RALLY NEWS NO.7                      Dromhall Hotel Finish/Sunday 5pm

UNOFFICIAL HISTORIC LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 9 Kilmakilloge
1st (2) Dessie Nutt/Geraldine McBride (Porsche 911) 1.38.19
2nd (6) Steve Smith/Phil Spurge (Porsche 911) 1.39.16
3rd (9) Mervyn Johnston/Richard Hyland (Mini Cooper) 1.41.20
4th (38) Mark I'Anson/Graham Walker (Porsche) 1.44.32
5th (44) Les Allfrey/Kevin Devine (Mini) 1.45.18
6th (41) John Golden/Gary McElhinney (Mini) 1.48.31

UNOFFICIAL POST HISTORIC LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 9
1st (87) Jim McRae/Paul Gullick (Porsche 911) 1.35.12
2nd (12) Todd Falvey/Dan Barry (Porsche 911) 1.39.33
3rd (24) Kevin Flanagan/Adrian Parry (Mini) 1.40.11
4th (5) Joe Connolly/Gareth Connolly (Escort) 1.41.02
5th (32) Craig MacWilliam/John O'Reilly (Escort) 1.41.05
6th (22) Chris Browne/Ali Cornwell (Escort) 1.41.53

UNOFFICIAL CLASSIC LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 9
1st (91) Dessie Keenan/Enda Sherry (Escort) 1.32.45
2nd (95) Dave Slattery/Ger Somers (Escort) 1.32.56
3rd (90) Pat Donegan/Damian Garvey (Escort) 1.33.32
4th (103) Pat Bonar/Don Montgomery (Escort) 1.34.13
5th (88) James Coleman/Owen O'Neill (Escort) 1.34.38
6th (162) Liam Wall/Denis O'Mahony (Escort) 1.34.44

Dessie Nutt & Geraldine McBride rounded off a superb rally year by taking a start to finish victory in the Historic section of this Killarney Rally. Their Porsche 911 never missing a beat throughout.  Frank Cunningham had held 2nd earlier on in his Mini Cooper, but then went into a ditch on the 2nd visit to the Cods Head stage, dropped to 3rd behind Steve Smith, and then retired completely when he put the Mini off the road again in stage 8.  This left Steve Smith and co driver Phil Spurge a relatively easy cruise to runner up spot in their Porsche 911.  Mervyn Johnson, as ever, turned in a great performance to take 3rd in his newly built Mini Cooper S. 
In the Post Historic category, Jim McRae, co driven by Pauline Gullick, in the Tuthill prepared and Remax Killarney & Kenmare backed Porsche, turned in a truly professional brilliant performance to win.  The Scotsman, 7 times a Circuit of Ireland winner, said. "As ever, a great rally, some of the nicest tarmac stages in the world, the weather was a bit dodgy today, but I really enjoyed it".  Todd Falvey drove a quietly accomplished rally to come into 2nd in a similar Porsche to McRae's. While Kevin Flanagan was quite astonished to finish 3rd after early problems. English visitor Chris Browne, with the irrepressible Ali Cornwell on the pace notes, looked a certainty for 2nd in the Post Historics, but their Escort sustained a puncture at the start of stage 8 Tim Healy. They had to stop and change it, and the resulting time loss dropped them to 6th. 

In the Classics, Dessie Keenan and co driver Enda Sherry were really the class act of the day. It all nearly went wrong in stage 8 when their black Escort threw a water pump belt off. Amazingly Dessie had a spare in the car and enough of a lead that he was able to stop, change the belt, continue unabated and win the category.  Pat Donegan survived earlier handling problems with his Escort to take 2nd. Dave Slattery did well to bring his Escort into 3rd on his local ground.  Another late retirement was West Wales Rally Spares boss Gareth Lloyd & co driver Ryland James, their Escort damaged a track control arm on the Tim Healy and they were forced to call it a day.  Finally for now, well done to CoC Tim Clifford and his wife Rachel, plus all the hard working officials of the club for putting another great event. Thanks to the Randles family for their hospitality at the hotel, and thanks also to all the sponsors of the RallyNews.
BRIAN & LIZ PATTESON www.rallynews.net

             

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