was enough to lose time". Glenn Allen commented "I can do no better than that in this car". Gary White lost a few seconds with an overshoot as did Donie O’Sullivan.

In Group N Raymond Johnson turned out to be a split second faster than Niall McShea on the first stage, still waiting for the showroom times from stage 2. Michael Curran was 3^rd in gpN, just over a second faster than his father Dickie and Richard Hogg was 5^th.

Keith White was fastest in class 2 after the first stage, from Glenn Wilson with Mark Doyle 3^rd. After 2 Keith White continues to lead from Glenn Wilson with Mark Doyle 3^rd and Garry Jennings, struggling for gears in his Peugeot, 4^th.

Group N latest – Raymond Johnson leads after 2 and is 11^th overall, Raymond .2 of a second ahead of fellow Fermanagh man Niall McShea in 12^th, Dickie Curran now 3^rd in gPn. Michael Curran dropped back a little and is 4^th. Richard Hogg 5^th.

More news after stage 3

BRIAN AND LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net