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MANX
TALES NO.11
Grandstand/Finish/Saturday 4.15
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 23 Classic (LAST STAGE)
1st (1) Jonny Milner/Nicky Beech (Impreza WRC) 2.39.19.6
2nd (3) Kenny McKinstry/Noel Orr (Impreza WRC) 2.40.56.6
3rd (4) Derek McGarrity/Dermot O'Gorman (Impreza WRC) 2.42.05.2
4th (5) Eugene Donnelly/Paul Kiely (Corolla WRC) 2.42.40.1
5th (8) Austin MacHale/Brian Murphy (Focus WRC) 2.42.47.9
6th (2) Mark Higgins/Craig Thorley (Octavia WRC) 2.44.04.0
7th (12) Eamonn Boland/Francis Regan (Impreza WRC) 2.46.59.9
8th (9) Matthew Wilson/Scott Martin (Focus WRC) 2.48.44.4
9th (11) Barry Johnson/Stewart Merry (Impreza WRC)
10th (30) Guy Wilks/Phil Pugh (Ignis)
For Jonny Milner and co driver Nicky Beech this has certainly been a red
letter day, not only winning this Manx International Rally for the 2nd year,
but also putting them back on course, another step on the long road to
retaining their Pirelli British Rally Champion titles. When Jonny
stepped out of his Subaru just before going into the TT Grandstand finish ramp
ceremonies, and asked how he felt, he said. "Relieved. It wasn't my
intention to come and win, just go for the points, Mark Higgins made me raise
my game, we enjoyed ourselves! Over the last couple of stages I've been
listening to every squeak and rattle in the car. That is 3 outright wins in
the championship, we're not fooling ourselves that it is going to be easy, but
this is a brilliant test, a warm up for the Ulster". Second placed
Kenny McKinstry emerged from his Subaru and said. "Unfortunately the best
man won! We had the gap down to 17s, but then we lost so much time with a
broken manifold. Then it was going to be hard no matter what happened. We
drove fairly sensibly on the last stage, thought we might have a cut then
thought it wasn't worth it" Derek McGarrity in 3rd, also in a Subaru,
said. "We did some real acrobatting, big drifts on that last stage. I
enjoyed it so much Dermot thought I was going to go back and do it all over
again".
There was a massive race to the line between Eugene Donnelly and Austin
MacHale for 4th place. Austin was just the quicker, by 2s, so Eugene managed
to hang on to his 4th spot. Eugene said "That was a good race, it will be
a different story next year! It was wild frustrating at times not knowing the
stages, difficult today, we've only had one run over the Classic stage."
Austin MacHale never stopped trying right to the final yard of the rally, but
any chance he had of catching Eugene went out the window when his Focus WRC
went on to 3 cylinders coming up towards Brandywell Cottage. It went on to 4
down the hill and then going through the forest section, went back to 3.
Still, Austin made it and strengthens his position in both the Tarmac and
Pirelli BRC.
Unofficially, David Higgins still leads the Pirelli BRC with Barry Johnson up
into a close 2nd, Matthew Wilson 3rd and Austin MacHale 4th. In the Pirelli
Tarmac Championship, again unofficially, Derek McGarrity leads with 75 points.
Eugene Donnelly is 2nd in 53 and Austin MacHale 3rd on 58.
Mark Higgins is registered for the Tarmac but the BRC, but not having competed
on any of the other rounds has no real impact on the top points. However what
a drive he has put up this weekend. On the final stage Mark was going so fast
he actually caught and passed Matt Wilson's Focus WRC. Admittedly Matt was
struggling a little, but it sort of typifies the speed that Mark has been
showing all weekend. The former Manx resident said at the end. "Fabulous
rally, when you get it right over here on the Isle of man it's a great
feeling. I'm so glad we carried on today, you know this is only my 5th rally
in a WRC car. We ran today with the boost turned up and no anti lag. Had brake
problems on the penultimate stage but still we had a great run."
Other stories include - Matt Wilson knocking the front of his Focus on stage
22 when the brakes locked up and he went into a bank. On the final stage all
the warning lights were flashing and he has no idea why. Guy Wilks had some
gearbox troubles over the last 2 stages, dropped a couple of places on the
leaderboard but still wins the Super 1600 category. Rob Watson had a fabulous
run despite a time consuming puncture to win Group N from Dessie Keenan with
Willie Fannin 3rd. Keenan leads GpN on the Pirelli Tarmac
c/ship. Seb Ling unofficially still leads GpN on the British series despite
having retired here. Jenni-Lee Hermansson is heading for the finish line as we
type, hopefully she makes it. Incidentally, we said on the last RallyNews that
the Impreza was an N11, it is in fact an N10! Last minute retirements included
Shaun Fox who went off at the Curraghs. Finally for now, many thanks to all
who supported the RallyNews and well done to Richard Bargery and all his team
for organising such a great rally. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON
www.rallynews.net
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