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RALLY NEWS NO.4 End of stage 3/Saturday 1.30
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 3 – GRIANAN 2
1st (1) Gareth MacHale/Craig Parry (Focus WRC) 15.38
2nd (5) Derek McGarrity/Diarmuid Falvey (Impreza WRC) 15.50
3rd (2) Tim McNulty/Eugene O'Donnell (Impreza WRC) 15.52
4th (6) PJ McDermott/Sean Harris (Impreza WRC) 16.12
5th (3) Paul Harris/John McElhinney (Corolla WRC) 16.17
(8) Hugh M Doherty/Michael McBride (Impreza WRC) 16.17
7th (7) Niall Maguire/Enda Sherry (Impreza WRC) 16.33
8th (11) Garry Jennings/Rory Kennedy (Lancer N) 16.46
9th (12) Andrew Steward/Paddy Robinson (Octavia WRC) 17.04
10th (9) Michael Curran/Fabian McShane (Lancer N) 17.08
Tim McNulty speeded up somewhat through stage 3 but still had to give best to Gareth MacHale by 2s. Derek McGarrity was 3rd fastest. Michael Curran and Garry Jennings tied on the stage time but Garry still has the edge in overall group N terms.
Gareth MacHale had a little intercom problem in that 3rd stage, Gareth thought that the lead perhaps came loose after one of the big jumps but at least he was a lot happier with the grip level and handling of his Focus. Tim McNulty said his car was a bit better but “I’ll just have to work a bit harder”. Derek McGarrity reckoned he had gone for too soft a compound tyre, otherwise everything was fine.
PJ McDermott was very much on his home stage through Grianan and certainly he set a good time but was still 2s down on McGarrity. Paul Harris was sweating hard at stage finish and said. “The car just won’t go any quicker but getting good grip”. Niall Maguire in 7th place reported no problems. Hugh Martin Doherty in equal 5th reckoned he messed up the launch control sequence and lost a few seconds but then had a good stage. Andrew Stewart is gradually coming on to the pace with his hired Octavia WRC and joked at stage finish that at one point he was going to ask his mother to drive it, she probably could have done a better job than he was doing!
On our last Rally News were reported on Garry Jennings planning to stiffen the suspension on his Lancer, he reckons that he has gone too far now, that the car is too hard for the bumps and he will notch it back at next service. Cathal Rogers is still 3rd in group N behind Jennings and Curran, Cathal said that it was going better but that he is still not committed enough under braking. Danny McBride is 6s down on Rogers and 4th in group N. Danny a little bit frustrated that he can’t just go that extra wee bit.
In the battle of the Mk2 Escorts Camillus Bradley seems to have stepped up the pace and was fastest of the Fords through stage 3 with a time of 5.26. Damien Gallagher, Rodney Wilton and Gary McPhillips all stopped the clocks on 5.30. Gary McPhillips would seem to have the edge in overall terms with a total of 17.14. Camillus Bradley, now with a new shock absorber fitted to the rear of his Escort, is on 17.17. Damien Gallagher 17.15: Brian Brogan 17.22: Joe McHugh in the Escort Cosworth running in cl15 is on a total of 17.22.
More news later. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net |
