MANX TALES NO.3
TT Grandstand Douglas-Friday 10.30pm
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 5 Hope
1st (2) Kenny McKinstry/Noel Orr (Impreza WRC) 30.12.9
2nd (1) Melvyn Evans/Marc Jones (Impreza WRC) 30.55.7
3rd (40) Gareth Jones/Ryland James (Impreza) 31.04.1
4th (14) Tony Davies/Wynn Thomas (6R4) 31.08.9
5th (3) Marcus Dodd/Stephen McAuley (Impreza WRC) 31.10.6
6th (8) David Mann/Alun Cook (Impreza) 31.11.1
7th (10) Phil Collins/Howard Davies (Escort) 31.30.1
8th (7) Steve Petch/John Richardson (Accent WRC) 31.35.7
9th (5) John Price/Caroline Price (6R4) 31.43.0
10th (28) Robert Watson/Phil Pugh (Nova) 31.51.2
After a fairly mixed evening by his own standards, Kenny McKinstry turned in a
stunning time through stage 5 (Hope)…his Impreza WRC stopping the clocks on
14m22.5s for the 16.94 mile stage. David Mann was 2nd fastest, 33s back
then it was Melvyn Evans just over a second back from Mann, with Tony Davies,
one of the surprise packages tonight, 3s slower than Evans. Gareth Jones,
one of tonight's big talking points, was just 1s slower than Davies. McKinstry
recounted an evening of mixed fortunes, most of it mirrored by the weather which
was varying from bright sunshine to torrential rain. Kenny said "We started
the rally on very hard compound tyres and took it fairly easy on the first
stage, and on the 2nd stage we had a decent run. Stage 3 (Snuff of the Wind) we
were on slick dry weather tyres and there were rivers running down the road. In
stage 4 I nearly gave up, for the first mile I couldn't see a thing, blinding
sunshine into my eyes. Stage 5, the big one, it was wet for the first 2
miles, then it was bone dry, but we had a good run although again we seemed to
be on the wrong tyres!"
Second placed David Mann told us that he picked several wrong compound tyres
through the evening. Tony Davies in 4th reported at least one huge moment
when his Metro 6R4 cannoned along a parapet wall, through a ford, and on up the
road unscathed, but how he got away with it he'll never know. Marcus Dodd told
us "We couldn't get the handbrake to work properly and some of the hairpins
were very difficult. On the early stages the car was not handling and we had a
big spin in stage 2. Then we got the suspension adjusted and its been quite nice
over the last couple of stages."
Steve Petch in the Hyundai said "It felt good tonight, but every time I
come to the Isle of Man I find the braking distances hard to judge. I'm braking
too early but I'm getting my head around it now". John Price in the
Metro 6R4 recounted "It went alright tonight, overshot a baled junction in
stage 5. Its nice to get some stage miles after all our retirements".
Other driver comments included - Phil Collins "Bit of a scare, hit a bale,
no damage". His co driver Howard Davies said "He is using his
brains, anticipating the slippy bits under the trees". Collins
rejoined "I fooled him didn't I". David Kynaston in the Audi
reported "Nothing too exciting, we need the points in the National
Tarmacadam. We've a bit of an alternator problem in the Audi, we should be able
to sort it". David didn't know that he has a 1m penalty, whether it
will stand or not we don't know. Steve Hendy reported a bit of a misfire
after the ford and then slowed to avoid the ducks in stage 2. Bob Fowden
commented "If anybody beats those times in gpN I will be amazed. We had one
big moment in stage 2 after the ford, a square right hairpin left, completely
sideways at 80 miles an hour". Cathal Arthurs had glazed brake pad
troubles in his Celica but still went well. Pete Doughty's Escort WRC has
not reported in here to the Grandstand. Other drivers reported his car stopped
after huge skid marks on a straight bit of road. Steve Fleck has reportedly
crashed his Impreza into a wall - this is unconfirmed. Ollie O'Donovan's Impreza
is jumping out of 4th gear. Ollie also upset when officials made him take the in
car camera out of the car at the start of stage 2. Glenn Leece reports his
car jumping out of 5th gear. Mark Perrott's Escort WRC ground to a halt on the
uphill section at the Braaid, possible engine failure. Brendan Crealey is
lying 2nd in gpN to Bob Fowden. Paul Alexander stopped with broken driveshafts
in his purpleloans Lancer at start of stage 5.
WRC ARGENTINA - Sainz leads end leg 1 from Martin, Burns 3rd then Rovanpera,
Loeb and Gronholm. Marcus lost a wheel and 2 mins. Colin McRae retired - engine
blown. Group N led by Arai, McShea back to 2nd after dramas. More news in the
morning. BRIAN AND LIZ PATTERSON
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