RALLY NEWS No.8 - Gort Service - Sunday @ 12:07:58
RALLY NEWS NO.8 Gort-Service-Sunday
UNOFFICIAL INT. LEADERBOARD AFTER STASGE 9 Brady`s Yard
1ST (4) Donagh Kelly/Kevin Flanagan (Focus WRC) 49.42.2
2nd (3) Eugene Donnelly/Paul Kiely (BMW Mini WRC) 50.29.4
3rd (5) Sam Moffett/Karl Atkinson (Fiesta WRC) 50.30.5
4th (7) Josh Moffett/John Rowan (Fiesta WRC) 51.06.8
5th (1) Declan & Brian Boyle (Impreza WRC) 52.37.2
6th (6) Dean Raftery/Mark Kane (BMW Mini WRC) 53.18.4
UNOFFICIAL NAT. L/BOARD AFTER STAGE 9
1st (8) Declan Gallagher/Ryan Moore (Starlet rwd) 53.14.5
2nd (21) Liam Howlett/John McGrath (Escort) 55.11.9
3rd (19) Mickey Conlon/Ciaran McPhillips (Escort) 55.26.1
4th (82) John & Thomas Lynch (Escort) 55.30.3
5th (59) Ross Marshall/Dave Robson (Escort) 55.41.9
6th (28) Stephen Greaney/Kieran Feeney (Escort) 56.03.4
Donagh Kelly is running first on the road and when he brought his Focus WRC to the stop line of stage 9, Brady`s Yard, he said. `That was very dangerous. The fog is terrible. When we are flat out in top gear we cannot see where we are going and it is very slippy. It is very difficult, even though we have a good team giving us information on the stage conditions`. Eugene Donnelly in the BMW Mini was fastest through the stage b by a couple of seconds from Sam Moffett and it was obvious from Donnelly`s body language that he had been trying very hard to regain 2nd overall. Sam Moffett reported a massive 5th gear moment and he does not know how he kept his Fiesta WRC on the road. Sam`s brother, Josh was a further 17s back and he seems to be struggling with the conditions.
Dean Raftery in 6th place reported that on a high speed section his Mini WRC skidded under braking and landed in a field and he was very lucky to get away with it. Declan Boyle said he was just driving through the stages, but his times are still extremely good. However, following that 3m penalty from last night, it would appear that Declan can not really improve his position unless the drivers in front have a problem. Pauric Duffy continues to hold 7th place and leads class 5 in his Fiesta. Jonny Greer is 8th in his new Citroen DS3 R5 and he dropped 4s to Duffy through stage 9. Jonny was slightly distracted when his car`s rear bumper came loose and was making a fair racket at the back. Brendan Cumiskey is 9th o/a and leads GpN in his Impreza but the Dundalk VW dealer is being caught by Aaron MacHale in his Lancer. There is now less than a second between them in the race for best GpN.
Declan Gallagher is increasing his National category lead on every stage, but even Declan is struggling in these difficult conditions. His Starlet has no heater and even the windscreen is icing up and there is a draught somewhere about the front and his hands are freezing. He said at the end of the Brady`s Yard stage. `I can`t see where I am going and there is no grip`. Liam Howlett somehow kept 2nd place in the National despite a massive spin and getting stuck for quite a few seconds in a ditch. Brian Brogan has pulled out of the National rally because his Escort has developed a transmission bearing problems.
Some other stories include – Joe McGonigle survived a big 5th gear slide in his Skoda but has held on to 11th o/a in the International. In the Historic Rally after stage 7 Ernie Graham had increased his lead over Gareth Lloyd with Joe Connolly 3rd. Gareth admitted he lost his momentum on the ice in Black Road. Luke McCarthy has dropped well down the list when his Porsche 911 suffered a broken drive shaft. In the Junior category Rob Duggan led Vincent McSweeney after their opening stage and Andy Mahon was 3rd.
More news later: BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON & MICHAEL www.rallynews.net *Follow RallyNews on Twitter & Facebook @Pacenotes or @Real_RallyNews
