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RALLY NEWS
NO.5 Dumfries service. Saturday 3pm
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 4 - CASTLE O'ER
1st (3) Neil Wearden/Trevor Agnew (Vauxhall) 37.19.7
2nd (1) Tapio Laukkanen/Kaj Lindstrom (VW Golf) 37.36.0
3rd (11) Marko Ipatti/Teppo Leino (Lancer N) 37.53.8
4th (17) Neil Simpson/Mike Gibson (Lancer N) 37.54.0
5th (2) Mark Higgins/Bryan Thomas (Vauxhall) 38.00.8
6th (16) Mike Brown/Aled Davies (Lancer N) 38.27.1
7th (19) Gavin Cox/Tim Hobbs (Lancer N) 38.53.1
8th (4) Jarmo Kytolehto/Arto Kapanen (Coupe F2) 38.53.9
9th (9) Jani Pirtinen/Tomi Tuominen (VW Golf) 38.58.5
10th (20) Dave Wood/Les Waterfall (Impreza N) 39.08.1
Neil Wearden scored another fastest time, 2s quicker than his
Vauxhall team mate Mark Higgins through stage 4, Castle O'er,
with Tapio Laukkanen in the VW Golf just a blink of an eye behind.
Wearden said here at Dumfries service "We're riding our
luck, we hit a big log end on in that stage and the tyre stayed
up - it's time we had a bit of luck". Laukkanen confirmed
that his problem in stage 3 was a puncture - the Golf went for
6 miles on a flat rear, otherwise no problem. Mark Higgins
said "Going good, but getting back up into the top 3 will
be a problem after losing that minute in stage 1".
Andrew Pinker dropped out of the leaderboard with a slow time
in stage 4, the Australian can't really account for it, but he
thinks the engine note has changed a little. His team mate Kytolehto
tells us "I'm not quite happy, can't get the car handling
like the Pirelli, not pulling so well also. The set up
has changed somehow and we will have a discussion here at service.
Finnish driver Jani Pirtinen in the second Golf said "Our
differential is broken, only 2 kilos download instead of 16.
We have no spare but will change the oil and hopefully it will
be better. It is completely different differential from Tapio's".
Jonny Milner continues his run of desperately bad luck with another
retirement - unconfirmed reports suggest a wire coming adrift
to the ECU. David Higgins leads the 1600 Super division,
his Peugeot now on 39.21.8 as against Mats Andersson on 39.32.4.
Justin Dale 39.33.6 and Niall McShea's Saxo 40.08.7. The
Citroen now has no 2nd gear. David Higgins' engine is none
the worse for the stage 2 burst radiator but David was held up
for a few seconds behind Milner in stage 4. Justin Dale now has
his confidence up and has made some changes to the tyre set up,
and also changed his driving style to suit the different tyres.
Mats Andersson in the Proton told us "We have a very big
off in stage 3 down a ditch and across the road and down another
ditch". Co driver Claire Mole chirped in "I had
to give Mats a bollocking!" Maybe the Swede is getting lightheaded
with this new haircut!! He went on to say "No damage
to the car but the geometry must be checked. It is so close we
can't lose anything". FORD PUMA C/SHIP: Ben Briant
continues to lead from Simon Maugher with Donagh Kelly 3rd. More
later..BRIAN AND LIZ PATTERSON |
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