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RALLY
NEWS NO.6
Ballymena/Saturday 4pm
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 8
1st (3) Robbie McGurk/David Moynihan (Impreza) 35.23
2nd (1) Trevor Moore/Philip McCrea (Impreza WRC) 35.24
3rd (2) Derek McGarrity/Dermot O'Gorman (Impreza WRC) 35.32
4th (16) David Greer/Brian Crawford (Corolla WRC) 36.43
5th (10) Maurice Gass/James McKee (Impreza WRC) 36.56
6th (8) Dermot Kelly/John Brennan (Escort WRC) 37.23
7th (12) Raymond Johnston/Richard Bell (Evo 6 N) 37.29
8th (11) Richard Hogg/Mark Hanna (Evo 6 N) 37.44
9th (15) Raymond Mason/Peter Martin (Impreza N) 37.57
(17) Sean Devine/Damien Duffin (Impreza N) 37.57
The drivers reckoned that stage 8, Ballypatrick, was one of the roughest
they've ever driven - obviously the surface cut up badly on the first loop
of stages. Robbie McGurk changed to narrower tyres for the stage and
set a stunning time of 6.09. Trevor Moore was 6.13 and Derek McGarrity
6.14. McGurk started the stage 3s behind Trevor Moore so his big
charge brought him into the lead by 1s with 2 stages remaining. Robbie's
clutch problem is still there and he is having to just drive round the
lack of a clutch, hairpins posing a special problem. Derek McGarrity
reported that the start marshal warned them of big holes in the stage, but
it didn't prepare him for what was to come.
Dermot Kelly was another to switch on to narrower tyres and it certainly
paid off - he charged ahead of Raymond Johnston, although of course
Raymond is in a group N car and didn't set a particularly fast time
through stage 8. Richard Hogg was 9s faster and Raymond Mason 4s
faster. Sean Devine was a full 8s faster than Johnston.
Further times include - Kevin O'Kane lying just outside the leaderboard on
37.58. John Donnelly going nicely on 38.00. James Murphy 38.28.
Keith White 39.03. No times just yet for Andy Magee, we think he is
still ahead of White in the race for 2 wheel drive honours.
A further retirement is Malachy Donnelly & Wendy Blackledge - Omagh
man Malachy was leading his class into the Glenariff service but the car
needed the gearbox changed. There was a spare box there but the service
crew had too much to do on other cars to get It fitted.
On the last RallyNews we mentioned that the 2nd run through the Beaghs
stage was abandoned. The crews then had to go on to the alternative
road book to get from the end of Slieveanorra to service at Cushendun.
There was a different time allowance for this but some of the codrivers
missed this. There will almost certainly be some frustration at the
finish when road penalties are applied.
More news after last stage. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON (with thanks to
Michael)
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