UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 8 BLACK LOCH

1st (6) Dave Weston/Neil Shanks (Impreza N) 1.17.05.3

2nd (3) Brian Bell/Paul Spooner (Escort WRC)1.17.39.4

3rd (7) Stuart McQueen/Alistair Green (Lancer N)1.18.09.0

4th (60) Eamonn Boland/Anthony Nestor (Impreza WRC)1.18.53.1

5th (56) Raymond Munro/Neil Ewing (Impreza) 1.19.13.3

6th (10) Rory Galligan/Paul Nagle (Peugeot) 1.19.16.9

7th (58) Steve Palmer/Bruce Harper (Lancer)1.19.44.9

8th (11) Ryan Champion/Cliff Simmons (Peugeot)1.19.51.9

9th (22) Daniel & Clive Dunbabin (Peugeot) 1.20.09.5

10th (5) Barry Johnson/Peter Croft (Impreza) 1.18.54.5

11th (8) Garry Jennings/James O'Brien (Peugeot)1.20.37.6

12th (20) Simon Hughes/Phil Pugh (Peugeot) 1.20.44.9

There were no major changes to the leaderboard after the Black Loch stage...the concensus of opinion amongst the top drivers was that it was an exhilarating stage, very fast, great fun in this morning's sunshine. Fastest through the stage was Jock Armstrong on a time of 7.21.2. Raymond Munro had 7.23.6 and Dave Weston 7.27.0. Weston is in no danger from the cars immediately behind - Brian Bell had 7.34.9 and reports a little bit of clutch trouble. GpN leader Stuart McQueen in 3rd overall had 7.34.1. Weston said after the stage "I felt I didn't drive well, but still I kept it neat and tidy and it's not a bad time". Raymond Munro reported a small bit of exhaust trouble. Steve Palmer had been 4th overnight but was knocked back with his stage 7 puncture and reportedly some turbo pipe trouble.

In the battle of the Peugeot 106's...Rory Galligan was too cautious through stage 8 and dropped over 14s to Ryan Champion. Fastest 106 time we have was posted by young Garry Jennings - 6s faster than Champion - an amazing 21s better than Rory. Young Kris Meeke is really going for it this morning - but on the first one out he overshot one corner and had to reverse out of a ditch, but was only half a second slower than the quickest Peugeot time. On that stage 8, Black Loch, he fell into a ditch on the inside of a slow corner and dropped about 20s! Simon Hughes was a few seconds down, he reckoned he was just a bit cautious, as was Michael Brew, particularly following on from this morning's puncture.

Ian Paterson in the Escort Cosworth had a good run, he also was recovering from a stage 7 puncture. Guy Woodcock in the RS2000 F2 reports the car filled with smoke in Black Loch and then it all mysteriously disappeared again. Young Barry Mayers who has made the trip from Barbados for this rally, reports some gear linkage trouble, and also a bent track control arm on the left front suspension.

We have just had a report from Kenny McKinstry that Rory Kennedy has been released from hospital - it wasn't possible to save the tip of his little finger - but he's fine - of immediate concern is that Kenny cannot contact Dick Cormack from Pirelli Tyres who has all Rory's clothes in his car...

As the top cars are doing this Black Loch stage the Army Land Rovers are just tackling stage 7 - Alan Parramore/Simon Nock still lead, although they had a bit of a drama this morning when they discovered they had left their pace notes back at base...

More news later..BRIAN AND LIZ PATTERSON