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RALLY NEWS
NO.3 Dumfries service....Saturday 11.30
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 2 - WINDY HILL
1st (1) Tapio Laukkanen/Kaj Lindstrom (VW Golf) 23.21.9
2nd (3) Neil Wearden/Trevor Agnew (Vauxhall) 23.39.2
3rd (11) Marko Ipatti/Teppo Leino (Lancer N) 23.54.0
4th (10) Jonny Milner/Nicky Beech (Celica N) 24.00.0
5th (17) Neil Simpson/Mike Gibson (Lancer N) 24.01.4
6th (2) Mark Higgins/Bryan Thomas (Vauxhall) 24.19.5
7th (16) Mike Brown/Aled Davies (Lancer N) 24.21.7
8th (9) Jani Pirtinen/Tomi Tuominen (VW Golf)24.35.4
9th (7) Andrew Pinker/Allan Harryman (Coupe F2) 24.41.5
10th (19) Gavin Cox/Tim Hobbs (Lancer N) 24.41.9
Whilst Tapio Laukkanen was fastest through stage 1, it was Mark
Higgins in the Vauxhall, after dropping a minute in the first
stage with a puncture, who was fastest through stage 2.
Laukkanen commented "We took it very steady, it was a short
stage, very slippy and we took no risks. It wasn't a stage you
were going to win the rally on". Not so conservative
was David Higgins in the Peugeot 106 Super GTi - he took the
big jump in there more or less flat out, and damaged the radiator.
The jump was obviousy pretty deceptive - Nik Elsmore had it in
his notes as flat out, his Lancer nearly went into orbit!
Pinker reported a half spin in that stage, but the Australian
still had a handy time and is sitting quite comfortably inside
the top 10. His team mate Kytolehto has had a torrid run so far.
Jarmo dropped well over a minute on the first stage with a puncture,
and although his time was fairly respectable for stae 2, the
Finn reports a front left suspension problem, as yet unidentified.
Marko Ipatti felt he took it a little too easy in the stage,
while Jonny Milner in the Celica told us "I scared myself
a little early on, over the mud, and then was maybe just too
careful".
Young Ian Barrett in the Delphi Nova broke a driveshaft in stage
1 and was struggtling to clear the stage. On the early
times we have Ben Briant was quickest Puma through the Ae stage
from Simon Maugher.
Justin Dale was studying his front tyres very closely here at
service, trying to work out which compound would be best for
today's changeable conditions. Justin has a bit of a chest
cold which isn't helping his cause. Niall McShea felt he's driving
just a little scrappily, but the car's fine. Niall quite happy
to be still going after so many early retirements after the last
few months. Neil Simpson in the Pirelli Lancer felt he
drove stage 2 "like a tart" but observed "You
only get one chance". Marko Ramanen had a good run
through stage 1 to lie 3rd in the Super 1600s. Following
our earlier story, unconfirmed reports suggest that young Ian
Barrett may not after all have made it out of the Ae forest complex
with his Nova. There is possible head gasket failure, his father
Nigel telling us that there was a new engine fitted for the rally.
Charlie Exton was struggling a bit through Ae, crunching gears
and generally getting a bit sideways and narrowly missed George
McDonald's Nissan which was stuck in a ditch. McDonald got going
after about 10 mins. More news later.BRIAN AND LIZ PATTERSON |
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