UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 1 – Slieveanorra

1^st (2) Derek McGarrity/Dermot O'Gorman (Impreza WRC) 8.06

2^nd (3) Robbie McGurk/David Moynihan (Impreza) 8.07

3^rd (1) Trevor Moore/Philip McCrea (Impreza WRC) 8.08

4^th (4) Denis Biggerstaff/Derek Brannigan (Metro 6R4) 8.24

5^th (6) Kevin Lynch/Martin McNicholl (Impreza WRC) 8.27

6^th (18) Kieran Shaw/Crawford Henderson (Escort WRC) 8.29

7^th (10) Maurice Gass/James McKee (Impreza WRC) 8.30

8^TH (16) David Greer/Brian Crawford (Corolla WRC) 8.31

9^TH (12) Raymond Johnston/Richard Bell (Evo 6 N) 8.34

10^TH (8) Dermot Kelly/John Brennan(Escort WRC) 8.40

11^th (17) Sean Devine/Damien Duffin (Impreza N) 8.42

12^th (15) Raymond Mason/Peter Martin (Impreza N) 8.46

There is a huge battle on between the top 3 cars on this Toshiba Mid Antrim Rally. Weather conditions here at Slieveanorra are fine, but heavy overnight rain has left the stages reasonably slippy. First on the road Trevor Moore broke into a very broad smile at stage finish, his first run in a Subaru Impreza WRC. The Greenisland man said "Glad that is all over, now I can enjoy it, the car is super to drive so it is." Derek McGarrity said "I feel a bit rusty, it’s a year since I was on the gravel, there is a lot to come". Interestingly Derek looked very relaxed before the start of the rally, but right and jumpy at the end of this first stage, obviously well screwed up. Robbie McGurk reported "We lost the intercom for a mile then it came back on, everything was alright, a good warm up". Fourth on the road Denis Biggerstaff told us "The car is fine, temperature OK, but I think it needs bled". Kevin Lynch reported no problems with his Subaru WRC, then it was Scottish visitor Neale Dougan next out of the stage, his time 9.11, the Ayr car dealer reporting "I wasn’t quick enough on the quick bits!"

Charleville man Dermot Kelly was next through in his Escort WRC, he reported no problems but felt the car moving about a bit and reckoned he had picked too wide a tyre. Kevin O’Kane recorded a time 8.48, no problems. Then it was Maurice Gass, the Armagh man saying "We broke sweat, the car’s 100 per cent".

In Group N Raymond Johnston was fastest of the early runners. Richard Hogg was on 8.49 and told of overshooting a hairpin, dropping a back wheel in a ditch and possible damage. When Johnston saw Hogg’s time 15s slower than his own, he said "It didn’t feel that good!"

First hearbreak of the rally was Kieran Shaw’s retirement. The KBB Doors man was 6^th fastest, but a disgusted Kieran reported "Steam and smoke from almost the start, no intercom from the first corner". Davy Greer in the Corolla WRC felt that he had perhaps cooked the clutch a little at the start line and felt it slipping a bit for the first mile. Raymond Mason had a good run, no problems. James Murphy’s Escort Cosworth had a damaged front bumper, testimony to a nose drive after a big jump. Keith White was very unhappy to be held up by Gerard McFaul for about a mile of the stage, Keith’s time was 8.57. Fastest 2 wheel drive so far was Andy Magee on 8.48. Mark Barnett was 9.03. Terry McMonigle cruised his Lancer into the finish of the stage, a broken gearbox meaning he was going no further.

More news later. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallyews.net