| WEE
MANX TALES NO.1
End of stage 1 – Friday evening – 8pm
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 1 PORT ERIN
1st (4) Paul Bird/Andy Richardson (Impreza WRC) 1.47.7
2nd (5) Marcus Dodd/Andrew Bargery (Accent WRC) 1.47.9
3rd (2) Roger Duckworth/Mark Broomfield (Impreza WRC) 1.48.2
4th (8) Jon Ingram/Ian Allsop (Impreza WRC) 1.49.8
5th (6) Kevin Lynch/Francis Regan (Focus WRC) 1.50.2
6th (1) Kenny McKinstry/Noel Orr (Impreza WRC) 1.50.9
7th (20) Sebastian Ling/Aled Rees (Lancer N) 1.53.1
8th (23) Jock Armstrong/Kirsty Riddick (Impreza N) 1.54.6
9th (16) David Kynaston/Andy Russell (Audi A3) 1.54.7
10th (10) Phil Collins/Damien Crawford (Escort) 1.54.8
(12) John Price/Caroline Price
(Metro 6R4) 1.54.8
Driving rain greeted the drivers on this opening stage and as the top
cars came up through Port Erin village and across the headland to the
stop control virtually every driver said “so slippy, so slippy”.
Kenny McKinstry was first on the road and he said that he just took it
very cautiously. Roger Duckworth said. “Not much grip, the tyres
were cold.”
An extra dimension to the cold tyre syndrome was that the stage started
about 10 minutes late as the organisers cleared a badly parked car from
the side of the stage. As can be seen above Paul Bird was fastest and
he looked very cool and in control when he reached stage finish, but even
Paul remarked on how difficult it was with cold tyres fighting for grip
on the slippy tarmac.
Kevin Lynch at No.6 set a fairly respectable time considering that he
hasn’t been to the Island before. Since he switched from Subaru
to the Focus Lynch has been working hard to try to get a set up with the
car which suits him. On last weekend’s Rally of the Lakes
he seemed to be settled down and at one point was up to 3rd amongst pretty
exalted company. Howeve3r at the end of this stage when asked how he was
going he replied. “Not very well really, but we’re here. The
car was everywhere”.
Steve Perez recorded a time of 1.55.4 and admitted that he was too cautious.
Despite the rain there were lots of spectators on the headland and one
of the reasons was the anticipated battle of the Mk2 Escorts between Phil
Collins and Colin McRae. There was a slight hiccup with one of the
clocks initially and it was thought that Collins was down on Colin, but
then it ranspired that he was 4s up. For his part Colin said he just couldn’t
get any grip.
In Group N it was Sebastian Ling who was fastest of the early runners.
This was all the more remarkable as Ling’s Lancer finished the stage
with a flat front right tyre, Sebastian admitting to clipping a rock just
before stage finish. Phillip Morrow is first group N car on the
road, running at No.19 and the young Ulsterman who currently leads the
Evo Challenge said. “We were calm enough, but it was pretty wild
at the same time. When we put the power down it was like Mk2 Escort stuff,
all sideways.” Jock Armstrong in the gpN Impreza had a good
run. Jock heads the Subaru Trophy category. David Bogie looked
very disappointed at stage finish, his Lancer suffering a front left puncture,
David saying he clipped a rock, and he didn’t even see it.
Rob Watson had a great run in his little Nova and he recorded a time of
1.56.9.
128 cars are starting the main rally tonight and then after a 5 minute
gap there will be 16 Fiestas in the Fiesta Sporting Trophy. There
were a few non starters from the advertised list. Melvyn Evans for example
was to be at No.3 but his Subaru is in mechanical trouble following the
Rally of the Lakes. Tony Davies was to be at 9 but he is non starting
because of pressure of business and Jonny Milner has pulled out of No.22.
Changes to co driver amongst the top crews include Francis Regan with
Kevin Lynch and Damian Crawford with Phil Collins. More news later. BRIAN
& LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net |
