WEE MANX TALES NO.7
Grandstand/Saturday 4pm
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 16
(LAST STAGE)
1st (2) Mark Higgins/Andy
Richardson (Focus WRC) 1.38.56.2
2nd (8) Roger Duckworth/Mark
Broomfield (Impreza WRC) 1,42,42,7
3rd (5) Paul Bird/Ian
Windress (Focus WRC) 1.43.14.7
4TH (11) Barry
Johnson/Stuart Merry (Impreza WRC) 1,43,24,5
5th (15) Brendan
Crealey/Steve Harris (Focus WRC) 1.45.10.9
6th (9) Tony
Davies/Jakes Kelly (Impreza WRC) 1.45.37.2
7th (7) Steve
Perez/Neil Dashfield (Focus WRC) 1.46.25.7
8th (10) Steve
Fleck/Mark Aspinall (Impreza WRC) 1.46.31.2
9th (25) Ryan
Champion/Craig Thorley (Lancer N) 1.46.53.0
10th (24) Phillip
Morrow/Simon Morrow (Lancer N) 1.47.43.6
Mark Higgins and co driver Andy
Richardson were fastest on 15 of the 16 stages on this Roush Manx
Rally to score a memorable victory. On the only stage that they were
not fastest they put their Focus WRC off the road, but that was their
only hiccup during a marvellous performance. Roger Duckworth and Mark
Broomfield piled on the pressure to move through to 2nd
place this afternoon, just ahead of Paul Bird. Barry Johnson counted
himself lucky to finish at all, let alone in 4th place, his
Subaru having left service after stage 12, 14 minutes late, and with
no sump guard and just a few bolts holding on the prop shaft, the
mechanics having battled to change the gearbox oil pump within time.
When Mark Higgins stepped out of his
Focus he said. “It’s good to be back on the Island competing, the
roads are fantastic, it was a great rally. This was a good set up
exercise for me for the International, and Andy my co driver did a
good job”. It is 10 years since Mark did this rally, although in the
intervening period he’s had 2 International wins. He went on to say
that the car ran well with no problems, apart from his self inflicted
ones. A heavy downpour on the last stage proved to be no problem as he
had got a phone call beforehand warning him of the rain, and although
the skies were blue on the other side of the Island he changed to
intermediate tyres as a precaution.
Interestingly Roger Duckworth got
the same warning but opted to stay on slick tyres, and although he had
some very sideways moments on the way down past the church, and to the
stage split, it all worked out very well, especially as this was his
first time to drive this particular car on tarmac stages. Paul Bird
finished the rally with the side window on his Focus WRC smashed,
saying he just scuffed a bank in the Curraghs. He went on to say. “I
enjoyed the rally, drove fairly cautiously at times. I’m trying to
finish in the top 3 on every rally in the ANCRO championship”. By our
unofficial reckoning Paul now leads the championship just ahead of
Barry Johnson. Brendan Crealey in 5th was delighted just
to finish the rally and set some decent times in his Focus WRC.
Brendan saying “We had nothing to gain on the last loop of stages;
there was too big a gap to the cars in front. I did have a go over a
few of the jumps just for a bit of craic. Also I stalled the car a few
times at stage starts. I’m finding it hard to get it off the line on
tarmac. On the loose you can bury the throttle and spin the wheels.”
Brendan is the current ANCRO Group N Champion and he was hoping to go
for the overall title this year, but as he said himself. “That’s not
looking easy although it is still all to play for, I’d need outright
wins from now on”.
Ryan Champion/Craig Thorley won Group N
and scored maximum points in the Evo Challenge. Ryan said. “I can’t
complain, although the rally seemed about 3 times longer than it was
today because we were just trying to hold our position. It went well,
I am very pleased”. Phillip Morrow finished 2nd gpN and in
the Evo Challenge and came into the top 10 at the finish. The Northern
Ireland youngster saying “Glad to get it home, it s my first result on
tarmac in a Lancer”. Neil McCance finished 13th overall
and 3rd gpN and 3rd Evo. McCance commented “We
flew through the last 4 stages. When you know you’re scaring Graham
Hopewell you know you’re going alright”. Nik Elsmore was 15th
and 4th gpN despite struggling through the last 2 stages
with a broken rocker and losing time. John Price finished in 11th,
which will be enough to move his Metro 6R4 to the head of the National
Asphalt Championship. John lost a bit of time in the fog last night
but set some good times this afternoon. Steve Fleck will come into 2nd
in the same series, 2pts behind Price.
Robert Watson was 12th
overall and won class B11 in his Nova. Robert saying “We had a
fabulous run, especially this afternoon down the Baldwin stage which
is my favourite, we were on maximum, up every hedge, so rewarding in
the Nova”. Nigel Cannell won cl.A6 with Jonnie Wigmore 2nd
in class and best Peugeot 206 Super Cup contenders ahead of Mike
Faulkner and young Owen Murphy. The latter lost some time with an
accident but made it through. A late retirement was Marcus Dodd, his
Hyundai succumbing to head gasket problems.
Finally for now well done John & Gill
Skinner and all at the club for laying on such a great rally. Great
to be back on the Isle of Man, many thanks to all who helped with the
RallyNews. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net
