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| Manx International Rally |
| RALLY NEWS No.2 - After SS1 - Friday @ 11:41:44 |
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RALLY NEWS NO.2 End of stage 1/Friday
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 1 Staarvey
1st (1) Mark HIggins/Bryan Thomas (Impreza N) 6.12.0
2nd (2) Keith Cronin/Greg Shinnors (Lancer N) 6.17.8
3rd (4) Adam Gould/Sebastian Marshal (Impreza N) 6.23.2
4th (3) Alastair Fisher/Rory Kennedy (Lancer N) 6.26.0
5th (6) Jonny Greer/Kirsty Riddick (Lancer N) 6.30.1
6th (11) Steven Quine/Paul McCann (Lancer) 6.42.3
7th (12) Nigel & Michaela Cannell (Lancer N) 6.46.1
8th (5) David Bogie/Kevin Rae (Lancer N) 6.48.7
9th (14) Matti Rantanen/Mikko Lukka (Clio) 6.50.6
10th (7) Euan Thorburn/Campbell Roy (Impreza N) 6.53.4
“A bit nervy” was Mark Higgins’ comment as he brought his Subaru into the finish of the opening stage of this Rally Isle of Man. Mark continued. “I’m glad to get that first one over. We made a bit of a wild start, had a big lock up down the hill”. Of course Mark knows there is a lot riding on this event in terms of his British Championship campaign. The young pretender to the championship crown, Keith Cronin came off the stage and said. “The car was dancing a bit at the back, maybe I’m a bit nervous”. For Keith to stay within 5s of Mark on that very difficult first stage wasn’t too bad and early news from stage 2 is that Keith was fastest – see below.
Many of the leading drivers commented on how bumpy the stage was and Alastair Fisher for example said. “It was very fast, the back of the car was coming up, it was jumpier and bumpier than I though”. Adam Gould said. “It’s hard to know what way the car is going to jump”. David Bogie, when asked how the stage had gone for him, said. “Not great, it’s a matter of getting through and learning the car”. Jonny Greer told of hitting a goose in the stage. Euan Thorburn reported that his new suspension seems to be better.
Nigel Cannell reckoned the stage was bumpier than when he last competed on it which was on the National Rally in May. Nigel also said that he has a new transfer box coming for his Lancer today and he hopes to change it at final service this evening. Finnish driver Matti Rantanen was caught out by a few of bumps in the stage and described it as “tricky” but still had a good time. Craig Breen was the fastest of the Fiesta runners and was 13th o/a and he said that he got into a good rhythm early in the stage but then he lost it a little over the switchback jumps.
News is coming in that some of Craig’s closest rivals in the Fiesta Sporting Trophy have hit problems in that opening stage. Mark Donnelly and Kris Hall are reported to have had accidents. Donnelly isn’t getting going, Kris Hall is. Daragh O’Riordan has reportedly stopped or crashed his Opel Corsa.
Stage 2, Kella. Keith Cronin was fastest by 8.7s to get ahead of Mark Higgins in the overall classifications and Alastair Fisher has moved into 3rd o/a. Adam Gould was 3rd but he has lost quite a few seconds.
More news later: BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net
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