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| Ulster International rally |
| RALLY NEWS No.11 - After SS12 - Saturday @ 15:29:37 |
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RALLY NEWS NO.11 Service/Antrim/Saturday 3.35
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 12 Slemish
1st (2) Gareth MacHale/Brian Murphy (Focus WRC) 1.26.40.2
2nd (1) Eugene Donnelly/Paddy Toner (Fabia WRC) 1.26.43.1
3rd (4) Derek McGarrity/James McKee (Impreza WRC) 1.27.38.0
4th (5) Mark Higgins/Bryan Thomas (Impreza N) 1.30.25.3
5th (7) Gwyndaf Evans/Chris Patterson (Lancer N) 1.30.28.7
6th (10) Alastair Fisher/Rory Kennedy (Lancer N) 1.32.07.0
7th (19) Kris Princen/Bram Eelbode (Clio) 1.35.10.1
8th (22) Brian O'Mahony/John HIggins (Clio) 1.35.38.4
9th (21) Matti Rantanen/Mikko Lukka (Clio) 1.35.58.9
10th (28) Alan Carmichael/Ivor Lamont (Lancer N) 1.36.07.6
11th Pat Kirk: 12th David Bogie: 13th Marty McCormack: 14th Jer O’Donovan
There are two major stages left to go on this Ulster Rally totalling 25 stage miles and just 2.9s separating leader Gareth MacHale from 2nd placed Eugene Donnelly. Derek McGarrity is over 50s in arrears and has given up the chase. On the last RallyNews we talked about the fine weather conditions. Now the wind is getting up slightly and you can feel the little change in the air and heavy rain, already falling in Donegal, is forecast to come in here in a few hours. The million dollar question is: Will the drivers get through these last two stages before the roads become awash? Eugene Donnelly’s co driver Paddy Toner joked. “We’re safe enough, it won’t come until after Mass at Draperstown!” When Eugene was asked about the last 2 stages he said. “How hard to go? Will we risk everything or err on the side of caution? We went on to a harder compound tyre for the last couple of stages and that helped. I really don’t know”. As Eugene tucked into a sausage sandwich in the motor home, his engineer Derek McGeehan was calling in through the open door. “Will I click the suspension up for high speed?” Eugene just shrugged his shoulders!
Over in the MacHale camp Gareth was in little doubt about his feelings for the next couple of stages and said. “Its as hard as I can go. We’ll just fill her with fuel and fill me with coffee!” Gareth went on to say that he probably lost a second or two on that 12th stage by just braking a fraction early for a couple of junctions. Derek McGarrity said. “I’m in no man’s land. I lost too much time earlier on when I made a big mistake on the long stage. It’s a matter of getting it to the finish now. I need to have something to sell on Monday!”
In the equally frenetic race for Group N honours Mark Higgins explained that he made a mistake in the Slemish stage, went to go left instead of right at a junction. Otherwise everything is fine although his Impreza heater is stuck on full blast and Mark joked. “Good practise for China”. He is flying to China tomorrow to compete in another rally. Gwyndaf Evans said. “We’re trying hard, the brakes are OK, can’t relax. We will see what happens”.
Jonny Greer has departed the group N fray. His Lancer locked all 4 wheels on the Slemish stage. Ironically it was on the first run over Slemish that his brother Barry’s Fiesta stopped when the engine quit. In the race for Class R3 honours Kris Princen still holds the advantage although his main aim now is to score Clio points. His closest rival was Tom Walster but he is now 4m back, his example having incurred a puncture. Brian O’Mahony has had a great run over the last few stages to close the gap on Princen. Brian said that his car is so good on the dry roads but struggles for traction in the wet. Jer O’Donovan has lost 15s with an overshoot so he’s now 3rd amongst the Tarmac C/ship GpN runners. Craig Breen got a big round of applause at his service area when he brought his Fiesta in after stage 10. Young Craig on his first full rallying season has won the UK and |Ireland Fiesta Sporting Trophy. Craig said. “I drove like a granny on the last few stages. I’m just over the moon now”.
More news later: BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net
Our thanks to Ciara & Lee plus Dougie Hughes for RallyNews distribution:
*For SMS results text RALLY ITC to 53030 (Irl) or 60066 (UK). Text STOP to switch off. Cost 30c/25p. Provided by stagetimes.com
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