UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 11 Rossmore
1st (1) Donagh Kelly/Kevin Flanagan (Focus WRC) 1.26.00.5
2nd (4) Sam Moffett/Karl Atkinson (Fiesta WRC) 1.26.52.0
3rd (9) Stephen Wright/Mikey Galvin (Fiesta R5) 1.30.01.6
4th (10) Declan Gallagher/Ryan Moore (Starlet rwd) 1.31.43.7
5th (8) Jonny Greer/Kirsty Riddick (Citroen DS3R5) 1.32.07.8
6th (3) Daragh O`Riordan/Tony McDaid (Fiesta WRC) 1.33.08.9
7th (53) John Bonner/Leon Jordan (Escort) 1.33.36.6
8th (26) Gary Kiernan/James Fulton (Escort) 1.33.50.8
9th (40) Vincent McSweeney/Michael Kearney (Civic) 1.34.09.7
10th (21) Brian Brogan/Mac Walsh (Escort) 1.34.12.8
Just 3 stages left to run on this West Cork Rally – Ardfield, Sam`s Cross and Rossmore. Rally leader Donagh Kelly agreed that they are really good stages, but there are tricky places that need to be treated with respect. For Donagh now it is a matter of getting his Focus WRC to the finish ramp in Clonakilty without problems. He has had a small issue with the clutch in the car but he does not seem to be too worried. Sam Moffett in 2nd place has never let up from the start and is just 52s behind the flying Focus. Sam remarked here at service that everything is 100 per cent and then he took the time to show us a video clip of his off road excursion yesterday. It was dramatic stuff and he was fortunate indeed that there was no damage to the car.
Not so lucky today has been Daragh O1Riordan. His Fiesta ran wide on a left hand corner in Rossmore and skidded into a ditch. The car took a good clunk on the rear right corner that resulted in a punctured tyre and bent suspension. Despite a massive vibration in the car Daragh kept it going to the next junction before the pulled in to change the wheel. A marshal helped him get the car jacked up and clear away some of the stones and muck from the wheel arch, but he still lost 5 minutes. This dropped him from 3rd o/a to 6th place. As we type his mechanics are examining the suspension to see if it wise to continue in the rally. This leaves Stephen Wright in 3rd place with his Fiesta R5. Stephen did encounter some brake fade with the car on the last couple of stages and is fitting different brake pads for the final loop.
Declan Gallagher is looking very solid in 4th place and he said it is just a matter of getting the Starlet to the ramp now, no more heroics. Another Donegal man, John Bonner, is in the highest placed Escort and he is still setting very sharp times, fastest 2wd through stage 11. Wesley Patterson was the 3rd fastest 2wd on Rossmore. Wesley had the gearbox in his Escort changed this morning and reported a massive noise now coming from the transmission. So much so he can hardly hear the pace notes and he is having the gearbox mountings changed here at service to see if that will help. There is a mighty race going on in the Historic Rally and Denis Moynihan has just edged ahead of Rob Smith by a couple of seconds. The Historic section is now mixed in with the main field and they also have 3 stages to go. Wyn Hughes retired from the Historic Rally when the steering broke on Rossmore. Adrian Kermode has retired his Porsche following a 2nd fan belt breakage.
Thanks from us to Kieran from the Java Republic unit at service for supplying the great coffee & hot chocolate and also thanks to the Clonakilty Blackpudding girls for the delicious food.
More news later: BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net *Follow RallyNews on Twitter & Facebook @Pacenotes or @Real_RallyNews
