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RALLY NEWS NO.5 End of Molls Gap/Sunday 10.15
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 5 MOLLS GAP
1st (5) Steve Smith/Phil Spurge (Porsche 911) 46.39
2nd (8) Tom Randles/Sean Duggan (Escort Mk2) 47.10
3rd (63) Sean Lockyear/Chris Wood (Porsche 911) 47.28
4th (9) Russell Brookes/Sean Mullally (Sunbeam) 47.40
5th (3) Gareth Lloyd/Ian Oakey (Escort RS2000) 47.46
6th (56) Tommy Mason/Joe Dunne 9Escort) 47.56
7th (1) Ray Cunningham/Richard Hyland (Cooper S) 48.21
8th (47) Ray Hilliard/Senan Raggett (Escort) 48.44
9th (11) Frank Cunningham/Arron Forde (Escort) 48.53
10th (10) Joe & Gareth Connolly (Escort Mk) 49.02
At 08.15 on a stormy wet Sunday morning Molls Gap is a pretty daunting place, a real wake up call for the lead drivers in this Great Stuff Caterers Killarney Historic Rally. Ed Murphy in his Mk1 Escort should have been first over but there was no sign of him at stage finish. Denis Moynihan should have been 2nd through the Gap, but Denis and his co driver brother Dan reportedly crashed their Escort at Ladies View where there had been some re-surfacing work during the week. There was some gravel on the road there and also that awful new type of shiny black oily tar.
This left Steve Smith first to appear at the finish control down on the coast road out of Kenmare and he set a real good time in his red Porsche, although he was far from familiar with that road. Of all the Historics and Post Historics Tom Randles seems to have been quickest with a time of 14.16 in his Escort, with Sean Lockyear 1s back on 14.17. Lockyear’s Porsche was looking slightly the worse for wear at stage finish, co driver Chris Wood reported that they hit a deer a couple of kms into the stage and it went over the windscreen and roof. Then further into the stage Chris reported a huge 80mph 360 degree spin and Lockyear clicked the Porsche into 1st gear before the wheels stopped turning and they lost little time. Russell Brookes had a good run through the stage although he did make the comment “I’m feeling my age”. Russell is certainly having to battle with the Sunbeam and is finding the steering very heavy. Ray Hilliard had a spin and stalled in the stage. Ray Cunningham had a great run in his Mini Cooper and said at stage finish. “The engine works on the Sunday stages, this suits me well”. Ray was only 2s down on Randles.
Frank Cunningham in the Mk1 Escort remarked that he can never get Molls Gap stage right and is hoping for better things later on. Kieran O’Neill has stopped on the Gap his Kadett suffering a broken differential. Mike Doody’s Mini Cooper stopped on the narrow piece of the Gap towards the end. Noel Hurley in his Saab 99 had a broken gear linkage and was stuck in 2nd gear. Dessie McCartney admitted that his time for Molls wasn’t good at all, the car was jumping about all over the road. Kevin Flanagan had a good run in his Mini, his time 14.46 which should see him move up the leaderboard.
The overnight positions in the Modified category showed Kris Meeke leading by 8s from Phil Collins with Barry Meade 3rd a further 13s back. Then it was Fergus O’Meara 4th: Martin McGee 5th: Gary McPhillips 6th: Russell Brookes 7th: Brian Brogan 8th: Eugene Ferry 9th: Barry Ryan 10th: Kris Meeke changed the brakes on his Escort this morning before Molls Gap. Times coming in from Molls Gap show Phil Collins fastest of the Modifieds to move into the lead 8s up on Kris Meeke. Barry Meade who had been 3rd broke a wheel and dropped 7m so he’s right out of the picture. Martin McGee has moved up to 3rd ahead of Fergus O’Meara in 4th. Gary McPhillips is 5th and Russell Woods 6th. Wesley Patterson had been lying pretty far back following an electrical problem yesterday and he has lost another 5m on the Gap so he must be way back now.
On a sad note Russell Brookes told us at the end of Molls Gap that Tony Fall, one of the greats of British rallying for many years died suddenly of a heart attack during the night. We extend our deepest sympathy to his family and friends.
On Wales Rally GB the news from stage 15 Trawscoed is that Gareth Jones went off the road but then got going. Solberg had a puncture. Latvala was again fastest. Hirvonen leads from Gronholm with Loeb a very solid 3rd and heading for that 4th World Chanpion’s title.
More news later. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net (with thanks to Barry Meeke of stagetimes.com and Peter Murphy) |
