As we reported on the last Rally News Gareth MacHale/Brian Murphy have retired from the rally on stage 2 with a reported engine problem. Gareth currently leads the Citroen backed Tarmac Championship but will not now be able to score any points on this round. Tim McNulty was fastest through the opening 2 stages in his Subaru. Tim said that he is being cautious enough and treating the wet slippery conditions with respect and bedding himself in. Daragh O’Riordan told us that he is playing it very safe so far and also has a rattle underneath his Subaru and his hoping it is just a stone caught up in the bottom of the car somewhere. Aaron MacHale was very pleased to be 3rd o/a here at first service and said that his Focus WRC is 100 per cent and he himself is building up confidence in the tyres.
Denis Cronin in 4th place feels that his newly installed Subaru engine does not have the same bite as the unit he used in West Cork. Alastair Fisher has had a good run so far to hold 5th place and lead Group N from Colm Murphy. Craig Breen is still trying to build his confidence following his Circuit of Ireland accident and told us that the car is definitely going well and there is a lot left in it. Thomas Fitzmaurice was caught on the wrong tyres in stage 2 and then his Lancer engine refused to fire up at the regroup into service and the Tralee man was struggling to get the car going.
Marty McCormack was fastest of the Citroen Racing Trophy contenders from Robert Barrable. Marty reported a slight issue with the throttle body on his C2R2 Max but said it will be easy to change at service. Adrian McElhinney, the current Citroen Irish champion, is struggling with a neck injury sustained during the week and he is under a bit of pressure.
In the National Rally Phil Collins has battled around some heated front screen and demister problems to lead by 6s from Barry Meade with Ed O’Callaghan 3rd – all in Escorts. O’Callaghan lost time when his Escort caught up with the Darrian of Washington James in stage 2. Washington was finding the little Darrian a real handful in the wet particularly as he had dry weather tyres on.
More news later: BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net
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