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RALLY
NEWS NO.7 New Brighton..Saturday 2pm UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 6 1st (7) Martin Rowe/Chris Wood (Ford Puma) 21.39.3 2nd (5) Justin Dale/Andrew Bargery (Peugeot) 21.47.5 3rd (14) Robert Woodside/Chris Patterson (Ford Puma) 21.55.1 4th (15) Marttin Sansom/Phil Wells (Peugeot) 22.05.9 5th (8) Patrick Magaud/Guylene Brun (Ford Puma) 22.09.9 6th (18) Simon Mauger/Scott Poxon (Ford Puma) 22.13.0 7th (1) Mats Andersson/Clare Mole (Proton) 22.23.7 8th (17) Paul Wedgbury/Neil Dashfield (Saxo) 22.27.8 9th (19) Max McMillen/Tim McQuaid (Saxo) 22.28.3 10th (2) Neil Collins/James Phillips (Proton) 22.37.2 Justin Dale was just over half a second slower than Martin Rowe through stage 6, the Peugeot driver making a very determined bid to stabilise his position in 2nd here at the Wirral, but Martin Rowe is fastest yet again. Martin's co driver Chris Wood said at the end of that stage 6 - "It seemed significantly quicker than the last time but we are only 1s better". Justin Dale said "We had a good clean run". Third placed Robert Woodside told us "There doesn't seem to be much more we can do about the works cars in front". That seems to be the story, the drivers all trying very hard, but little change to the leaderboard. Martin Sansom continues to do a brilliant job to hold 4th, while Patrick Magauid said about his 5th position "Fine, fine, difficult but fine"....then there was a Gallic shrug of the shoulders..which said it all... Mats Andersson in the Proton continues to hold 7th place behind Simon Maugher, and just the tiniest fraction faster than Paul Wedgbury in 8th place. Young Kris Meeke has been fastest of the Peugeot Super 106 Cup contenders and we await his times with interest after stage 6. Rory Galligan lies just outside the leaderboard, but is now looking over his shoulder as the Bush crossroads man closes in. Interestingly, Kris whose father Sydney was one of the most renouned car preparation experts in Britain during the time of the works Opels, has Gerry McGarrity looking after the Peugeot. Gerry was the late Mark Fisher's engineer, and says about young Kris..."He's just a pure natural, very fast, learns very quickly". Behind the leading Peugeot twosome, Dave Nutt, Seamus Donnelly & Ryan Champion are swopping seconds. Donnelly joking after one small excursion in stage 6 "I'll be getting lifted for kerb-crawling!" Other stories include...Ian Barrett clipping two wheels when he put his Proton up the kerbs in stage 5..lucky not to get a puncture. Liam Brady is having a ball on his first trip in a Proton. Dave Nutt clipped a wheel in stage 6 and lucky not to puncture. The reason for Geoff Jones' retirement was a crank shaft sensor came adrift. BTRDA Gold Star champion Martin Meadows told us that he got quite a culture shock at the speed of the Formula Rally people here today, Martin has students from Myerscough College near Preston servicing today as part of an ongoing exercise. Adrian McElvaney/Cain Curley from Monaghan tell us that they lost quite a few seconds stuck behind a car at one point, but on the bright side they have managed to adjust the brakes to improve the balance and things are getting better. More later..BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON
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