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RALLY NEWS NO.2 Loughguile – Saturday 12.30
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 1 SLIEVEANORRA
1st (65) Sean Devine/Damien Duffin (Impreza WRC) 6.29
2nd (2) Stephen Moore/Tony McHugh (Focus WRC) 6.33
3rd (6) Richard Hogg/Mark Hanna 9Octavia WRC) 6.45
4th (3) Raymond Johnston/Richard Bell (Impreza WRC) 6.49
5th (1) Glenn Allen/Damien Connolly (Corolla WRC) 6.51
6th (8) Kevin O'Kane/Martin Brady (Impreza WRC) 6.53
7th (19) David Crossen/Andrew Bushe (Lancer N) 6.54
8th (4) John & Mandy McKeown (Esc.Cos) 6.59
(5) James Murphy/Tommy Speers (Escort WRC) 6.59
10th (67) Paul Britton/Martin McGarrity (Impreza N) 7.00
BREAKING NEWS….. Stephen Moore out braked himself in Ballypatrick and his Focus is in a ditch, undamaged, but going no further which hands the NI championship to Glenn Allen. After stage 3 Sean Devine had been 5s up on Moore with Richard Hogg 19s back in 3rd. Raymond Johnston 4th and Glenn Allen 5th.
Sean Devine was fastest over the opening stage and although there were clear bright blue skies it was damp under foot and surprisingly Sean almost beat the bogey, being just 1s away. He commented at stage finish. “The engine has just been done up and it seems a bit light on power”. An observing Derek McGeehan said. “Its maybe just a bit tight after the overhaul”. Glenn Allen was next along, Glenn out in his own car again and he said at stage finish. “It just didn’t feel right, very uncomfortable”. This was reflected in Glenn’s time, a full 18s down on his NI championship rival Stephen Moore. Interestingly Sean Devine could be doing Glenn a favour if he keeps up this speed and wins the rally, as it means that Glenn can still finish 3rd and take the title. As for Stephen Moore, he seemed to be wired to the moon at stage finish. He certainly had no problem in the stage but seemed a bit over excited!
Raymond Johnston spun and stalled his Impreza just after the stage start and was also having some trouble with his Subaru paddle gear change. John McKeown lost it a couple of times in the stage, big slides, but still did OK. James Murphy clipped a front wheel against a chicane but got away with it. Richard Hogg reported that his Skoda was on its nose a couple of times over the big jumps. Colm McFall had a few wee moments but nothing too scary. Kevin O’Kane also reported a good run and thought the stage was great.
Eoin McErlean was the first group N car through. Eoin was having some set up problems with the rear differential on his PRH Construction Lancer, and seemed to have that fairly well sorted. Andrew Purcell is out for the first time in a Kenny McKinstry WRC car, a 99 model which he has just bought, and found the car very soft and bottoming out on the jumps. Martin Cairns has at long last got the differentials working in his Impreza and found it very different. Cairns’ time was 7.10, Purcell 7.03 and McErlean 7.06. Fastest group N car through the stage was David Crossen but Lancer radiator was boiling at stage finish, and also the clutch mechanism was broken so whether he will be able to keep going remains to be seen.
Howard Clarke was marooned 300 yards from the stage finish when his Lancer steering column sheared off the dash. He was able to struggle eventually to stage finish but dropped several minutes. Kieran Graffin also stopped in the stage, his GpA Lancer going on fire. Brian Dowey was unable to start his Escort Cosworth breaking its power steering pump. Martin Carey was slowed through the stage his Escort Cosworth seemingly off a cylinder. Alan Carmichael found the jumps in Slieveanorra a bit of a culture shock and he was back in 24th place and going well. In the 1400 category which is running ahead of the main rally Jonny Greer was setting the pace from young Oran Donnelly in his rear wheel drive Fiesta with Barry Greer 3rd.
More news later. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net |
