RALLY NEWS No.2 - Fermoy Service - Saturday @ 10:58:12
RALLY NEWS NO.2 Fermoy Service/Saturday 10.55
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 2 Gurteen
1st (1) Daragh O`Riordan/Tony McDaid (Fiesta WRC) 13.12.4
2nd (2) Donagh Kelly/Conor Foley (Focus WRC) 13.13.1
3rd (4) Melvyn Evans/Mark Glennerster (Impreza WRC) 13.26.0
4th (3) Keith Cronin/Shane Buckley (Citroen DS3R5) 13.30.1
5th (6) Roy White/James O`Brien (Fiesta WRC) 13.39.2
6th (8) Joe McGonigle/Ciaran Geaney (Fabia S2000) 14.08.1
David Guest 14.11.4: Stephen Wright 14.12.4: Pauric Duffy 14.23.8 Brendan Cumiskey 14.27.2
UNOFFICIAL NAT. L/BOARD AFTER STAGE 2
1st (12) Declan Gallagher/Ryan Moore (Starlet rwd) 13.32.8
2nd (28) Eugene Meegan/Sarah Whelan (BMW M1) 14.03.6
3rd (14) Frank Kelly/Paul Twomey (Escort) 14.05.6
4th (15) Phil Collins/Adrian Deasy (Escort) 14.09.6
5th (5) Denis Cronin/Coleman Hurley (Impreza WRC) 14.12.6
6th (29) Enda O`Brien/John Butler (Escort) 14.17.1
Mark Dolphin 14.20.4: Vincent McSweeney 14.22.3: Jason Ryan 14.26.0
Donagh O`Brien 14.34.9
Through stage 2, Gurteen, Daragh O`Riordan, the winner of this Cork 20 Rally for the last 4 years, really settled to his task and recorded fastest time. When the cars came in here to service in Fermoy Daragh reported no problems at all. Donagh Kelly had led after the first stage but seemed to have a slight issue with his Focus WRC fans on stage 2. However, there is only a fraction of a second between these top 2 drivers. Subaru driver Melvyn Evans reported that he still felt a bit rusty but everything was well. Melvyn`s co driver Mark Glennerster did tell us that on a gravel approach to a square left the Subaru engine stalled slightly and they had a half spin. Citroen R5 pilot Keith Cronin said. `We are settling in, perhaps the stages are a little too fast for the car but it is good to get seat time`.
Roy White dropped a couple of seconds on that stage, very little, Roy felt that something had come loose in his new Fiesta WRC rear suspension. Other than that, Roy commented. `This car is some tool`. His co-driver James O`Brien laughed, and he said. `The brakes are so good we are driving up to the chicanes having braked far too early! ` Further stories included – Stephen Wright still reckons his Fiesta is down on power today and he is losing time. Joe McGonigle had smoke pouring from his Skoda`s front brake calipers and he is hoping that it is because of new brake pads fitted and not anything sinister.
David Guest continues to lead Group N despite making a mess of a very tight hairpin. Brendan Cumiskey and Aaron MacHale are slugging it out for 2nd and 3rd with group N on the Clonakilty Black Pudding tarmac C/ship at stake. Declan Gallagher is flying at the front of the National Rally although he did have a little brake fade, again possibly down to new brake pads. When we asked Frank Kelly how he was getting on he said. `I am getting slaughtered by that man Declan in front. We are mere mortals compared to him, But it is what it is` Enda O`Brien in his Escort is starting to speed up and he said. `I am settling in slowly`. Eugene Meegan has really got to grips with his new BMW and he is right up there with the fastest Escorts.
More news later: BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON & MICHAEL & ZOE PATTERSON www.rallynews.net *Follow RallyNews on Twitter & Facebook @Pacenotes or @Real_RallyNews
