UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 1 Belleville
1st (3) Keith Cronin/Barry McNulty (Lancer N) 8.31.0
2nd (2) Tim McNulty/Paul Kiely (Impreza WRC) 8.31.2
3rd (1) Gareth MacHale/Brian Murphy (Focus WRC) 8.36.0
4th (9) Craig Breen/Gareth Roberts (Fiesta S2000) 8.43.6
5th (18) Jonny Greer/Kirsty Riddick (Lancer N) 8.50.9
6th (8) Garry Jennings/David Moynihan (Lancer N) 8.55.0
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 2 Brierfield
1st (1) Gareth MacHale/Brian Murphy (Focus WRC) 15.26.4
2nd (2) Tim McNulty/Paul Kiely (Impreza WRC) 15.27.6
3rd (7) Alastair Fisher/Rory Kennedy (Lancer N) 15.48.5
4th (3) Keith Cronin/Barry McNulty (Lancer N) 15.49.9
5th (9) Craig Breen/Gareth Roberts (Fiesta S2000) 15.51.0
6th (12) Richard Cathcart/Martin Brady (Lancer N) 16.07.6
7th (6) Kevin Barrett/Sean Mullally (Impreza WRC) 16.15.9
8th (15) Jer O'Donovan/Sean Hayde (Impreza N) 16.42.5
MODIFIEDS: Daniel McKenna/Andrew Grennan lead on 16.12.6
Keith Cronin led after the first stage but then his Lancer slid off the road on the flying finish of stage 2 and he lost a few seconds. Conditions were very difficult for the drivers on those opening stages with thick swirling freezing fog. Gareth MacHale was first on the road through stage 1 and even though he was on a Monte Carlo type ice tyre the temperature of the rubber was just 26 degrees when normally it would be about 40. Gareth felt his time wasn’t good but then everyone was struggling in the conditions. On the 2nd stage Gareth’s Focus developed some power steering problem but he still turned in a scorching time.
Tim McNulty’s Subaru stalled twice in the 2nd stage which cost him a place. Aaron MacHale’s Focus has a launch control difficulty. Kevin Barrett was cautious on the first stage but had a good run through stage 2. Alastair Fisher has turned in two solid times. Garry Jennings was well on the pace through stage 1 but his Lancer has stopped about 100 metres into stage 2. Craig Breen in the new Fiesta S2000 said he is finding his way with the new car and seems to be doing a great job. Richard Cathcart reported his Impreza screen misting up on the opening stage. The Fermanagh man had a real go in stage 2 but is finding now that his Impreza is under-geared and he also reckons the suspension is not quite suitable. Alan Ring was in a ditch briefly on the 2nd stage and had a spin at a right 6 his total now 17.00.6. Current Tarmac GpN Champion Jer O’Donovan has had a good steady run through the first 2 stages his total 16.42.6. Andrew Bushe in the Citroen S1600 is really struggling with the car set up and is having great difficult over the bumps and jumps.
Jonny Greet, 5th fastest on stage 1, put his Lancer off the road on stage 2. His co driver Kirsty Riddick had to get out and push the Lancer out of the ditch. There doesn’t seem to be any great damage. Marty McCormack said at the end of the first stage that he need a boot up the backside to waken him up but he has set really good times in his Citroen C2R2 Max and provisionally is 9th o/a and leading his class.
More news later: BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON & MICHAEL rallynews.net
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