NATIONALS: After SS6: Terence O’Shaughnessy/Eugene McGrath (Corolla twin cam) 58.19: 2nd Manus Kelly/Donal Barrett (Escort) 58.26: 3rd Washington James/Anthony O’Conaill (Darrian) 58.27: 4th Kevin O’Donoghue/Joe O’Leary (Escort) 59.09
Through stages 5 and 6 Gareth MacHale piled on the pressure and was fastest through 5 by 3s from Eamonn Boland and then on stage 6 Eamonn fought back and was the quicker of the two by 1s. Eamonn did have a small gearbox glitch in stage 5 when he lost the number one ratio. He switched off all the electrics, switched them on again, and the gear selection had sorted itself. Gareth said. “We will go for a harder tyre on this loop and give it a real push. Its tight out there”. Aaron MacHale in 3rd place said. “The car is handling well, the stages are really well organised. I am enjoying this”.
Niall McShea continues to hold 4th o/a and lead group N, the former World Production Rally Champion looking very composed and in control as he arrived into service and told us. “Its getting better with every stage and we are continuing to make small adjustments with the new Subaru”. Niall has all sorts of support for this rally, one of the main sponsors being Dermot Hanafin of MIS, Motorsport Insurance Services. Liam McCarthy and Kieran Murphy are setting a very steady pace and hold 5th o/a in their Corolla. While Damien Tourish in 5th and 2nd group N told us that he has had the turbo changed on his Lancer but “she’s not herself”. Kevin Kelleher in 7th place and 3rd group N is thinking very much of the group N award on the Tarmac C/ship and is now being a small bit cagey, not being too ambitious in the times. Alan Ring said he has a few slight problems with his Lancer including a little brake fade but nothing too dramatic. Sean Flanagan/Brian Duggan are currently lying 11th and 6th in group N. They had clutch problems earlier and Dan Cashman and his team did a great job in changing the entire unit within service time.
Washington James lost the lead of the National rally when he slid his Darrian into a ditch in stage 6 on a tightening left and would like to thank the marshals for getting the car out. Terence O’Shaughnessy had a huge moment on a 3l 4r flat which wasn’t flat and somehow or another the Corolla stayed on the road. Terence is now leading the National section of the rally from Manus Kelly. Kelly’s yellow Mk2 Escort is minus the boot lid after smashing a rear corner. Andrew Bushe has retired his Saxo following gearbox troubles and Anthony O’Halloran has retired his Lancer, reason at the moment unknown. Tommy Doyle is lying 2nd in class 7 with his Clio, Tommy outgunned for top speed in relation to Guy Woodcock’s Escort Maxi. Dave Randles in the Almera is 3rd in that class and young Toni Kelly is 5th in her Civic. Toni is still on course for the class in the Tarmac c/ship but it is all very tight. In the Historic Rally Richard Hall in his Mk1 Escort is leading from Derek Boyd in his Porsche with Denis Moynihan 3rd in his Escort.
On the Bushwhacker Rally after 6 stages Connor McCloskey led from Sean Devine by 27s with Glenn Allen a further 8s back in 3rd. James Gillen was 4th. Neil McCance was 5th and leading GpN. Adrian Hetherington 6th and best 2wd. On Rally Yorkshire Keith Cronin/Greg Shinnors have got their Lancer up into 2nd o/a behind Guy Wilks and ahead of Mark Higgins. Interestingly the first 4 cars are all co driven by Irishmen!
