Paul Bird in his Focus WRC was fastest through the Caragh Lake stage with a time of 6.55.9. Alastair Fisher was 2nd fastest, 2s back. Paul Bird and his co driver Kirsty Riddick were both laughing at stage finish and Paul said. “We can go home now, we’ve set a fastest time!” What a stage to set it on as well, one of the best roads in the country.
Rally leader Tim McNulty again emphasised that he is being cautious. Interestingly yesterday Tim ran a slick tyre with just a few cuts, today it is a pure slick tyre. Denis Cronin had a really good time over Caragh Lake, just half a second down on Alastair Fisher but Denis reported notchy and squealy power steering at stage finish. Alastair Fisher said that although the Caragh Lake road was saturated in places and he was running slick tyres he had no real problems. Aaron MacHale felt he was a little bit cautious and he was a couple of seconds down on Fisher.
In the battle of the Citroen Racing Trophy Robert Barrable has closed to within 1s of Marty McCormack. Marty was a bit too exuberant in Caragh Lake and had a couple of huge spins. He reckoned his rear tyres had overheated and lost their grip and is blaming himself as well for tyres that had seen service before. Shane Buckley who is lying 3rd in the Citroens got his power steering problem sorted before Caragh Lake and set a very good time, just 2s off Barrable and faster than several of the top GpN Lancers.
In the National Rally Phil Collins settled down in stage 2 to again record a fastest time, 5s up on Barry Meade. Ed O’Callaghan remains 3rd o/a in the Nationals and leads cl.13. Vincent O’Shea is 4th and leads cl.15 in his Escort Cosworth. Washington James lost some time when a rose joint in his Darrian rear suspension came adrift and the right rear wheel is all askew. Damien McCarthy in his Civic set a scorcher of a time through Caragh and leads cl.11 as well as moving into 5th o/a in the nationals.
More news later: BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net
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