WEE
MANX TALES NO.6 Grandstand/Finish/Saturday 4.45
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD
AFTER STAGE 14 KELLA 2
1st (1) Kenny McKinstry/Noel Orr (Impreza WRC) 1.41.07.8
2nd (3) Roger Duckworth/Mark Broomfield (Impreza WRC) 1.41.12.9
3rd (108) Melvyn Evans/Sean Mullally (Impreza WRC) 1.41.55.1
4th (4) Paul Bird/Ian Windress (Impreza WRC) 1.42.29.5
5th (6) Marcus Dodd/Andrew Bargery (Accent WRC) 1.44.20.7
6th (14) Jon Ingram/Ian Allsop (Focus WRC) 1.45.41.9
7th (5) Tony Davies/Patrick Walsh (Impreza WRC) 1.46.40.7
8th (7) Steve Fleck/Tony Ettlinger (Impreza WRC) 1.47.10.4
9th (16) David Kynaston/Andy Russell (Audi A3) 1.47.24.8
10th (21) Rob Watson/Rob Fagg (Nova Kit) 1.49.33.8
11th (20) Alistair Tough/Alistair Mackay (Impreza N) 1.49.45.2
12th (15) Richard Gower/John Bennie (Accent WRC) 1.51.03.5
There was a marvellous
battle over the last few stages of this RBSI Manx National Rally
with Kenny McKinstry/Noel Orr just shading Roger Duckworth/Mark
Broomfield and with Melvyn Evans/Sean Mullally a slightly disappointed
3rd – all driving Subaru Impreza world rally cars. McKinstry’s
lead going into the final loop of stages was 8 seconds, Duckworth
sliced that to 6 but then through stages 13 and 14 McKinstry eased
away again to take his 4th win here on this Manx National. The late
Bertie Fisher won the event 3 times as did Phil Collins, but nobody
has won it 4 times. McKinstry commented. “We certainly made
it interesting at the end, we had Emma at Brandywell Cottage on
the penultimate stage, that is the mid way point, ready to text
us if Duckworth was pulling away. As it was we were equal and we
then took 4s back down Druidale. We went hard and had a good clean
run, I don’t think the times on the international would be
any quicker. The car went well and the Pirelli tyres had plenty
of bite. As usual it has been a really well organised rally.”
For Roger Duckworth it
really was so close to fulfilling a long held dream. Roger has contested
the ANCRO championship for around about 15 years and has won every
round, but never this one. He’s been 2nd a couple of times
and 3rd twice, but never been so close to winning without actually
doing it. When asked was there anywhere in the rally he could have
done better, he thought probably not, but maybe if he had done a
tarmac rally as a warm up it may have helped. His last tarmac event
was actually here 12 months ago when he was 2nd to Mark Higgins.
Still, driver after drive including McKinstry came over to Roger
and congratulated him at the finish on a fabulous run. Melvyn Evans
was disappointed as well with his 3rd place and said. “We
got there in the end I suppose, it was a shame to lose 2nd and I
don’t even know where we lost the time”.
Stories towards the end
included: Paul Bird, well pleased with his times over the last few
stages after problems at the start with his Subaru’s handling,
but made a bit of a mess of the front of the car when he hit a pheasant
on the final stage, and it is amazing how much damage there was.
Marcus Dodd in 5th place had been fairly close to Paul Bird but
then his Hyundai gave some turbo problems and he decided to settle
for position with a few stages to go. Whereas Paul Bird hit a pheasant
Marcus collided with some chickens on the Curraghs!! Jon Ingram
rounded off the top half dozen, reporting his Focus much sharper
once the clutch was changed and he was going well over the Curraghs,
so much so that he had the spectators running for cover.
Tony Davies struggled
his Subaru into the finish with further gearbox troubles 5th and
6th gear gone and Tony even worried that it would go bank on the
road section. Still his efforts to take 7th netted him maximum points
in the Prima Motorsport MSA Asphalt Championship. In the ANCRO MSA
Gravel Championship unofficially Anthony Willmington moves into
the lead from Marcus Dodd. Alistair Tough won group N in his Subaru
after a terrific drive and also scores maximum points in the Subaru
Challenge. Alistair said. “Great race with Rob Watson for
10th but decided to settle for the class win, maximum Subaru points
and lift the team’s spirits after last weekend’s tragedy”.
Anthony Willimington finished 2nd group N and takes maximum points
in the Mitsubishi Cup. Wyn Humphreys came through to take 3rd group
N in his Subaru ahead of Noel Kelly (Lancer). Conrad Rautenbach
slipped to 5th group N following a last minute problem. Rob Watson
had a great run to win class 11 and take 10th overall. Co driven
by Rob Fagg (International) the pair certainly gave the Manx supporters
something to cheer about with some dramatic all sideways driving…again!
Colin Britton and his co driver Ross Butler won the Peugeot 206
Super Cup, Colin saying “We did all the hard work last night
in the dark stages and had over a minute of a lead this morning,
so it was a matter of maintaining position, which was actually quite
hard, keeping concentration and we went into the ditch once, but
lost no time.” Finally for now very well done to John &
Gill Skinner plus all the team for a great weekend’s rallying.
Many thanks to them and Ronnie MCcausland and all who helped with
the RallyNews. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net
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