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RALLY
NEWS NO.3 Kent Showgrounds/Service/Sat. 11.15 UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 5 (LODGE HILL CAMP) FORMULA RALLY SUPER 1600 1st (5) Justin Dale/Andrew Bargery (Peugeot) 25.51 2nd (9) Francois Duval/JM Fortin (Ford) 26.00 3rd (7) Martin Rowe/Chris Wood (Ford) 26.06 4th (15) Martin Sansom/Phil Wells (Peugeot) 26.22 5th (1) Mats Andersson/Claire Mole (Proton) 26.39 6th (19) Max McKillen/Nicky Beech (Saxo) 27.24 The Super 1600 drivers are finding the going really tough - they have done 5 stages in here to service, and already the 11 starters have been whittled down....with Patrick Magaud, David Higgins and Paul Wedgbury all retired. First on the road Justin Dale reported "We had to do the 4 Grain stages and then in to Lodge Hill Camp. There is a grassy section through a wood in Lodge Hill which is very difficult, no grip at all, and of course the tyres have got pretty worn after the Grain stages. It was also difficult to find your way through the army camp, arrows away in the distance!" Martin Rowe, very much in the battle for the driver's championship today, echoed Dale's thoughts, and said "Lodge Hill was so difficult, I really didn't we would get through the grassy section". Mats Andersson in the Proton is having a fairly good run through the stages, but the car is cutting out with what seems to be a persistent fuel problem, and they may have some road penalties to add to their above total. Martin Sansom arrived in here to service with the front right corner of his Peugeot slightly damaged, the wheel rubbing against the inner arch, but that hasn't stopped Martin from setting some good times. Simon Maugher's Proton has some sort of engine problem - the car lapsing on to 3 cylinders. Max McKillen, making a comeback after his Caerwent accident, reports "I'm not looking at other people's times, taking it really easy, trying to get my confidence up and then my speed". Further news on retirements is that David Higgins reports "I was just nicking the Polo up a gear when I hit a bump and I reckon I took a tooth off the crown wheel". Paul Wedgbury's trouble is reportedly down to suspension failure. While Magaud's car has allegedly had a mysterious engine problem. No definite news as yet, but no sign of Ian Barrett here at service. ASHFORD RALLY UNOFFICIAL L/BOARD AFTER SS3 (GRAIN EAST) 1st (31) Garry Jennings/James O'Brien (Peugeot) 20.55 2nd (33) Ryan Champion/Cliff Simmons (Peugeot) 20.57 (35) Kris Meeke/Gordon Noble (Peugeot) 20.57 4th (37) Chris Moore/Mike Panes (Peugeot) 21.16 5th (36) Simon Hughes/Phil Pugh (Peugeot) 21.17 6th (38) Daniel & Clive Dunbabin (Peugeot) 21.23 Unofficial news is that Kris Meeke has retired his Peugeot in stage 4, having thumped a kerb and knocked a wheel off. News on the Ford Ka C/ship from earlier is that Ian Forgan led from Darren Snape with Ed Pugh 3rd. More news later..BRIAN AND LIZ PATTERSON
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