MANX TALES NO.3 Douglas/Grandstand/Thursday 10pm

UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 5 Newtown
1st (2) Kenny McKinstry/Noel Orr (Impreza WRC) 22.19.5
2nd (3) Derek McGarrity/Diarmuid Falvey (Impreza WRC) 22.20.6
3rd (1) Eugene Donnelly/Paul Kiely (Corolla WRC) 22.30.0
4th (4) Eamonn Boland/Francis Regan (Focus WRC) 22.33.3
5th (5) Melvyn Evans/Aled Davies (Impreza WRC) 22.52.7
6th (11) Mark Higgins/Rory Kennedy (Impreza N) 23.11.2
7th (16) Guy Wilks/Phil Pugh (Ignis) 23.20.6
8tb (7) Andreas Mikkelsen/Oza Floene (Focus WRC) 23.22.0
9th (14) Ryan Champion/Craig Thorley (Lancer N) 23.26.3
10th (12) Rory Galligan/Greg Shinnors (Lancer N) 23.33.3
11th (18) Seamus Leonard/Gerry McVeigh (Lancer N) 23.367
12th (27) Roy White/Stephen McAuley (Lancer N) 23.58.2

Derek McGarrity set a cracking time through stage 3, the first run over the splendid Castletown spectator stage, to move into the lead. Glengormley helicopter dealer held that lead after stage 4, although interestingly young Norwegian Andreas Mikkelsen was fastest through stage 4.  McKinstry then got back into the lead after stage 5 where he was faster than McGarrity although Eugene Donnelly was fastest overall by just a hair’s breadth through stage 5th stage.

Kenny McKinstry commented here at service at the Grandstand. “Derek got the drop on me through the spectator stage but we had a nice run over that 5th stage. It was difficult, very bumpy, my eyes would hardly focus over the bumps, you would have needed a sports bra on your eyelids!”  Derek McGarrity said “I’m very happy with the run tonight, looking forward to tomorrow, I’m quite pleased not to be first on the road”.  Eugene Donnelly commented. “I was pushing very hard on that last stage, it was ten tenths, just as hard as I could go so I’m a wee bit disappointed not to have been faster. That’s the Subarus in the dry, they have the edge on the Corolla. The first few miles of the stage I found very bumpy, but I made no mistakes”. 

Eamonn Boland in 4th place came in from stage 5 and said “I knew we didn’t get it 100 percent”.  The Wexford man went on to say the car was fine, no problems for tomorrow”.  Melvyn Evans in 5th reported “That was our best stage so far, we had a bit of clutch slip on the first couple of stages but it has cured itself and there’s a bite in it now. I feel it’s a shame there wasn’t another stage tonight, it wasn’t dark enough for me”. 
Mark Higgins is now up to 6th and lead the group N category, mark saying that the car is handling well now and he’s a lot happier. Guy Wilks in 7th leads the Super 1600 category in fact the Suzuki driver is out on his own but reported he has a small problem with the starter motor, but he’s happy enough with the suspension. 

Norwegian Andreas Mikkelsen has leap frogged up to 8th and following his fastest time through stage 4 he dropped a few seconds in stage 5, the youngster reporting that he had to reverse at one junction following an overshoot, but that his Focus is now handling well and the earlier trouble was down to some problem with the 4 wheels, possible damage over the Rhenab drainage troughs.  Ryan Champion is 9th and is setting consistently good times, Ryan has been a little troubled with understeer on his Lancer and he has stiffened the car so much he found it pretty difficult to drive in stage 5.  Rory Galligan rounds off the top 10 and he said that his Lancer has lost a little bit of its set up. Seamus Leonard in 11th made a slightly hesitant start and finds the car under steering but in overall terms he’s a lot happier now. Roy White in 12th has got the new big brakes fitted in his Lancer and along with the Performance Friction carbon metallic pads is finding the stopping distance phenomenal, but hard to get used to. Roy was also held up earlier behind a couple of accidents, but is still well on the pace.

Gareth Jones is now 13th and pulling back time following his first stage puncture, the young Welsh driver now getting his confidence back. Colm Murphy is 14th and finding his Impreza under steering a little, also nearly wiped out his new very expensive lamp pod in stage 5 when he was so busy admiring the light from it that the forgot to put the brakes on at the first corner!!  Further snippets – Jonny Milner, new turbo fitted, going well but car nervous. Gwyndaf Evans also going well but dropped 4m earlier when the cut out switch gave trouble. More news in the morning. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net