RALLY NEWS NO.3             Pickering Showground/Saturday 12.45
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 3 Housedale 1
1st  (12) Jonny Milner/Nicky Beech (Corolla WRC) 22.06.0
2nd (16) Julian Reynolds/Ieuan Thomas (Impreza) 22.09.9
3rd (14) Steve Petch/John Richardson (Accent WRC) 22.10.7
4th (18) Charles Payne/Craig Thorley (Lancer) 22.22.8
5th (17) Leon Pesticcio/Howard Davies (Lancer N) 23.00.9
6th (3) Gwyndaf Evans/Chris Patterson (MG ZR) 23.09.7
7th (20) Nigel Heath/Steve Lancaster (Impreza WRC) 23.14.8
8th (24) Phil Morgan/Martin Douglas (Impreza N) 23.21.3
9th (2) Guy Wilks/Roger Herron (Ford Puma) 23.35.6
10th (5) Kris Meeke/Glenn Patterson (Ford Puma) 23.41.7
11th (4) Rory Galligan/Gordon Noble (Peugeot 206) 23.42.4
12th (22) James Thompson/Plug Pulleyn (Lancer N) 23.49.2

Jonny Milner arrived in to service to be inundated with people wanting to shake his hand and congratulate him on becoming the new Pirelli British Rally Champion following Justin Dale's stage 2 retirement when his Peugeot engine cried enough.  "13 years I've been trying" beamed Jonny. "I didn't see Justin's car in the stage, but at a downhill into hairpin Nicky said "Justin's stopped there". And I thought - funny, I didn't have that in the pacenotes!"  Jonny went on to say that now he can concentrate on the rally and try to score his first home Yorkshire win.  Milner was fastest through stage 2, but Steve Petch in the Hyundai was fastest through stage 3.  Finnish driver Jari-Matti Latvala was stunningly quick over the first 2 stages, but his Lancer has stopped in stage 3, reportedly with a mechanical problem.  Also out is new Scottish Champion, Barry Johnson, his Subaru engine blown to bits just over a mile into stage 2.  No doubt the long Dalby straights will take their toll on more engines before the day is out.

Super 1600 leader Gwyndaf Evans came through stages 2 and 3 with his MG's gearbox virtually out of oil. Gwyndaf put some engine oil in himself - "Better that than water" reported the Welshman, who went on to say that there is a chance the leak was from a drive shaft, and it may have resolved itself.  Guy Wilks is 2nd in the Super 1600s, although he has a road penalty hanging over his head. Kris Meeke is 3rd, still trying to get his confidence back after his Ulster accident. Rory Galligan in the Peugeot is 4th having wasted precious seconds with some wild overshooting moments at the Woodyard.

Leon Pesticcio leads the gpN category from Phil Morgan with James Thompson 3rd. New British Touring Car Champion James burst through the tapes at the Woodyard, in front of his father David. Pesticcio in the Promax prepared Lancer reported "We overshot a hairpin on the first stage, baked too hard for a square right on the 2nd, otherwise OK". In the Puma 1400 series, Darren Snape has retired, Ryan Champion 2nd planning to do just enough to win the series.  More news later. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON               www.rallynews.net