RALLY NEWS NO.6          Smerwick Harbour Hotel/Finish/Sunday 6.30
www.rallynews.net

UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 8 (last stage)
1st (4) Donie O'Sullivan/Paul Nagle (Focus WRC)  59.04
2nd (1) Niall Maguire/Paul McLaughlin (Impreza WRC)  59.26
3rd (2) Jim Harrison/Harvey Bell (Impreza WRC)  1.00.11
4th (21) Ray Breen/Andrew Purcell (Impreza WRC) 1.00.43
5th (14) JJ Fleming/Robbie Ward (Impreza WRC) 1.01.07
6th (5) Kevin Lynch/Francis Regan (Impreza WRC) 1.01.19
7th (7) Adrian McElvaney/Paul Goodman (Impreza WRC) 1.01.22
8th (29) Gabriel Martin/Mark Kane (Lancer N) 1.02.46
9th (19) Cathal Arthurs/Jakes Kelly (Accent WRC) 1.02.53
10th (27) Willie Fannin/Richard Price (Impreza N) 1.02.59

Donie O'Sullivan made no mistakes over the last 2 stages of this Kerry Rally.  He was massively quicker than anyone else through stage 7, Brandon Creek. On stage 8 it was Niall Maguire who was fastest, Donie 2nd fastest, his rally already won.  Co-driven by Paul Nagle this is 2 wins in a row for the pair and their Focus WRC, with their sights firmly set on next weekend's Circuit of Ireland.  Donie commented "It was a perfect day, and a perfect end for a test session, 100 percent. We needed the mileage and we got it, and I'm finding the car easier to drive all the time. It was a great rally."  Second placed Niall Maguire said. "We drove hard at the end, kept the speed up , kept the concentration".  Early leader Jim Harrison lost any chance of a win with that stage 3 accident, but he still kept trying to the end, but unfortunately picked slick dry weather tyres for the final loop.  Overshot a junction and knew there was no chance of catching Maguire for 2nd.  Ray Breen was held up by another car but still managed 4th overall.  JJ Fleming in 5th said that he took it steady through the day, was conservative in his tyre choice, happy to get miles done in the new car.  Sixth placed Kevin Lynch, on his first visit here to Kerry, said. "Good experience, it's the start of the championship, I've got the picture now, I need to get the pace up". 

Last minute stories include - Liam McCarthy slowed through the last stage, his Corolla WRC filled up with smoke, co driver Kieran Murphy reckoning it was a differential problem. George Cullen was 8th going into the final stage, but his ex Bertie Fisher Impreza 555 stopped on the start of stage 8, Slea Head, with suspected rear suspension problems.


Andrew Stewart led group N for most of the day, but ripped a front tyre off on a Slea Head bridge, dropped well over a minute, which allowed Gabriel Martin to win group N, with Willie Fannin 2nd in his Subaru, Andrew Stewart 3rd.  Peter Clifford had been right in the hunt but his Lancer broke its gearbox on the last stage. With just a few miles to go John Rooney was leading the 2 wheel drive category in his BMW. Anthony O'Halloran was lucky to make the finish in his Manta, the rear differential screaming its head off.  Finally for now very well done to Richard & Ann Talbot and all at the club, and indeed everyone else who worked so hard to make the rally a success, and our thanks to all who helped and supported the RallyNews service. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON       www.rallynews.net 

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TC