RALLY NEWS NO.9 Titanic Quarter Belfast/Friday
UNOFFICIAL INT. L/BOARD AFTER STAGE 15 BULLS BROOK
1st (6) Robert Barrable/Damien Connolly (Fiesta R5) 1.35.35.0
2nd (1) Craig Breen/Scott Martin (Peugeot 208T16) 1.35.36.1
3rd (2) Kajetan Kajetanowicz/Jaroslaw Baran (Fiesta R5) 1.35.49.7
4th (12) Josh Moffett/John Rowan (Fiesta RRC) 1.36.34.5
5th (7) Sam Moffett/Karl Atkinson (Fiesta R5) 1.37.08.1
6th (8) Charles Martin/Thierry Salva (Peugeot 208T16) 1.37.39.3
7th Euan Thorburn 8th Jonny Greer 9th Alexey Lukanyuk
LASTEST NEWS: Robert Barrable`s Fiesta R5 is beached in a ditch 18km into Stage 16 McGaffins Corner. End of a fabulous drive. An extra frustration is that there is a €20,000 ERC prize here for 1st that, if Robert had won, would have enabled him to go to the next round, Azores, where there is a €50,000 prize.
Through stages 13, 14 and 15 the 2 Lisburn spectator stages and then Bulls Brook, the competition between the top cars was no less intense. Michael Barrable was fastest in stage 13. Breen was fastest through 14 and 15 but Barrable still leads by a second, with Polish Champion Kajetanowicz just 14s in arrears. Craig Breen commented. `I have not much left, I will be on the door handles for the next stage`. Robert Barrable said. `It really is a good battle. I am flat out`. Kajetan Kajetanowicz took off his helmet and gloves at the end of the Bulls Brooks stage and said. `I am happy yes. But it was a difficult stage for me. The pace notes are so important and the concentration needs to be so high`.
Sam Moffett was just under a second faster than his brother Josh through Bulls Brook, and Sam said. ` I am happy with that pace. I was not feeling well earlier so now it is a matter of keeping my head down`. Euan Thorburn has gone so well since the start of this rally, but he was slowed in stage 15 by power steering failure on his Fiesta R5 and he could be in for a difficult trip over the final 3 stages. In fact the latest news is that he has withdrawn from the rally. Charles Martin in the 2nd of the Peugeot 208 T16s is having a good clean run and looks to be very solid in 6th place.
UNOFFICIAL NAT/ L/BOARD AFTER STAGE 12 GREGORLOUGH
`1st (102) Derek McGarrity/James McKee (Impreza WRC) 1.22.53.8
2nd (103) Kenny McKinstry/Noel Orr (Impreza WRC) 1.24.58.9
3rd (106) Wesley Patterson/Johnny Baird (Escort) 1.26.45.4
4th (111) Keith White/Damien McCann (Escort) 1.27.10.7
5th (139) Rob Duggan/Ger Conway (Fiesta R2) 1.27.18.3
6th (107) Frank Kelly/Sean Hayde (Escort) 1.28.18.8
7th Alistair Cochrane 8th Camillus Bradley 9th Stanley Orr
At service Derek McGarrity took time out to tell us that he is more or less in cruise control now and he just makes a push on sections of road that he likes. Derek also said he was shocked at how much mud is being pulled on to the road by the European Championship contenders. Kenny McKinstry was faster than McGarrity on one stage this morning, but generally is a few seconds per stage down and he said. `It is a matter now of getting it home in one piece`. Wesley Patterson in 3rd is really enjoying the dry conditions today compared to yesterday. Keith White in 4th reports no problems and Rob Duggan in his Fiesta R2 continues to set very competitive times. Alan Carmichael is still on the edge of the top 10 and the McKinstry mechanics were working furiously at his Subaru cooling system to keep him in the rally. Stanley Orr has maintained his very impressive lead in the Historic category. Ernie Graham was 2nd but his Escort has gone out with engine problems. This left Drew Wylie in 2nd but he then crashed his Escort, wrecking a rear corner and losing 10m but still going. More news later: BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON & Zoe & Michael Patterson www.rallynews.net *Follow RallyNews on Twitter @Pacenotes or @Real_RallyNews
