UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 8 End of Leg 1
1st (2) Tim McNulty/Paul Kiely (Impreza WRC) 1.14.27.5
2nd (4) Denis Cronin/Helen O'Sullivan (Impreza WRC) 1.15.28.5
3rd (3) John Dalton/Gwynfor Jones (Darrian) 1.16.16.8
4th (10) Daragh O'Riordan/Tony McDaid (Impreza WRC) 1.18.37.3
5th (14) Sean Flanagan/Liam Brennan (Impreza N) 1.19.59.2
6th (15) Geraint James/Llinos J-Davies (Darrian) 1.20.00
7th (11) Bob Fowden/Jerry Hynes (Impreza) 1.20.09.8
8th (36) Damien McCarthy/Eamonn Hayes (Civic) 1.20.37
9th (7) Kevin & Martin Kelleher (Lancer N) 1.20.40.3
10th (20) Ed O'Callaghan/Ger Clancy (Escort) 1.21.06
At the finish of this opening day of the West Cork Rally Tim McNulty and his co driver Paul Kiely have almost a minute of a lead over Denis Cronin/Helen O’Sullivan, both in Subarus. John Dalton/Gwynfor Jones are a gallant 3rd in their little low slung 2 wheel drive Darrian. Dalton could have been a little closer to the top two except that the Dunworley stage, with all its bumps and gravel through narrow places just doesn’t suit the Darrian.
When McNulty brought his fabulous Impreza S12B into service he took time to say. “I am trying different suspension and differential settings. We will try a load more things tomorrow. But the rally is far from won, I’ve been in this position many times before!” Denis Cronin said his Subaru was flying over the last couple of stages since the drive shaft was replaced, and he caught the Darrian just before the finish of stage 8. Daragh O’Riordan in 4th place had new brake pads fitted to his Subaru for the final 2 stages of the day and there was a big vibration came up through the brakes that cost a few seconds. His co driver Tony McDaid joked here at service. “It was all about learning the new car today and this was a teacher turned student for the day!” Daragh said. “I’ll see how we go in the morning. I might make the suspension setting a little harder”.
Sean Flanagan/Liam Brennan in 5th place are the overnight group N leaders but starting to look over their shoulders at the hard charging Kevin Kelleher who has at last got the differential changed in his Lancer. Sean reported a good clean run through the day. Kevin said he didn’t really have time to get the centre diff bled after changing the unit so there is still a little tidying up to do. JJ Fleming lost a little more time through the last couple of stages when he clunked a wheel of his Subaru in the Ring stage. Damien McCarthy continues to do a great job to lead cl.11 but there was a bit of a panic towards the end of the day when the gearbox of his Civic started to play up. Ed O’Callaghan continues to lead the Escorts and is the cl.13 leader. Adrian Hetherington is 2nd best Escort and 2nd in cl.14 behind John Dalton. Adrian suffered another spin in stage 8. Just a few other drivers who are lying close to the leaderboard include: John Buttimer in his Impreza who is on a total of 1.22.33 following a good run today. Welsh visitor Tomas Davies with Paul Wakely on the notes is on a total of 1.21.49. Leonard Downey/Mark Murphy are on 1.21.47 in their Escort.
In overall terms it has been a great day’s rallying although there has been a high retirement rate. One of the tyre suppliers, Bill Adair, who was working away in the service area fitting tyres like mad, commented. “Its great to be really busy on a rally. This is a great turn out and a fine reflection on Darren McCarthy and his team”.
More news in the morning: BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net
