|
RALLY NEWS NO.9
Armagh – service – Saturday 4.15
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 16
– last chapter and verse!
1st
(4) Tapio Laukkanen/Ilka Riipinen (Impreza WRC) 2.06.44.4
2nd
(3) Derek McGarrity/Dermot O'Gorman (Impreza WRC) 2.08.32.0
3rd
(2) Jonny Milner/Nicky Beech (Corolla WRC) 2.08.50.0
4th
(6) Jari-Matti Latvala/Miika Antila (Focus WRC) 2.09.09.8
5th
(5) Austin MacHale/Brian Murphy (Impreza WRC) 2.09.21.0
6th
(11) Kris Meeke/Dave Senior (Corsa) 2.11.30.3
7th
(20) Ryan Champion/Cliff Simmons (Puma) 2.15.21.9
8th
(17) Dougi Hall/Steve Egglestone (Lancer) 2.15.29.44
9th
(15) Roy White/Greg Shinnors 9Lancer N) 2.15.32.8
10th
(19) Andrew Stewart/Fabian McShane (Lancer N) 2.15.33.5
THE ABOVE RESULTS ARE VERY PROVISIONAL……
No doubt about the winner of this Ulster
Rally, Finnish driver Tapio Laukkanen and co driver Ilka Riipinen making it look
relatively easy towards the end, with Derek McGarrity in 2nd place
almost certainly tying up the Tarmac championship. Jonny Milner in 3rd
has taken a large step forward to taking his second Pirelli British championship
title.
There were massive drams further back in
the Super 1600 category. Kris Meeke has won on stage times, but has cam
belt/engine troubles and is struggling to make it here to Armagh. Gwyndaf Evans
finished the final stage, 2nd in Super 1600 and 7th
overall, but his MG engine lost all compression on the road section, and he has
retired.
Tapio Laukkanen arrived in here to the
AnswerCall Direct premises in Armagh and said "Quite an easy rally for us
in the end, for most of the 2 days we were only 80 per cent. Put it this way, it
was nice practice, it would be good to come and do the rally again. Everything
went well, good rally. I’ve had some bad times on this rally in the past but
also won my British Championship here". When asked about the remainder of
the Pirelli British championship, Tapio continued "I think I finish the
championship OK, but in a different Subaru, an ex Marcus Dodd car".
Further last minute dramas included –
Jari-Matti Latvala going off the road briefly on the final stage, lost well over
a minute.
News on the Peugeot 206 Super Cup is that
Letterkenny man Shaun Gallagher has won from Gareth MacHale by a handful of
seconds with Sebastian Ling 3rd. Catalan driver Joan Roca 3rd.
Provisionally Shaun Gallagher has won the Super Cup 2003.
Roy White has won group N from Andrew
Stewart with Dickie Curran 3rd, just ahead of Aaron MacHale.
More late news ----- Garry Jennings is
struggling in from the final stage, his Peugeot suffering from gearbox troubles.
Garry was 4th Super 1600 behind Ryan Champion, who knows what way its
all going to finish…..
Many thanks to everyone who helped and
supported with the RallyNews and well done to all at the NI MC for all their
hard working efforts.
BIAN AND LIZ PATTERSON
www.rallynews.net
|
