RALLY NEWS NO.7     Hexham service..Sunday 10.45

UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 9 WHICKHOPE
1st (4) Jarmo Kytolehto/Arto Kapanen (Coupe F2)1.34.48.3
2nd (11) Marko Ipatti/Kari Kajula (Lancer N) 1.35.02.8
3rd (26) Dave Wood/Les Waterfall (Impreza N) 1.36.45.0
4th (8) Mats Andersson/Claire Mole (Satria)1.37.37.3
5th (22) Nik Elsmore/Jayson Brown (Lancer N) 1.37.39.7
6th (30) Guy Anderson/Dave Taylor (Lancer N) 1.38.26.1
7th (5) Justin Dale/Andrew Bargery (Peugeot) 1.38.39.9
8th (32) Jock Armstrong/Paul Morris (VW Golf)1.39.28.2

The above totals are from the first few cars only through stage 9 - Whickhope.  The 28.85 mile test certainly took its toll on the Mobil 1 British Championship contenders. Neil Wearden in the Vauxhall stopped at junction 17 with a damaged engine. Tapio Laukkanen stopped his Volkswagen earlier in the stage, also reportedly with a blown engine. It could be that the extremely dusty conditions are causing the engine problems, but we don't know for sure.

Mike Brown was 3rd starting that stage 9, but he has dropped outside the leaderboard, his stage time 7 minutes adrift - reason as yet unknown.

Even the Club Chairman, Brian Kinghorn, doing course car in a Bill Gwynne Subaru is having a new gearbox fitted here at Hexham service.

More news when the cars arrive..BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON