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RALLY NEWS NO.3 Service In Control/Saturday/Noon
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 2 Ardnaditian
1st (1) Gareth MacHale/Craig Parry (Focus WRC) 10.38
2nd (5) Derek McGarrity/Diarmuid Falvey (Impreza WRC) 10.45
3rd (2) Tim McNulty/Eugene O'Donnell (Impreza WRC) 10.50
4th (3) Paul Harris/John McElhinney (Corolla WRC) 11.04
5th (6) PJ McDermott/Sean Harris (Impreza WRC) 11.05
(8) Hugh M Doherty/Michael McBride (Impreza WRC) 11.05
7th (7) Niall Maguire/Enda Sherry (Impreza WRC) 11.16
8th (11) Garry Jennings/Rory Kennedy (Lancer N) 11.19
9th (9) Michael Curran/Fabian McShane (Lancer N) 11.41
10th (12) Andrew Steward/Paddy Robinson (Octavia WRC) 11.42
Through stage 2 Gareth MacHale was again fastest, 5s up on Derek McGarrity with Tim McNulty 2 slower than Derek. Garry Jennings continued to set the group N pace while Rodney Wilton lost his Mk2 Escort supremacy when a rear tyre came off which has allowed Gary McPhillips in front.
Following the stage Gareth MacHale again commented about how much his Focus is moving about and joked. “It’s like Monte Carlo in the ice. Big slides. I think the tyres are too hard a compound”. Derek McGarrity admitted to making a mess at the start of the stage when he forgot to let the hand brake off. Tim McNulty said. “We’re playing about a bit with the set up, we’re not 100 per cent. We are trying something else now following the test during the week”. Paul Harris wasn’t too happy at stage finish as there was some mix up over his time card at the stage 2 start and it unsettled the Convoy man.
PJ McDermott in 5th said. “I’m bedding in”. While Hugh Martin Doherty in equal 5th reported his Subaru to be sliding about a fair bit and also a little niggly problem with the brakes, nothing serious. Niall Maguire in 7th seemed to have settled down on that 2nd stage following a sleepy start.
Garry Jennings in 8th and leading group N hardened his suspension a couple of notches between stages 1 and 2 and is going to do a bit more work here at service. Andrew Stewart is another starting to settle down following his first stage baptism of fire in the left hand drive Octavia WRC.
Further stories included: Michael was being just too cautious in his new Lancer. Joe McHugh lost a few seconds with brake troubles on the first stage, felt that he hadn’t bedded in new pads well enough. Paul Gallagher came down from stage 2 with his Corolla engine making a very ominous clicking noise. Paul reckoned that there is a problem with the cam shaft and his rally could be run. Wesley Patterson set a good time on the opening stage but his blue Escort was beached on top of a pile of stones in the farmyard in stage 2.
Paddy White cut a square right corner too tight in stage 2, clicked a rock and has damaged something in the suspension of his Focus WRC. Cathal Rogers is settling down and is just outside the leaderboard on a total of 11.45, possibly 2nd in group N. Danny McBride in his Lancer is on 11.46, Danny finding it difficult to concentrate as his head is full of the cold! Seamus Heron’s Focus stopped at a square left in stage 2, just cut out for about 40s, and Seamus held up Damien Gallagher briefly costing Damien about 5s. Damien’s total is now 11.45, just 1s behind Gary McPhillips. Some other totals include: Camillus Bradley, still with a broken shock absorber on his Escort, 11.51. Brian Brogan 11.49. Robbie Peoples 11.59. Eugene Ferry 11.51. Brogan is having a small problem with his Escort’s throttle sensor.
More news later. BRIAN & LIZ PATTEERSON www.rallynews.net |
