When rally leader Donagh Kelly brought his Focus WRC to the finish of stage 6 he kept a watching brief out for Garry Jennings` time. When the flying Jennings` Subaru eventually arrived the clocks showed the Impreza to be 14s faster. Later at service Donagh recounted `I know this could be painful for the spectators to watch as I am being so careful but I have come this far in the championship and want to try and tie it up here`. He went on to say that stage 6 was just as wet as the opening stage today and indeed towards the end there was torrential rain. Garry Jennings said he had just driven steadily, but when quizzed a bit further he admitted. `The only way this car works is to drive it flat out. There is still a long way to go`. He went on to say then that on one particular section he was sideways for 300 yards and he could see the spectators in the distance scattering! Co driver Rory Kennedy said. `The rain suited us and Garry is very brave`. As Garry and Donagh chatted away together, Garry asked Donagh about next year and what was he thinking about doing as the world rally cars cannot win the Tarmac Championship. Quick as a flash, Donagh replied. `Buy a new helicopter`.
Desi Henry had a 3rd fastest time to hold on to 3rd place. Stephen Wright stayed in 4th despite losing quite a few seconds when the tyres on his Fiesta lost their grip and Stephen spun the car twice. Another driver unhappy about the performance of his tyres was Derek McGeehan, and he commented. `They did not work at all!` One driver who did put up a superb performance was 20 year old Jon Armstrong. He was superb through that Carron Bridge stage and was a full 12s faster than Killarney man Rob Duggan. Rob was down in the dumps at stage finish and commented that the tyres on his Fiesta just did not work and he also didn`t reckon there was any way he could pull the time back before the finish.
Raymond Johnston continues to have a superb run and is now up to 15th o/a and leads the Historics in his Escort. Alistair Cochrane had a spin and stall in stage 6, his Escort also suffering alternator troubles. Frank Kelly is in alternator trouble also. Having changed the unit on his Escort last night the new one has broken its casing and needs replaced. Frank does not have another spare so there is a search on for a replacement. Derek McGarrity now has a clutch issue with his Impreza WRC and told us there is nothing he can do to fix it here. He reckons it is the pressure plate that is the trouble and it just about sums up his rally as `not going forward`. Daniel McKenna was more than happy with the traction of the GT86 on the wet roads this morning. But lost out over the bumps and jumps of the Carron Bridge stage. Brendan Cumiskey managed to get his damaged Subaru to service and thinks he has enough parts to get the car running straight on the road.
More news later: BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON & MICHAEL & ZOE PATTERSON www.rallynews.net *Follow RallyNews on Twitter/Facebook @Pacenotes or @Real_RallyNews
