| RALLY NEWS NO.7 Killarney/Sunday 4.45
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 13 – Kilmacilloge/final stage
Historic Top Three:-
1st Ray Cunningham/Richard Hyland (Mini Cooper S) 2.19.18
2nd Mervyn Johnston/Wendy Blackledge (Mini Cooper S) 2.27.50
3rd Philip Wylie/John Young (MGB) 2.30.50
Post Historic Top Three:-
1st Steve Smith/Phil Spurge (Porsche 911) 2.13.36
2nd Ed Murphy/Shane Devane (Ford Escort Mk1) 2.16.45
3rd Sean Lockyear/Chris Wood (Porsche 911) 2.17.33
Classic Top Three:-
1st Gareth Lloyd/Ian Oakey (Ford Escort RS2000) 2.14.23
2nd Vincent Frontinan/Derek Power (Ford Escort) 2.29.07
3rd Russell Brookes/Sean Mullally (Sunbeam Lotus) 2.49.32
Modifieds Top Three:-
1st Phil Collins/Adrian Deasy (Ford Escort Mk2) 2.07.45
2nd Martin McGee/Arthur Kierans (Ford Escort Mk2) 2.08.12
3rd Gary McPhillips/Enda Sherry (Ford Escort Mk2) 2.09.41
Juniors Top Two:-
1st Conor Collins/Timmy Foley (Ford Escort) 2.05.49
2nd Paul McMahon/Derek Butler (Ford Escort) 2.06.46
Last minute dramas included Tom Randles breaking the front suspension on his Escort on the Ardgroom stage 9, the car then hit a pole and blocked the road for some following cars. Russell Brookes’ Lotus Sunbeam suffered broken throttle cables on the 2nd run over the Tim Healy and he lost quite a lot of time but was able to keep going. The throttle broke again, and the wipers but Russell and his co driver Sean Mullally made it through, exhausted and very wet! Stephen Potts, the UAC Chairman, retired his Escort at the start of Tim Healy when he discovered a front ball joint was damaged. Gary McPhillips is reportedly delayed on the penultimate stage and is getting some welding work done to the axle of his Escort.
Steve Smith had a rear brake seize slightly when a stone got jammed in it and also had a suspension strut mounting come loose on his Porsche. In overall terms Steve Smith and his co driver Phil Spurge had a great drive. Steve found it a real tough rally but very enjoyable. Ray Hilliard is having 3rd gear problems with his Escort. Sean Lockyear was on his first visit to this event and he was absolutely amazed at how good it was, but also how tough.
Ray Cunningham’s Mini Cooper had the radiator boil dry on Tim Healy. Ray changed the water pump gasket at service filled the radiator with water and was amazed that it all held together. Ray’s Mini then had clutch troubles but he kept it all together and this Historic victory for Ray and co driver Richard Hyland will perhaps make up a little for last year when they were pipped on the post by Dessie Nutt. Tommy Mason’s Escort was suffering a bad misfire over the last couple of stages and he was struggling to keep it going. Mervyn Johnston and his co driver Wendy Blackledge really struggled to get their Mini Cooper to the finish. A rear suspension arm broke on the Tim Healy and the Mini had a massive list for many miles. Gareth Lloyd & Ian Oakey had a brilliant run in their West Wales Rally Spares Escort to win the Classic section
Finally for now well done to all the drivers and co drivers who battled through such tough stages in very difficult weather conditions. Particular congratulations to all the award winners. Our thanks to all who supported and helped with the Rally News. Thanks as well to Brian & Linda from Great Stuff Caterers for looking after us so well. Well done to Tim & Rachel Clifford and all their team for putting on such an ambitious event.
BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net |
