| RALLY NEWS NO.8 Mallow/Service/Sunday 1.30
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 11 Castlemagnier
1st (1) Sebastien Loeb/Daniel Elena (C4 WRC) 1.39.03.8
2nd (3) Dani Sordo/Mark Marti (Xsara WRC) 1.41.06.8
3rd (5) Mark Higgins/Rory Kennedy (Impreza WRC) 1.43.31.9
4th (7) Eugene Donnelly/Paul Kiely (Impreza WRC) 1.44.12.5
5th (2) Mikko Hirvonen/Jarmo Lehtinen (Focus WRC) 1.46.28.3
6th (9) Eamonn Boland/Francis Regan (Impreza WRC) 1.46.40.5
7th (8) Tim McNulty/Eugene O'Donnell (Impreza WRC) 1.47.14.9
8th (12) Aaron MacHale/Killian Duffy (Focus WRC) 1.48.38.7
9th (14) Michael Barrable/Dermot O'Gorman (Focus WRC) 1.50.12.9
10th (23) Colm Murphy/Ger Loughrey (Impreza N) 1.51.13.9
11th (29) Owen Murphy/James O’Brien (Lancer N) 1.51.42.7
12th (17) Ray Breen/Andr4ew Purcell (Focus WRC) 1.51.43.9
“Very fast” was World Rally Champion Sebastien Loeb’s co-driver Daniel Elena’s comment when they brought their Citroen into service here at Mallow’s Race Track. Indeed Loeb was a fraction under the “bogey time” on stage 10, St. Johns Bridge. On stage 11 Sebastien was 7s faster than Mikko Hirvonen , 9s up on Mark Higgins and 12s up on Dani Sordo, who was suffering some brake problems. Hirvonen reported all well in his Focus WRC. Behind the “works” cars Mark Higgins and Eugene Donnelly continue their battle for Global Group Tarmac Championship supremacy. Mark was quite a few seconds faster than Eugene on every one of the 3 stages on this morning’s loop. Mark reported that the differential problem that dogged him yesterday seems to be cured by re mapping his Subaru computer, and he said. “Now I can drive the car”. Eugene Donnelly admitted to making slightly the wrong tyre choice and said. “It was my own fault but I’m happy enough, there’s no point in trying to catch Mark now”.
Eamonn Boland continues to have a smooth run to hold 6th place. Tim McNulty in 7th said. “I’m happy enough”. Aaron MacHale in 8th had intermittent intercom problems. Michael Barrable in 9th reported a soft brake pedal on his Focus WRC and Colm Murphy in 10th continues to lead group N. Colm is starting to think about retaining his group N Tarmac crown and is coming off the throttle early, trying to preserve the car. Owen Murphy in 11th and 2nd GpN is wringing every last ounce out of his Lancer and is trying to change the engine mapping here at service in a bid to get more power. Ray Breen in 12th said he is now getting into the groove, going a lot better. Gareth MacHale is 13th o/a and he plans to firm up his Focus’ suspension here at service. Hugh Martin Doherty in 14th is still concerned over his Subaru clutch. Kevin Kelleher in 15th o/a and 3rd GpN had an overshoot in stage 11 and dropped a couple of seconds but was fastest GpN in stages 9 and 10. Alan Ring in 16th place lowered the suspension of his Impreza this morning and it feels a lot better. Kevin O’Donoghue has dropped to 17th his Lancer suffering a broken cross shaft through nearly all of this morning’s 3 stages which cost quite a bit of time. Hopefully he can get the problem resolved here at service., Garry Jennings, John McGlaughlin and Brendan Comiskey make up the top 20.
Phil Collins and his co driver Derek Brannigan continue to lead the National Rally in their Escort from the Corolla of Terence O’Shaughnessy/Eugene McGrath. Martin McCormack and his co driver Liam Moynihan are having a brilliant run in their Escort to lead the Historic Rally from Todd Falvey/Dan Barry in their Escort. Jonny Greer was fastest over the opening 2 stages this morning of the Fiesta Sporting Trophy from Alastair Fisher with Tadgh Buckley 3rd, Conor Harvey 4th. More news later. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net
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