UK: Shaun Gallagher Donegal summary

Class Winning Super 1600 Debut For Gallagher

Shaun Gallagher made his debut in a Super 1600 Citroen Saxo at the Donegal International Rally this weekend and came away with a fantastic 13th overall, 1st in class A6 and top two-wheel drive car.

The rally was run in changeable weather conditions, making tyre choice virtually impossible. Having had no time to test the car, Shaun spent Friday testing different settings in an attempt to get the suspension correct for the Donegal roads. Despite this, Shaun lead class A6 right from the start.

He lost some time through the opening stages of Saturday when a bonnet pin broke causing the Saxo's bonnet to flap about. By the end of day two Shaun, who was co-driven on the event by chief engineer Charlie McGinty, was setting times inside the top twenty and was lying 17th overall with almost a four minute lead in his class.

Sunday began well and the Mullen Express Transport crew and they continued to move up the leader board, lying 12th overall after stage 18. However a serious clutch problem developed on the penultimate stage of the rally and at the final service Shaun was worried that the car would not make it to the finish. With cautious drive through the last stage of the event the young Letterkenny man managed to nurse the car to the finish over 6 minutes ahead of his nearest class A6 competitor.

"I am delighted with the result" commented Shaun "It took a lot of learning to adjust to the car but it was a very successful weekend"

-sgr-