RALLY NEWS NO.3 Canford Arena
Service Park/Saturday 10.30am
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 5 GORE HEATH
1st (1) Marcus Dodd/Andrew Bargery (Accent WRC)
13.19.3
2nd (2) Barry Johnson/Stewart Merry (Impreza WRC)
13.38.5
3rd (7) Craig Middleton/Robin Hernaman (Accent
WRC) 13.43.8
4th (4) Paul Bird/Ian Windress (Impreza WRC)
13.45.6
5th (5) Steve Perez/Neil Dashfield (Focus WRC)
13.47.8
6th (6) Roger Duckworth/Mark Broomfield (Impreza
WRC) 13.56.6
7th (14) Richard Gower/Aled Davies (Accent WRC)
14.20.9
8th (8) Will Nicholls/Nick Broom (Impreza WRC)
14.26.5
9th (12) Steve Hendy/Mark Milton (Escort WRC)
14.37.4
10th (21) Rob Smith/Alun Cook (Impreza N)
14.45.8
11th (15) Ollie O'Donovan/David Moynihan (Impreza
WRC) 14.48.3
12th (16) John Lloyd/Pauline Gullick (Impreza WRC)
14.49.5
Following last night’s asphalt stage down the Bournemouth
promenade the cars have moved into the forests of Bere Heath,
Wareham and Gore Heath this morning. Local man Marcus Dodd, 4 times
a winner of this Rallye Sunseeker, really put the hammer down and
showed the opposition a clean pair of heels. Marcus reported a good
run although he was disconcerted a few times when spectators got
into his line of sight. Paul Bird was the overnight leader, but his
Subaru lost 4th gear this morning and Paul has had to
struggle somewhat to try and stay on the pace. Paul, the current
MSA Gravel \Champion, said “The gear broke on the 2nd
corner of the 1st stage this morning, I think I can get
into the top 3 even without the gear, but I’m going to have to get
the finger out”.
Craig Middleton had some brake problems with his Hyundai
last night, seems to have that sorted today but did stall the car
and then trying to make up for time bent 3rd gear. He
reckons it will be OK but he will have to take some care. Barry
Johnson was 6th overnight and moved up to 2nd
this morning, Barry saying “The car is sound, we had a good run, but
I’m finding the stages a bit greasy and slippy, possibly a bit
frosty”.
Steve Perez in the Vodka Kick Focus WRC also reported the
forest tracks to be pretty slippery and a bit frosty on top. Roger
Duckworth felt that he wasn’t really flowing this morning, finding
the stages difficult. While Richard Gower in his Hyundai had a spin
in stage 4 at the hairpin and stalled the engine. Steve Hendy said
that his Escort WRC engine got a bit fluffy in stage 3 and then
seemed to clear so the mechanics were going to check it over here at
service. Rob Smith continues to lead group N and holds 10th
overall in his Impreza.
Ollie O’Donovan is 11th, the Shannon Holdings man
saying. “We’re enjoying it, no heroics, not the fastest, but its
good”. Steve Fleck was 7th overnight but he has slipped
well down the order this morning, his Subaru throttle motor sticking
and he has lost quite a bit of time. The car is also smoking a bit
so Steve is not totally convinced that he will continue. Anthony
Willmington is 2nd group N. Alistair Tough is 3rd
gpN and young Stephen Petch 4th. Stephen’s Lancer looked
slightly second hand when he arrived in here to service, he said
that he had spun over the finish line of stage 4 and when he
reversed back to get to the control the front of the car caught a
post, and pulled the front bumper off. Paul Wedgbury is into 14th
overall in his new Subaru, Paul having a lucky escape when he
discovered the car wouldn’t start up on the way into service control
because a battery terminal had dropped off. If it had happened in
the stage he would have lost a lot of time.
More news later. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON
www.rallynews.net
