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WEE MANX TALES NO.1
Grandstand/Douglas/Friday 8.45
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 2 Coilcam
1st (3) Ken McKinstry/Noel Orr (Impreza WRC) 8.14.6
2nd (14) Paul Bird/Andrew Bargery (Focus WRC) 8.14.8
3rd (2) Melvyn Evans/Martin Henry (Impreza WRC) 8.25.2
4th (17) Mark Perrott/Paul Morris (Escort WRC) 8.25.8
5th (9) Marcus Dodd/Stephen McAuley (Accent WRC) 8.26.3
6th (16) Steve Perez/Daniel Barritt (Focus WRC) 8.31.6
(21) Geoff Jones/Rhydian Welson (Impreza N) 8.31.6
8th (15) Craig Middleton/Robin Hernaman (Accent WRC) 8.31.7
9th (4) Roger Duckworth/Mark Broomfield (WRC) 8.36.1
10th (8) Steve Fleck/Nigel Gardner (Impreza WRC) 8.40.1
Never before has this Manx National Rally, this year supported by Roush
Technologies, have such a strong entry. There is a plethora of world rally cars,
the best of Group N machinery, and some brilliant down the field cars. The
rally is a round of the National Tarmacadam Championship, the ANCRO series, the
Lancer Evo Challenge, and the Peugeot 206 Super Cup.
There were massive crowds of spectators at the start and finish of the
opening Port Erin stage. Conditions were bright, sunny but cold and it was Marcus
Dodd who was fastest in his newly acquired ex Maurice Gass Hyundai Accent WRC.
Paul Bird was just point one of a second slower, Mark Perrott was 3rd fastest
and Kenny McKinstry 4th. Two times previous winner McKinstry said before the
start of the rally that he wouldn't worry too much about his time on the
first stage. What with the kerbs through the town and then multiple rocks at the
side of the road over the headland, it was a place where you could lose the
rally, but at 1.54 miles long, you certainly could not win it. Scuff marks on
the edges of Paul Bird's Focus bore testimony to the fact that he was certainly
cutting things very fine.
Only one driver reported any real problem on that opening stage and that was
John Price. The Hereford man started the rally in 2nd place to Steve Hendy in
the Tarmacadam C/ship points table, but any hopes John had of improving on
that went out the window when he felt his Metro 6R4's engine going off song
towards the stage finish. He had a good look at the unit on the road section up to
stage 2, and decided to call it a day.
Some comments from the end of that first stage included: David Mann "No heat
in the back brakes". Melvyn Evans said "Sliding about a bit"j. Roger
Duckworth "It was a bit hairy". Tony Davies, who is running a touring car type
engine which only really produces power from 8 to 10 thousand revs in his Metro
6R4, said "That was just a little totter to get going". Steve Fleck reported
some smoke inside his Subaru WRC, but commented "They do that some times!" Phil
Morgan lost a few seconds when he slowed too son for the flying finish. Bob
Ceen said "A total lack of practice for me".
In the overall race for group N honours Geoff Jones was fastest off the
starting blocks in his Subaru with a time of 1.54.5 as against Brendan Crealey in
the works Lancer on 1.56.1. Crealey commented "I was a bit scrappy to be
honest, just getting bedded in". In stage 2 Geoff Jones was again fastest. Roy
White was highest placed Evo Challenge driver and was 14th overall. Brendan
Crealey was 11th o/a after stage 2. Paul Wedgbury was 16th after SS2, just a
second behind Roy White. More news later. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON
www.rallynews.net
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