RALLY NEWS NO.4
Service/Clonakilty/Saturday 2.30
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 4
Clogagh
1st (4) Denis Cronin/Helen
O'Sullivan (Impreza WRC) 32.10.1
2nd (3) Liam
McCarthy/Kieran Murphy (Impreza WRC) 32.12.9
3rd (5) Donal
O'Donovan/John O'Rahilly (Celica) 32.27.3
4th (8) Steve
Fleck/Mark Aspinall (Impreza WRC) 32.36.5
5th (24) Ashley
Field/Janice Holley (Darrian) 32.43.9
6th (12) Tony
Davies/Jakes Kelly (Impreza WRC) 32.49.8
7th (11) John
Dalton/Gwynfor Jones (Darrian) 32.55.3
8th (7) Bob
Fowden/Jerry Hynes (Impreza WRC) 33.11.4
9th (6) JJ
Fleming/Robbie Ward (Focus WRC) 33.18.3
10th (10) Phil
Collins/Derek Brannigan (Escort) 33.23.6
Liam McCarthy was almost 8s faster
than Denis Cronin through stage 3, the Ring, and then on stage 4
Cronin was 5s faster than McCarthy to move back into the lead by
just over 2s. Interestingly, the fastest man of all through stage
4 was Tony Davies, and he was 2nd fastest overall
through stage 3, behind McCarthy, but quicker than Cronin. So
Milton Keynes man Davies has posted his intentions loud and
clear.
When McCarthy was asked
about his earlier engine trouble, he said it is a bit of a
mystery, although the car did run very hot, and it is a
possibility that the ECU was trying to click into “safe mode”.
The McKinstry mechanics bled the cooling system at last service,
the car ran well through 3 and 4, but Liam is trying to save it as
best he can. Denis Cronin felt that he went OK, but for some
reason he is just not cracking the Ring stage. When Tony Davies
was asked what had suddenly made the difference, he said it was
just a matter now of the car going properly, which it hadn’t been
earlier. Donal O’Donovan set 2 good times through stages 3 and 4,
his Celica brakes now seemingly much better, Donal getting into
his stride. JJ Fleming was 4th after the first stage,
and then he had the accident in stage 2. He is getting his
confidence back and the times are improving. Nigel Hicklin had
intercom problems through stage 4. He had been in the top 10, but
is just outside it now on 33.33.5. Having said that, there is a
little confusion about his stage 4 time.
Steve Fleck is also
disputing a time – on stage 2 the results are showing him on
10.02.4, Steve reckons it was 9.02.4. No doubt this will be
resolved later on. For the moment it means that Steve is either 4th
or 11th!!
James O’Sullivan continues
to lead group N very convincingly, but the 023 Tiles man told us
there could be problems on his horizon, as his lancer engine is
starting to use some water. Gabriel Martin seems to have got the
handling of his GpN Impreza sorted out and he set good times
through stages 3 and 4. On stage 3 he was just 0.7 of a second
slower than O’Sullivan. O’Sullivan’s total is now 33.37.1.
Gabriel Martin is on 34.20.2. Kevin O’Donoghue’s suspension also
seems a bit better now and his total is 34.40.3. Mark Morgan,
also in gpN, 34.02.2. PJ McGrath 34.11.4.
Local brothers Kevin &
Martin Kelleher just took delivery of a Mike Brown prepared Lancer
last night, they are out for the first time in 4 wheel drive, and
they are coming on to the pace very well, total 34.15.6.
In the 2 wheel drive
category Ashley Field continues to set the pace, even though his
white Darrian arrived into service plastered in mud following a
trip into a Clogagh ditch. John Dalton is another going very
hard in his Darrian. Phil Collins in the Escort reports no
problems, but he is driving his heart out trying to hold on to the
2 Darrians in front. Gwyndaf Evans isn’t hanging about in his
Escort, his total 33.58.0. Gwyndaf joking. “My only real trouble
is old age!” Willie Power is going nicely on 33.49.0 in his
Darrian. Dave Slattery dropped over 4 minutes when the ECU fell
out of his Escort’s dash. Martin Daly lost a bit of time when his
Escort’s hand brake stuck on, co driver Deirdre wasn’t a bit
pleased! Wesley Patterson’s Escort is running too rich and
belching black smoke. Peter Lloyd is having a good run in his
Impreza WRC, the Welshman saying. “I’m having a wonderful time,
the stages are fabulous, but I’d love a fag!”
More news later. BRIAN &
LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net
