Eddie and Tom Murphy, the defending Irish Tarmac Champions, lead the Ulster Rally after the three afternoon stages in their Skoda Fabia RS Rally 2,
Going into service, they held a 2.4 second advantage over current championship leaders Josh Moffett and Andy Hayes in a Toyota GR Yaris Rally 2, with Cathan McCourt and Barry McNulty in third, 43 seconds adrift, in another Skoda Fabia.
Recently crowned six-time Northern Ireland Rally Championship winner Jonathan Greer, with Sligo co-driver Niall Burns, is fourth.
Three stages will take place on Friday evening with six more on Saturday.
Eamonn Kelly and Rory Kennedy lead the historics rally in their BMW M3 E30, holding a 25 second lead over Tomas Davies and Eurig Davies in a similar car.
The rally is headquartered in Ballymena with the stages around the Causeway Coast, and mid- and east-Antrim.
