RALLY NEWS NO.10      Longtown service..Sunday 3.20

UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 11 - (FINAL STAGE)
1st (11) Marko Ipatti/Kari Kajula (Lancer N)2.05.22.4
2nd (4) Jarmo Kytolehto/Arto Kapanen (Coupe F2)2.06.25.3
3rd (26) Dave Wood/Les Waterfall(Impreza N) 2.08.04.7
4th (22) Nik Elsmore/Jayson Brown (Lancer N)2.09.20.9
5th (8) Mats Andersson/Claire Mole (Satria) 2.09.21.2
6th (20) Gavin Cox/Tim Hobbs (Lancer N) 2.09.44.6
7th (30) Guy Anderson/Dave Taylor (Lancer N) 2.10.03.5
8th (5) Justin Dale/Andrew Bargery (Peugeot)2.10.17.4
9th (32) Jock Armstrong/Paul Morris (VW) 2.11.38.2
10th (14) Neil Simpson/Mike Gibson (Lancer N)2.12.28.6

It's fairly fitting that a Pirelli shod car should win the Pirelli International Rally, and in a last stage drama that is just what has happened.  Marko Ipatti powering through from 2nd to 1st - Kytolehto dropping from 1st to 2nd.  Ipatti was just bursting with happiness when he reached the finish and discovered he had won.  The 33 year old Finn telling us "It was very good and it gives me hope for the championship. We were flat out on the last stage. We started 2 minutes behind Jarmo and we saw his dust and thought maybe we can do this. And we did. The car gave no trouble during the rally, we avoided punctures, kept the car straight and the service crew did a great job".  This means that Marko and his co driver Kari Kajula now lead the Mobil 1 British Championship.  Marko is looking forward to the Scottish Rally which he feels will suit his car well.  Kytolehto told us about that last stage drama "First the power shift stopped working, then we started to lose rear brakes and going along beside the river I had to pump the brakes. One corner we ran a little bit wide, touched a rock and punctured the rear wheel".

For Dave Wood and Les Waterfall, this was their best result ever, to finish 3rd. Dave joking "I really enjoyed the rally until a few stages ago, and then I started to get nervous, thinking about the result".  Nik Elsmore was in and out of several ditches through Bewshaugh, so took it a bit easier on the last stage, to avoid punctures, and secure his place on the leaderboard. Mats Andersson wins the Super 1600 category very convincingly. It was a great result for the Harry Hockly directed team.  Gavin Cox turned in some screaming times today to make up for his earlier time loss, and scythed up the leaderboard to a great result.  Justin Dale said about the rally "It was a tough one, at times it was just a matter of getting through. Having said that the Peugeot worked very well, we really needed to finish and get points. At times we could have gone quicker, especially over the rough stuff".  Guy Anderson had a good result considering it was his first time out in a Lancer. Jock Armstrong had a good run to 9th and Neil Simpson set several fastest times in his Brown's Mitsubishi Lancer to move from 20th to 10th today. Jonny Milner set fastest time on the last stage - if there is a "trier's award" surely Jonny deserves a crack at it. When he looked at the time, he commented "If only the Celica had kept going on every stage". In the Challenge part of the rally, with 1 stage to go, Stephen Finlay had a 2m advantage over Steve Petch, Petch should reinforce his Mintex series lead. Martin Sansom led the Peugeots from Steve Wedgbury. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON