UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 1 AE
1st (1) Jonny Milner/Nicky Beech (Impreza WRC) 09.02.8
2nd (2) David Higgins/Craig Thorley (Accent WRC) 09.10.0
3rd (4) Paul Bird/Andrew Bargery (Focus WRC) 09.14.4
4th (8) Steve Perez/Daniel Barritt (Focus WRC) 09.17.5
5th (5) Dougi Hall/Steve Egglestone (Focus WRC) 09.20.0
6th (7) Barry Johnson/Stewart Merry (Impreza WRC) 09.25.7
7th (3) Austin MacHale/Brian Murphy (Focus WRC) 09.27.0
8th (6) Matthew Wilson/Scott Martin (Focus WRC) 09.28.9
9th (30) Guy Wilks/Phil Pugh (Ignis) 09.32.5
10th (9) Sebastian Ling/James Phillips (Lancer N) 09.35.6**
According to the time sheets so far Jonny Milner was fastest through the opening stage of this Scottish International Rally in Ae Forest, but David Higgins, or rather his co driver Craig Thorley, feels that he got a wrong time, and they just shaded Jonny. That remains to be seen. Milner commented back here at service. "We had a good run, a very fast stage, a bit of a noise from the back brakes but I think it was just a stone in the caliper."

A big worry before the start of the rally was dust hanging in the air affecting the drivers, but 2nd on the road David Higgins commented. "The dust was there, nothing really to worry about, we had a good run". Third on the road, Austin MacHale, arrived in here to service with the front spoiler of his Focus WRC well scuffed and shredded, the Dubliner recounting. "The car was bottoming out badly over the crest and jumps. On one of them, about 2 miles into Ae, it bounced off the road." At that Austin hurried on into service so that his engineer Tom Gahan could start raising the suspension, which was only fitted today. Nigel Heath lost his Hyundai WRc back bumper and about a minute, no intercom, no pace notes.

Further stories from amongst the leaders include. Paul Bird stalled his Focus WRC on the start line of the first stage but still set a good time. Bird set fastest time through the spectator stage beside the service area here at Heathhall. Young Matthew Wilson felt that his Focus WRC was over steering and giving him no confidence on the fast stuff, so much so that he wasn't fully committed. Barry Johnson fitted new suspension to his Subaru WRC for the rally, and although he said it was working well, it was just a bit soft, and he was going to raise the car up a bit. Steve Perez in the Vodka Kick Focus had a good run, set good times on both the Ae stage and the spectator stage.

Both lead Super 1600 cars, Guy Wilks in the Ignis and Leon Pesticcio in his Fiat Punto, reported rear suspension seemingly not working quite right, both cars swinging about, or "loose". Barry Clark spun his Puma and lost a bit of time. Simon Hughes was 6s faster than his Clio team mate Gareth Jones, neither driver reporting any big problem. Aki Teiskonen had an electrical problem with his Saxo at the start of the first stage, got a 30s penalty which knocked him back. Paul Alexander retired his VW Golf on the first stage with a broken cam belt.

**Robert Gough set a cracking gpN time through the first stage, 3s up on Sebastian Ling, but we have no times as yet for Gough for stage 2, so we don't have his overall position just yet. Sebastian Ling for the moment holds the advantage, while his co driver James Phillips said of the spectators stage. "I've been looking forward to that all day, but it only lasted a minute, just like sex really". Young Stuart Jones also had a good run through the first stage, Stuart in a gpN Lancer for the first time, didn't get a chance to do the reconnaissance, and also lost the brakes 5 miles from the end of the stage. This caused co driver Neil Dashfield a few heart stopping moments, but didn't seem to faze young Stuart at all. Rob Swann had a puncture 3 miles into the first stage and he lost about a minute in his gpN Lancer. Jennie-Lee Hermansson in the 22 Motorsport Subaru had a respectable time on the first stage of 8.59.6, despite taking it fairly cautiously following her Rally of Wales accident. Of the Fiat Stilo Cup contenders Chris Davies was fastest on the opening stage by just over 10s from William Bonniwell with Shaun Woffinden 3rd fastest, Joan Roca 4th. Roca has starter motor problems following the fitting of a replacement gearbox earlier today. More news later. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net