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| Circuit of Kerry |
| RALLY NEWS No.1 - Tralee - Saturday @ 19:32:27 |
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RALLY NEWS NO.1 Carlton Hotel Tralee/Saturday evening
This weekend’s Tralee based Kerry Stages Rally has a stunning entry, with over 120 crews from all over Ireland making the trip to compete. It is local men Thomas Fitzmaurice/Fionn Foley in their Impreza WRC S12b who head the list though, on the strength of their victory here last year. However, when we spoke to Thomas just a few hours before the rally start he said. `We are in bother. I have just taken the Subaru for a run and there is a rattle in the gearbox. I do not know where that leaves us – 50/50.` Being a round of the Top Part West Coast Championship has helped the entry of course. For many of the crews it is a matter of escaping the snow that has affected large parts of the North to enjoy the hospitality plus the super stages here in Kerry.
Starting at No.2 is the Donegal crew of Declan and Brian Boyle in their Subaru. Declan and Brian are on the crest of a rally wave at the minute and won the recent Birr National Rally. Derek McGarrity was to be at No.3 but he is non-starting. Following a test last Thursday there was a glitch with the electronics on his Subaru and there was not enough time to re-programme the ECU. Reportedly Niall Maguire is in a similar situation and he is also non-starting. This is a shame for Niall as he leads the Top Part West Coast Championship following the opening round in Birr. Kenny McKinstry, Kevin Barrett and Donagh Kelly, all three in World Rally Subarus, all reported they are ready to go. Kenny is in an Impreza S14 this time and his co-driver Kenny Hull commented, `We had a twenty minute test outside Tralee, just to get the feel of it. It went well, some difference in this car, everything seems to happen that bit quicker!`
Alan Ring/Adrian Deasy in their GpN Lancer are at No.8. Frank Kelly/Stephen Quinn are at 9 in Frank’s Escort and Eugene Meegan/Jonathan Treanor round off the top 10 in their GpN Lancer Evo 9. Frank Kelly said, `We are all ready to rock and roll – confidence is high. Although we did do a quick diff check before we left home, and discovered the diff was ready to burst. Do not know how it finished West Cork. We have fitted a new experimental Elite diff. It is wild stiff, massive clunking and ratcheting, a big pre-load, but I am assured that is the way it is supposed to be`. Numbers 11 and 12 are non-starters, so next up is Shane Maguire at 14 in his GpN Impreza. Shane has every chance of moving into the lead of the Top Part here and he said as he tucked his Impreza into parc ferme at the Carlton Hotel, `All ok and ready to go`. John McQuaid is at 15 in his Escort. Seamus O`Connor is co-driving and his local knowledge could stand Monaghan man McQuaid in good stead. David Murphy is at 16 in his Escort. Frank Sweeney/Jane Cogan, 3rd o/a in the Top Part series last year, are at 17 in their Escort. Then Ed Synan, Charlie Hickey and Shay Power, all three in Escorts, round off the top 20.
Further non-starters include - Aidan Walsh (27): David Percy (29): Gerard McQuaid (38): Luke McCarthy (43). Some of the last-minute entries that will almost certainly be seeded up the field include Tom Randles (128), Brenda Cumiskey in his new Citroen DS3R3 (129), Colin Roche (130) and Thomas O`Keefe (131).
More news to follow. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net *Follow RallyNews on Twitter @Pacenotes or @Real_RallyNews
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