RALLY NEWS NO.3       Monaghan/Service/Sunday 6pm

UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 2-(final stage)
1st (4) Peadar Hurson/Ian Porter (Celica) 15.59
2nd (2) Kenny McKfinstry/Emma McKinstry (Impreza) 16.01
3rd (3) Niall Maguire/Paul McLaughlin (Impreza) 16.15
4th (5) David Armstrong/Herbie Blackburn (Escort Cos) 16.39
5th (6) Trevor Cathers/Gordon Noble (Impreza N) 16.45
6th (8) Patrick Elliott/Martin Cahill (Impreza) 17.05
7th (10) Ivan Stewart/Joe Friel (Escort Cos) 17.12
8th (7) Tom Holton/Andrew Cullen (Celica) 17.28
9th (14) Maurice Moffett/Gavin Campbell (Peugeot rwd) 17.29
10th (15) Trevor Lancashire/Noel Hall (Escort) 17.35
11th (11) Mac McKenna/John Loughran (Peugeot rwd) 17.36
12th (42) Gordon Rogers/Philip McEntee (Escort) 17.44

This Monaghan Single Stage Rally may have been fore-shortened, but it was
nonetheless dramatic for that, with Peadar Hurson just pipping Kenny McKinstry by 2 seconds for victory.  Kenny told us here at the finish "I probably lost those few seconds going up the mountain when I had to lift off twice because of spectators who did not hear me coming. It was probably as a result of the big long break after the fire which caused the delay".  Peadar Hurson didn't miss his chance, the former National Champion who drives the ex Maurice Gass, ex Schwarz, Manx winning Celica, saying "We missed 2 gears at
the start of the stage but then I settled into a real flow. I went really
well and I'm delighted".  Niall Maguire was the highest placed Monaghan driver, Niall admitting to being just a fraction too cautious. David Armstrong had a better run through stage 2, following his earlier gearbox troubles, David pleased with his stage time, 15s up on his first attempt. 
Trevor Cathers did his usual brilliant job in the grp N Impreza to take 5th overall and win the category. Patrick Elliott rounds off the top 6, the Cavan man slightly disappointed with his stage 2 time. Although it was still fast, 11s better than his first run, Patrick said "I was going hard, I thought it would have been better".  There was a terrific battle for the class 13 honours - Mac McKenna looked a racing favourite going into the 2nd stage, but Maurice Moffett pulled out all the stops to get ahead of his rival by 7s.  Maurice said "We have a new engine in the car from John Donnelly, and we were really motoring that time, that was top class!"  We will have to wait for official results, but it looks as if Enda Keenan has won class 14. 

Other snippets include...Micky McArdle's BMW M3 stopping out on the stage, reason as yet unknown.  Mervyn Wedlock had a real good run through stage 2 and could possibly have moved up to 3rd in class 13 behind Moffett and McKenna, certainly ahead of Philip Shaw, whose engine still wouldn't run right through the 2nd stage.  Drivers just outside the leaderboard included Andrew Stewart in the gpN car with a total of 17.46, George Tracey, also in gpN, who finished on 17.50. James & Ann Foley in the Civic despite their
difficult differential, 17.51. Finally for now thanks to Paul Hughes and all at Monaghan MC for their help and to Niall Maguire and all the backers of the RallyNews service..

BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON

ã 2001 www.rallynews.net (Patterson Agencies). All rights reserved. Unauthorised duplication is a violation of applicable laws. 02/09/01 19:04

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