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IRISH
NOTES 11th August 2004
Niall Maguire still leads the Dunlop National Championship
despite retiring from last weekend's Stonethrowers Rally. Jim
Harrison has closed to within 10 points, with Patrick Elliot a
further 2 back. It did look a few rallies ago that Maguire's
3rd title looked fairly assured. Now, with 3 rallies to go,
Galway Summer, Donegal Harvest and Skibbereen, the series
could go down to the wire.
Eugene Donnelly is greatly disappointed to have had to pull
out of the Triton Showers Lurgan Park Rally at the last
moment. Eugene reports that he doesn't want to put
himself or the team under undue pressure. The Ulster Rally and
the Pirelli Tarmac Championship take priority. The
Maghera man reported. "The centre differential has to go
back to Holland to be rebuilt before the Ulster and we are
worried about the time scale, also the Manx Rally took an
extra slice of the budget. I'm really disappointed, I've
enjoyed Lurgan Park this last 3 or 4 years but I have to stay
focussed on the Tarmac".
Andrew
Nesbit has withdrawn his entry from the forthcoming WRC
round Rally Germany due to business commitments in the USA.
Andrew will now concentrate his efforts on the next round of
the Pirelli Tarmac series, the Ulster Rally.
Clare Motor Club has had further meetings regarding their
stage rally and the event, scheduled for the 19th September is
now definitely on again. John McMahon is Clerk of the Course,
and the event is a counter in the Top Part West Coast series.
Gerry Smyth in his Escort heads the entry for this Sunday's
Dunleer based North East Single Stage event. Patrick Boyle is
at 2, Michael Curran at 3, also in Escorts.
Former Peugeot works driver Garry Jennings is still trying to
buy a good GpN car, and has hired an Impreza N for this
weekend's Triton Showers Lurgan Park Rally in the interim.
Ulster Television's Pamela Ballantine will co-drive.
Kevin Lynch extended his lead over Kieran Shaw in the NI
Championship following his Dogleap victory. Glen Allen has
closed in on Shaw. Lynch has 4 maximum scores so far and, with
three rounds remaining, Enniskillen, Bushwhacker and Mid
Antrim, he will be hard to beat.
It is with great sadness that we report the death of 24 year
old Donal O'Flaherty last weekend in a road accident. Donal,
from Ardfert, competed in a white Mk2 Escort and was leading
his class on this year's Circuit of Kerry Rally until
mechanical problems intervened on the final stage. To his
family and friends we offer our deepest condolences.
Brian
Patterson
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