Craig Breen and Robert Barrable set up thrilling finale to Circuit of Ireland Rally
Polish driver Kajetan Kajetanowicz (Ford Fiesta R5) lies third a further 15.8 seconds further behind.
Barrable, who opted to run first on the road after setting the best time in the qualifying stage was best on S.S. 1 where he led Breen by 7.2 seconds – all the more remarkable as the window of his Fiesta R5 actually blew out. Subsequently blowing under the visor of his helmet, it caused great discomfort and he finished the stage with water streaming from his eyes.
Second-placed Breen lost precious seconds with an issue with the turbo pop off valve. Alastair Fisher (Fiesta R5) was only a 10th of a second behind followed by Sam Moffett (Fiesta RRC), Kajetan Kajetanowicz and Robert Consani (Citroen DS3R5).
Breen punched in the best time on stages two and three and arrived at the Titanic Quarter service park with a lead of 6.1 seconds as his service crew tried to solve the pop off valve problem. Robert Consani (Citroen DS3R5) was 10.6 seconds behind in third. Fisher’s rally ended when he crashed on the third stage.
Meanwhile, Josh Moffett, having experienced a major slide on the opening stage slotted into fourth – 4.3 seconds ahead of his brother Sam. Kajetanowicz, who endured tough moments on the third stage, held sixth.
Eaun Thorburn (Ford Fiesta R5) was somewhat surprised to hold seventh in a top 10 that also featured Stephen Wright (Fiesta R5), Jaromir Tarabus (Skoda Fabia) and Charles Martin (Citroen DS3R5).
Out on SS4, Barrable cut the deficit to just 1.2 seconds, aided by a repeat of the pop-off valve situation that blighted Breen’s progress.
Josh Moffett (Fiesta RRC) slotted into third when Consani retired with a broken gearbox. Having carried out some remedial work Breen was back on the pace on SS5 and moved 10.4 seconds ahead of Barrable, who remarked that the final sections of the stage were very slippery.
Third-placed Kajetanowicz improved as he began to learn the vagaries of the Irish tarmac with Josh Moffett only 1.8 seconds behind.
On the two runs of the Newtownards TT, Breen lost time with a broken differential and his Peugeot team fitted a new gearbox at the evening service.
On his plan for today, he said: “To win the rally. I think we had the measure of the guys for the majority of the day, we just need to build up a lead again.”
Second placed Barrable said “We have to be pleased with second overnight and we’ll give it our best shot tomorrow.”
Fermanagh’s Jon Armstrong and his Kerry co-driver Noel O’Sullivan (Peugeot 208) lead the Juniors and are 12th overall.
See Digest for Results
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