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RALLY
NEWS NO.6
Parc Ferme - Saturday 6pm
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 7 St.Angelo
1ST (2) Derek McGarrity/Chris Patterson (Impreza WRC) 32.51.3
2ND (4) Eugene Donnelly/Paul Kiely (Impreza WRC) 33.16.8
3RD (1) Austin MacHale/Brian Murphy (Impreza WRC) 33.18.9
4TH (3) Eamonn Boland/Damien Morrissey (Impreza WRC) 33.19.3
5TH (7) Andrew Nesbitt/James O'Brien (Impreza WRC) 33.26.5
6TH (9) Maurice Gass/Geoffrey Orr (Impreza WRC) 33.36.1
7TH (5) Peadar Hurson/Ian Porter (Impreza WRC) 34.11.7
8TH (20) Gareth Jones/Ryland James (Impreza) 34.36.7
9TH (8) Tim McNulty/Anthony Nestor (Impreza WRC) 34.42.8
10TH (11) Roy White/Greg Shinnors (Lancer N) 34.55.6
It's been a hectic first day on this Circuit of Ireland, Derek McGarrity
leading initially and then Andrew Nesbitt looked like he had moved into the
lead, but an alleged jump start on stage 4, St Angelo, knocked Tarmac Champion
Andrew back to 5th. The bottom line is that Andrew set a string of
fastest times, and if he maintains that momentum he will put the cars in front
under big pressure tomorrow. Derek McGarrity was fastest through stage 7, so
starts Day 2 with a 25s lead over Eugene Donnelly. Austin MacHale had
been 2nd but a spin and slight stall in stage 7, St. Angelo, knocked him back
to 3rd place. Donnelly was bubbling at day's end, his performance in the
Envirocare Impreza WRC pretty remarkable considering it is older than all the
cars around him.
Eugene did admit to a wrong tyre choice this morning and some problems with
his intercom that gave his confidence a bit of a knock, but he is certainly
back on top form now. Austin MacHale maintains he is very comfortable with his
pace, and looking at this event as a 3 day rally, very happy with his new
Pirelli backed Impreza.
Roy White has put up a terrific performance to lead the gpN category and hold
10th overall in his FESP Lancer. Seamus Leonard is 11th overall, 18s behind
his rival Roy. Dickie Curran is 12th overall, 3rd gpN, 5s behind Leonard.
Andrew Stewart is 13th, 4th in gpN. Raymond Johnston 14th, 5th gpN. Then
its Shaun Gallagher in 15th. Glyn Jones in 16th in the Impreza WRC and a
despondent Aaron MacHale in 17th, Aaron's Lancer not pulling well following
the change of engine just before the rally. Garry Jennings' retirement is
confirmed - it was down to gearbox problems. Keady's Glen Wilson has been
delayed with a broken driveshaft in his Peugeot but managed to scrape through.
English visitor Dermot Hanafin, on his first Irish tarmac rally, and driving
the ex David Higgins Rally of Wales winning Impreza, is having 3rd gear
problems, but otherwise going well. Mike Gibson is co driving, his first real
outing since damaging his back on last year's Dogleap Rally.
News from abroad…..unfortunately we hear that top Australian rally driver
Possum Bourne has been very seriously injured on a road section during a rally
recce yesterday in Australia. Our thoughts are with him.
More RallyNews in the morning. BRIAN AND LIZ PATTERSON
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