RALLY NEWS NO.7 Marine Hotel Glandore/Finish/Sunday 5.30

UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 8 – last stage
1st (2) Ray Breen/Andrew Purcell (Focus WRC) 1.15.26
2nd (3) Denis Cronin/Helen O'Sullivan (Impreza WRC) 1.15.29
3rd (5) Patrick Elliott/Martin Cahill (Impreza WRC) 1.17.38
4th (7) Melvyn Evans/Sean Mullally (Impreza WRC) 1.17.39
5th (11) Michael Curran/Fabian McShane (Lancer N) 1.19.26
6th (10) Nigel Hicklin/Damien Connolly (Impreza WRC) 1.20.22
7th (15) Kevin & Martin Kelleher (Lancer N) 1.20.42
8th (153) Dickie Curran/Killian Duffy (Lancer N) 1.20.52
9th (14) James O'Sullivan/Adrian Deasy (Lancer N) 1.21.09
10th (6) Kevin Barrett/Barry Goodman (Impreza WRC) 1.21.25

There was quite a grandstand finish to this Fastnet Rally with West Cork man Denis Cronin going into the final loop of stages with a slender lead, his Subaru looking on for possible victory. New Dunlop National Champion Ray Breen had other ideas and powered his Focus WRC through the final 2 stages in a fantastic flurry of speed to win the rally. This has capped a tremendous season for Waterford man Breen and he was ecstatic when he brought his Ford into the finish of the final Corran Lake stage. Ray almost whooped when he climbed out of the car and said. “That was spot on, one hundred per cent, we tried bloody hard. It was a fantastically enjoyable rally, very technical, very demanding. It was great to get the end. Of all the drivers who have pushed me hard this season no one has pushed harder than Denis Cronin”. Denis himself, the 023 Tiles Champion for this year, looked ever so slightly downcast when he said. “We backed off just too much, we had a good run but I was too cautious, it was my own fault”.

It was still a fantastic performance from Cronin. This is Ray Breen’s old car that he drives, it doesn’t have the speed of the newer machinery so it was a pretty stunning performance over the streaming wet roads at times today. There was drama as well for 3rd place with Welshman Melvyn Evans looking good to take the last podium spot, but it wasn’t to be, he was pipped on the post by the hard trying Patrick Elliott. Evans’ co driver Sean Mullally admitted. “It was my fault, I turned 2 pages of pace notes, the sun was in my eyes coming over the mountains and in the split second that I realised we were going into a 9 left when the notes said it should be a 9 right I knew I’d got it wrong. It took me to the next junction to get myself sorted and it was just too much.” Having said that it was a very close result. Patrick Elliott said. “I’m happy enough, the gearbox trouble this morning cost me a lot, we were 49s faster on the 2nd loop which shows how much time we lost”.

Michael Curran brought his group N Lancer into 5th place overall as well as winning the gpN category and on the Dunlop National Championship for which he receives the Patterson RallyNews Award. 25 year old Michael, with Donegal man Fabian McShane on the pace notes, has emerged has one of the most promising driving talents of the year. Michael, who works in his father Dickie’s transport company, commented. “It was a great day, we enjoyed it. Pushed very hard this morning and everything just worked perfectly”. Behind Curran Nigel Hicklin took 6th place despite gearbox trouble at the end. Kevin Kelleher took 7th, won gpN in the 023 Tiles championship and was provisionally 2nd o/a in that series. Kevin was 2nd Group N here today as well just pipping Michael Curran’s father Dickie at the post. Kevin Barrett was 9th in his new Impreza WRC S9, Kevin saying. “It was a really hard day, trying to judge the pace, get used to the new car and most of all get it to the finish of the rally to take 3rd in the Dunlop series”.

Just outside the top we have James O’Sullivan in 11th. Outgoing GpN National champion Willie Fannin in 12th, Willie slowed all day with gear stick trouble. Tadgh Linehan came into 13th, Tom Randles 14th and Alan Ring 15th. Ken O’Neill battled back to win cl.6 despite 4th gear problems with Keith Power 2nd. Finally for now well done to Donnchadha Hayes the clerk of the course of the rally and all his hard working team. Thanks to Sean & Teresa O’Brien from the Marine Hotel, and to Martin Walsh and all who helped with the RallyNews.

BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net
Associate Rally sponsor – Irish Yogurts