|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MANX RALLY
TALES NO.14 Grandstand..Finish..Sat.3.30
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 26 (LAST STAGE)
1st (2) Mark Higgins/Bryan Thomas (V/hall Astra) 3.04.35.3
2nd (10) Neil Simpson/Mike Gibson (Lancer N) 3.10.06.4
3rd (5) Justin Dale/Andrew Bargery (Peugeot 106) 3.14.42.3
4th (12) Gavin Cox/Tim Hobbs (Lancer N) 3.16.49.8
5th (21) Nik Elsmore/Jayson Brown (Lancer N) 3.19.59.1
6th (19) Mike Brown/Aled Davies (Lancer N) 3.21.06.4
7th (25) Guy Woodcock/John Skinner (Escort) 3.21.17.6
8th (22) Alistair Ginley/Greg Haynes (Impreza N)3.23.33.5
9th (27)Natalie Barrett/Joanne Lockwood (LancerN)3.26.12.3
10th (28) Nigel & Michaela Cannell (Corsa) 3.33.43.8
Rob Watson was 11th just 5s off the leaderboard.
New Mobil 1 British Champion Marko Ipatti was on hand here at
the TT Grandstand to congratulate Mark Higgins on a favulous
victory. Mark's Vauxhall Astra never missed a beat throughout
the 3 tough days of the rally. Co-driver Bryan Thomas takes
the Champion Co-Driver title. (Ipatti's co-driver Kari Kajula
missed 1 rally). Mark commented "I love that last stage
so we went for it. I've wanted to win this rally for a long time,
its 10 years since I first competed here. The car was brilliant".
Neil Simpson and co-driver Mike Gibson win group N after a brilliant
run in their Pirelli backed Lancer, Neil commenting at the finish
"I'm chuffed, I couldn't have done much better, couldn't
expect to beat Mark in the workd car".
Works Peugeot driver Justin Dale did everyhing required of him,
and more, on this event to win the Super 1600 category, but the
Super 1600 for the championship goes to Mats Andersson who finished
outside the top 10. Fourth placed Gavin Cox wins the GpN
Amateur category for the championship. Mike Brown could
have deprived Gavin of the championship honours, but an accident
on the first night which damaged the intercooler meant Mike was
fighting a rear guard battle for the last 3 days. Nik Elsmore
was giving Cox a great run for his money, but he had to throttle
right back over the last 3 stages because of an ominous noise
in his Lancer's engine. Nik said at the finish "That was
the longest last stage ever". Ginley was happy to hold on
to 8th when his turbo blew on the last stage. Natalie Barrett
wins the Ladies in a fine 9th.
As the cars are still completing the Millennium stage it is impossible
to give class winners, David Bateson in the Polo was on to take
his N1 class. Ian Barrett in Delphi Proton N2, Ian delighted
with his first run in the car. Rob Heldoorn was heading for victory
in cl.N3 in his Peugeot. Similarly, in the TROPHY RALLY the cars
had still to complete the final stage, but Andrew Nesbitt/James
O'Brien were looking a racing certainty to take victory and clinch
the Tarmac Championship in the process. Nesbitt made good use
of these 3 days on the island, setting up his Impreza WRC for
the roads here, and remarked "A very good test, the stages
here are different from Ireland, the car is transformed from
when we started". Mark Fisher/Gordon Noble were heading
for 2nd place in the Trophy which will win them group N in the
Tarmac. Glenn Leece in the Metro 6R4 was heading for 3rd,however
we hear he is in trouble in the penultimate stage, but still
going. Dessie McCartney was lea ding the Post Historics and Dessie
Nutt the Historics, each in Porsches of diffferent vintages.
BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON |
|
|
|
|
