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RALLY NEWS
NO.2 End of stage 2..Friday 7.15pm
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 2 - Langton
1st (3) Neil Wearden/Trevor Agnew (V/hall Astra) 3.59.5
2nd (1) Tapio Laukkanen/Kaj Lindstrom (VW Golf) 3.59.6
3rd (4) Jarmo Kytolehto/Arto Kapanen (Coupe) 4.00.7
4th (2) Mark Higgins/Bryan Thomas (V/hall Astra)4.05.6
5th (10) Jonny Milner/Nicky Beech (Celica N) 4.06.6
6th (5) Justin Dale/Andrew Bargery (Peugeot) 4.07.3
7th (8) Mats Andersson/Claire Mole (Satria GTi)4.10.0
8th (17) Neil Simpson/Mike Gibson (Lancer N) 4.11.3
9th (15) Martin Rowe/Chris Wood (Ford Puma) 4.12.4
10th (26) Jock Armstrong/Paul Morris (VW Golf) 4.13.8
The hype and build up to this SEAt Jim Clark Rally is such that
it is understandable that the drivers are pretty screwed up starting
the first stage. The first 2 Langton tests are short and
through a ford, so the drivers get no time really to settle down.
So short are the stages also that the slightest blip can mean
sliding down the leaderboard several places. First on the
road, Mark Higgins in the Vauxhall, had a scrappy first stage
and although his time was only 3s slower than Kytolehto, Wearden
& Laukkanen, it was enough to knock the former champion back.
Wearden was in fact fastest on the first stage, Laukkanen fastest
on the 2nd. Wearden commented "I'm just finding my
feet, on the 2nd run when we hit the water splash the power steering
belt slipped, but it was no problem".
When Tapio Laukkanen's Golf slid to a halt, the Finnish driver
reported "Wee bit wrong setting rear suspension, we will
change after stage 3". Jarmo Kytolehto told us "Rear
very slippy after water splash, very sideways!" Mark
Higgins said "I don't know why I was scrappy on the first
stage".
In group N Jonny Milner was fastest, Jonny reporting no problems,
Mobil 1 Championship leader Marko Ipatti saying "The stage
seems very slippy, quite surprising".
In the 1600 category Justin Dale was fastest in both stages,
the Peugeot man joking "That was my tarmac test, no really,
no problems". His Peugeot team mate David Higgins
slipped back with a first stage spin. Mats Andersson had a really
good run but said "The back of the car came wild some times!"
Niall McShea got off slightly on the wrong foot when his Saxo
encountered power steering problems. Young David Wright in his
private Corsa Kit Car had a very good first stage - faster than
McShea, faster indeed than Neil Simpson, Martin Rowe & Ipatti
- but it looks to us as if the Corsa's head gasket was gone after
that first test.
Charlie Exton has come off stage 2 with the rear bumper of his
Honda trailing. Andrew Pinker clipped a bank on the first
stage and then spun on the 2nd, holding up young Nik Elsmore.
Charlie Jukes was struggling with gear selection difficulties
in his Proton. Jock Armstrong, running 6th on the road
becausse of his assistance from VW for this rally, felt that
he was "still getting into it". More news from
service...BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON |
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