RallyNews No8 Manx International Rally

MANX TAILS NO.8 Jurby-service-Friday 6.15
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 13 JURBY
1st (15) Mark Higgins/Craig Thorley (Corolla WRC) 1.42.27.9
2nd (14) Jonny Milner/Nicky Beech (Corolla WRC) 1.43.00.1
3rd (16) Andrew Nesbitt/James O'Brien (Impreza WRC) 1.45.51.2
4th (11) David Higgins/Daniel Barritt (Impreza N) 1.48.07.4
5th (17) Eamonn Boland/Francis Regan (Impreza WRC) 1.48.57.8
6th (1) Justin Dale/Andrew Bargery (Peugeot) 1.50.37.2
7th (21) Trevor Cathers/D.Wilson (Lancer N) 1.52.25.5
8th (20) Alistair Ginley/Rory Kennedy (Lancer N) 1.52.39.9
9th (31) Dickie Curran/Gary Lyons (Lancer N) 1.52.48.3
10th (23) Robert Watson/Sean Crellin (Impreza) 1.52.57.5

Mark Higgins was fastest through stage 12 Regaby, and fastest again through stage 13 Jurby. But there are only split seconds in it. On both stages Andrew Nesbitt was 3rd fastest, the Armagh man now concentrating on scoring maximum Tarmac points and for the present not bidding for outright honours here on the Island. Both Higgins and Milner arrived into the re-group with grass poking out of various grilles at the front of their cars, evidence of straight-lining some of the straw baled junctions here at the airfield.

David Higgins continues to lead gpN in the Barretts Subaru, David reporting a certain amount of under-steer with his Impreza but otherwise everything OK.
Eamonn Boland in 5th place has settled down with his new co driver Francis Regan and reports a steady run…or in his own words "tipping along nice and steady". Justin Dale in 6th continues to lead the 1600 category in his Peugeot and told us that he is content now just to stay ahead of the 1600 pack and hopefully score maximum Pirelli British Championship points.

Trevor Cathers in 7th is the best group N runner after David Higgins, Dickie Curran, Alistair Ginley and Robert Watson all nibbling away at Cathers' times, but the old master is a hard man to beat! Steve Petch has been going well over the last few stages and his Hyundai is now up to 11th overall, with John Cope in his Escort Cosworth 12th. Guy Woodcock was ahead of Petch and Cope, but his RS2000 was slowed through stage 11 because of the after effects of hitting the flooded ford at the end of stage 10 very hard. Woodcock leads class 7: While some other class leaders include: Dessie Keenan at the head of cl.6 in his Peugeot 206 Super Cup car. Norwegian visitor Marcus Foss, who has John Haughland here advising him, leads cl.N3 in his Almera. Italian Marco Veroni is 2nd in that class. Chris de Fortis leads N2. Ladies crew Aisling Dooris/Wendy Blackledge lead cl.5 and John Moxon class 1. There are just 35 cars left in the main rally.
Eugene Ferry leads the Manx Trophy Rally in his Mk2 Escort from John Corlett. In the Volkswagen Polo Challenge local man Adrian Kermode has built up a lead over Cork based Ian Chadwick. Points leader Sophie Robinson is several places further back. Astra Challenge: Peter Christian leads. More news later..BRIAN AND LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net