McGrady Insurance Bishopscourt Stages: News after SS1
- Updated: 10 March 2018
There were mixed reactions from the opening stage of the McGrady Insurance Bishopscourt Stages Rally with some competitors reporting the track giving them more grip than expected while others commented on how slippery it was.
Derek McGarrity was one of those drivers who reported more grip than expected. Navigated by Paddy Robinson, the Subaru Impreza WRC crew set fastest time by a substantial nine seconds through the opening test.
Peadar Hurson and Damien Connolly (Fiesta WRC) are second while Mark Massey and Niall Burns (Impreza WRC) are third ahead of Alan Carmichael/Ivor Lamont (Mini WRC) with Alan Smyth/Mac Kierans fifth in their Evo X.
Scottish visitor Rory Young holds sixth overall on what is his first event on a race circuit based rally. Meanwhile, competitors in trouble include Kenny McKinstry.
McKinstry said: “The steering locked up on me twice. I don’t know whether we locked the wheels or what the problem is so we need to get a look at the data in service.”
Leading two-wheel-drive pilot Kyle White was also left frustrated as his car went into limp mode…
“I’ve no display on the dash and the car is in limp mode,” White revealed. “We’ll have to see what’s wrong in service.”
Other competitors said…
Connor McCloskey (Car 3): “It’s very, very slippery. Tyres didn’t start to work until we were near the end of the stage.”
Alan Carmichael (Car 5): “I think I was a bit too cautious.”
Wesley Patterson (Car 6): “My phone fell out and was under my feet. I don’t know where it is now…it’s probably smashed to pieces!”
Fintan McGrady (Car 7): “A lot more grip than I thought. There was a lot of water lying in some of the apexes but it was good.”
Denis Biggerstaff (Car 10): “We had a few big slides!”
George Robinson (Car 11): “It’s a bit of a handful at the minute! I’m on a bit of a learning curve (with the car).”
James Kennedy (Car 12) arrived at the stage finish with a dented door panel: “I just touched tyres everywhere!”
John McGaffin (Car 18): “It’s the first time I’ve driven this car. Everything was dead on!”
Chris McGurk (Car 27): “We lost the intercom. It’s been a few years since I was last here. Hopefully we can fix it.”
Andrew McCormick (Car 20): “I struggled to get heat in the tyres and my heated screen isn’t working too well.”
Brian McFall (Car 23): “My throttle stuck wide open a couple of times. I had to turn her off to get it slowed but it started working again towards the end.”
Daniel Hamill (Car 48) stopped on stage.
Philip White (Car 44) stopped on stage.
More news later!
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