Rally leader Kris Meeke extended his lead to ten seconds over Kenny McKinstry after the fourth stage. Kris was half a second slower than stage three as the heavy showers have made the park very very slippy, Kris telling us at the stage finish “it was a lot wetter that time but we are still on the same tyre that we started with this morning so it can not be a bad choice”. Kenny McKinstry went half a second quicker than his stage three time and he was very pleased with his run. Kenny would know as he is the expert here. Derek McGarrity was crest fallen at the stage finish having dropped over ten seconds to the leaders and effectively ruling himself out of a victory in the park today. Derek shook his head and explained “I had a big overshoot – in the gravel car park – onto the bales, what can I say”.
Garry Jennings and Kerry McCarter equalled their stage three time and was only three seconds down on Kenny McKinstry and Gary quipped “that is consistency for you”. Former Lurgan Park sponsor Kevin Barratt is still setting good times in the Triton Subaru but reckons that was as slippy a stage as he has ever done in Lurgan Park but also admitted that it was great fun.
Stuart Biggerstaff and his bubbling co driver Danny O’Carroll are really getting to grips with the family 6R4, Stuart told us “I am starting to get the hang of it – this is still a very fast car” and proved this with a time off 2.17.3 which was third fastest overall in what is now a pretty old machine.
Mark Doyle was another one struggling for grip in his Celica and he had a pretty big overshoot at the bridge dropping him ten seconds on his previous time over the stage. Alan Carmichael with Donegal rally winning co driver Neil Doherty co driving alongside had a big moment when his McKinstry Impreza got onto the grass.
In GpN Andrew Mullan still leads the category but he clipped a bale and has bent the steering on his Lancer. Also out of luck is Mark Massey who broke a rear draft shaft on his Lancer. Paddy McVeigh in the Todd’s Leap Impreza is now into second in GpN.
More news later … Michael & Zoe Patterson
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