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RALLY
NEWS NO.3
Service-Saturday-1.45
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 3 Ballyreagh
1st (2) Derek McGarrity/Chris Patterson (Impreza WRC) 15.29.7
2nd (7) Andrew Nesbitt/James O'Brien (Impreza WRC) 15.30.3
3rd (1) Austin MacHale/Brian Murphy (Impreza WRC) 15.48.3
4th (3) Eamonn Boland/Damien Morrissey (Impreza WRC) 15.56.0
5th (4) Eugene Donnelly/Paul Kiely (Impreza WRC) 15.58.1
6th (9) Maurice Gass/Geoffrey Orr (Impreza WRC) 16.03.3
7th (5) Peadar Hurson/Ian Porter (Impreza WRC) 16.04.2
8th (8) Tim McNulty/Anthony Nestor (Impreza WRC) 16.22.0
9th (20) Gareth Jones/Ryland James (Impreza) 16.30.5
10th (11) Roy White/Greg Shinnors (Lancer N) 16.38.2
The battle at the front of this Circuit is very tight indeed - Derek McGarrity
made a brilliant start at St. Angelo and was 3.3s faster than Andrew Nesbitt.
On stage 2 Nesbitt was 0.1 of a second faster than McGarrity, and on stage 3
Nesbitt was again fastest, by 2.6s from McGarrity. Close stuff indeed.
McGarrity commented here at service "I was a wee bit cautious at the
chicane on stage 3, when it first came into view I thought it was a square
right square left, but it was much more sweeping. My fault".
Andrew Nesbitt said "This wee car's going well, obviously the new
technology has to be quicker, but we're trying to settle, we're getting there,
the rally is only starting". Third placed Austin MacHale observed
"This car is unreal, its my first time over the bumps and the Pirelli
tyres are so good I'm working up the commitment to the limit".
Eamonn Boland has moved into 4th now and reports no problems.
Eugene Donnelly in 5th said "Everything's fine, could do with more power,
it's a hot pace and as I predicted the quality of the machinery really
matters". Maurice Gass rounds off the top 6, Maurice saying
"Didn't really get into stage 3, thought we were going well, but the
times say different".
In Group N Roy White set a brilliant time through stage 3 to move ahead of
Seamus Leonard, Roy saying "We were going very hard". Leonard
commented "We had a massive moment on one of the jumps, if there's any
more seconds there I don't know where from". Roy White found them!!
Further stories include - Raymond Johnston up to 12th now and 3rd in gpN.
Garry Jennings 13th, co driver Gordon Noble keeping a tight rein on young
Garry through his home territory. Gareth Jones is still learning a bit about
Irish tarmac, but going very well, co driver Ryland James saying "We were
still in the air for a braking point into turn square left, so he's
learning!" Tim McNulty is starting to speed up despite a recalcitrant
gear change and one big moment when he was heading for a medium left but the
car was going medium right. More news later. BRIAN AND LIZ PATTERSON
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