RALLY NEWS NO.6 Green Glens Service Millstsreet/Surday
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 8
1st (1) Daragh O`Riordan/Tony McDaid (Fiesta WRC) 1.26.49.4
2nd (3) Keith Cronin/Marshall Clarke (Citroen DS3R5) 1.27.29.8
3rd (8) Declan Gallagher/Ryan Moore (Starlet rwd) 1.33.49.6
4th (22) Stephen Wright/Mike Galvin (Peugeot 208R2) 1.34.50.6
5th (25) Cal McCarthy/Eamonn Dullea (Civic) 1.36.38.5
6th (34) Callum Devine/Patrick McCrudden (Fiesta R2) 1.35.58.4
7th (33) Martin Donnelly/Brian Doherty (Corolla WRC) 1.36.25.4
8th (27) Stephen Carey/Ella Ryan (Civic) 1.36.32.5
9th (16) Brian O`Keefe/Sean Hayde (Impreza N) 1.36.47.1
10th (29) Kevin Eves/Chris Melly (Peugeot 208R2) 1.36.57.0
The opening stage this morning, Caherbarnagh, was damp and slippy in patches. Daragh O`Riordan was fastest in his Fiesta WRC. Josh Moffett crashed out of 3rd o/a and the Group N lead. When the cars arrived in here to Millstreet service rally leader O`Riordan told us. `We had a good enough run, it was grand. I did not think we went that well but the time was good. The road was very slippy and damp in patches`. Keith Cronin said. `As I expected we were on the limiter for long periods. This new car is not geared for that type of stage`.
Josh Moffett/John Rowan put their Lancer off the road into a wall at a very muddy slippery junction. Josh has already won the GpN category in the Tarmac Championship. The only driver who could have deprived him of the title was Stephen McCann. His Lancer suffered broken steering and an accident yesterday. So, Josh did not have to finish the rally to clinch the title but it certainly was not in the plan to crash out and lose an almost certain 3rd overall as well as the group N win. Josh`s brother Sam retired his Fiesta WRC on the final Saturday stage. The reason has been confirmed as a broken differential.
Brian O`Keefe would appear now to be leading GpN in his Subaru and he said after this morning`s first stage. `Just tipping away, enjoying it`. Declan Gallagher continues to lead the National category and when he finished the stage this morning he said. `We are under no pressure`. Cal McCarthy clipped the rear suspension of his Civic at the same corner where Josh went off and hopes to get it straightened here at service. Richard Tannahill slid into the scenery at the same location as Moffett`s accident and he has damaged the rear beam of his Peugeot 208 and may not be able to continue. Kevin Eves dropped time this morning when his Peugeot went off a cylinder. Mark Nangle is up to 8th in the National and said that first stage was his most enjoyable one of the rally, possibly because he was running just the right tyres for the conditions.
News in from the McRae Stages Rally yesterday is that Duns man Euan Thorburn won the event in his Focus WRC which means he wins the Scottish Championship. David Bogie put his new R5+ Fiesta off the road. David Stokes won the Historic section in his Escort and Stanley Orr was 3rd in his Mk1.
Here at the Green Glens service-park there is a Rally Experience open to all during today. RallyExperience.com has supplied 5 rally cars and for €20 it is possible to have a proper run in a rally car over the 1.1km stage laid out at the bottom of the service area.
More news later: BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net (With thanks to Angus Sealy) *Follow RallyNews on Twitter @Pacenotes or @Real_RallyNews
