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RALLY NEWS
NO.1 Duns...Friday 1pm
Martin Rowe, the British Rally Champion 2 years ago and driving
a Ford Puma this time, swells the ranks at the top end of this
SEAT Jim Clark International Rally, 4th round of the MobilI British
Championship. Volkswagen and Vauxhall are the names most likely
to dominate the top of the leaderboard, as the emphasis in the
Championship switches here in Duns from the forest gravel tracks
of the first three rounds to the smooth asphalt surface farm
roads of the Berwickshire countryside. The stages are mostly
straightforward, non technical, high speed blasts. The leading
F2 cars should be able to keep the momentum going for mile after
mile. Group N machinery, in the capable hands of such drivers
as Ipatti, Simpson and Milner, to name just three, have been
able to turn in some fastest times through the forests. It will
be a minor miracle if they can do it here.
The Super 1600 division has been superbly competitive, with the
Peugeots challenged and at times beaten by Mats Andersson. Unless
Rowe can pull someting out of the bag in the Puma, the 106 Super
GTi's of Dale and Higgins should be the category cars to beat,
Andersson admitting that he will have to drive very very hard
to match the 106's.
The top F2 drivers have had an up and down championship so far,
with the situation wide open. The current points show:-Marko
Ipatti on 30, Mark Higgins 20, Jarmo Kytolehto 17, Neil Wearden
and Mats Andersson on 15, Tapio Laukkanen 12, Justin Dale and
Andrew Pinker both on 11. This Jim Clark Rally is critical. With
12 points for a win and 5 out of 6 rounds to count, 3 to go including
this one, the series is far from over.
Last year's winner Laukkanen commented here at Duns, "We
went straight to Ireland after the Scottish, to the Cooley Mountain
stage, and had a good test, of the car and the Pirellis. I feel
pretty confident". Interestingly Pirttinen, who had been
drafted in as 2nd car in the VW team for the last couple of rounds,
is missing this one out, so Jock Armstrong may be getting the
VW support this time for his Golf. Former Champion Mark Higgins
tells us, "I'm pretty happy the Astras will go well here,
but it could be a close rally." Mark's Vauxhall team mate
Neil Wearden won last year's all tarmac Ulster rally, a pointer
for this weekend perhaps?
This Duns based rally is divided into many parts. The Peugeot
Super 106 Cup, currently led by Andy Burnell from Paul Wedgbury,
plays a big part in the International, which also encompasses
the Ford Puma series.Simon Maugher leads the Pumas. The VW Polo
Challenge, led by Neil Buckley, runs on Friday night only, while
Saturday night sees the Scottish Championship round. The Lex
Army Landrover team run for the 2 nights.
Lars Goran Andersson is not starting. Late stories include the
Hyundai team burning the midnight oil to reortedly rectify an
engine problem on one of their cars, while Gwyndaf Evans has
dragged himself from his sick bed in order to drive the SEAT
World Rally Car as course car. Barbara Armstrong is steering
the 2nd SEAT, an F2 machine. More news from end of stage 1...BRIAN
AND LIZ PATTERSON |
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