AFTER SS4: The big news from the second loop of stages is that Kenny McKinstry has retired from the rally after an accident – possibly in the same place that he went off a couple of years ago. Reports from the following competitors have confirmed that he and navigator Niall Burns are OK but it appears they are going no further.
At the top of the leaderboard, Desi Henry and Conor Mohan have edged out a five second lead after four stages. They reckoned they were at a bit of a disadvantage on the second test as they didn’t get a proper run over it this morning but it didn’t show in the stage times!
Derek McGarrity and Paddy Robinson continue to hold second but reported a noise coming from the back of their Skoda.
“I’m not sure if it’s anything to worry about,” McGarrity said. “It could be a driveshaft but then again it could just be the way the car is set up. I don’t know. We’ll take a look in service.”
Stephen Wright continues to hold third but he took two seconds out of McGarrity on stage four, leaving the gap standing at just two seconds.
“Our time on the first stage didn’t improve as much as I thought it would but it felt good,” Wright said.
In fourth, William Creighton and Liam Regan are starting to lose touch with the top three but Creighton is still getting used to the car.
“I’m losing a bit of time at the chicanes,” he said. “I’m not using the handbrake the way I should be able to but it’ll come.”
Derek and Mark McGeehan were a bit happier in fifth after a good run through the second stage.
“I’m just not gelling with the first stage,” he admitted.
There was plenty of drama further down the order. Martin Cairns went off the road at a slippery ‘6 left’ but escaped without any damage. Meanwhile, Sean Devine’s Fiesta WRC switched itself off. He was forced to pull over, turn everything off and back on again, then she restarted.
In the 2WD battle, Drew Stewart’s challenge faded as he had an overshoot. John Devlin took one second out of category leader James Kennedy.
“I’ll have to waken up a bit now!” Kennedy smiled.
However, Barry Morris was the man on the move with two fastest 2WD category times – leaving him rueing his overshoot this morning.
Crews are back in service once again. Latest results are available from www.rallyscore.net.
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