RALLY NEWS NO.2               Saturday 10.45am - End of stage 3

UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 3 Kimmerghame
1st (25) Peadar Hurson/Ian Porter (Impreza WRC) 9.32.4
2nd (26) James Thompson/Plug Pulleyn (Evo) 9.33.2
3rd (15) Eugene Donnelly/Paul Kiely (Impreza WRC) 9.33.3
4tj )18) Tapio Laukkanen/Mikka Anttila (Impreza WRC) 9.34.5
5th (17) Derek McGarrity/Dermot O'Gorman (Impreza WRC) 9.35.5
6th (14) Austin McHale/Brian Murphy (Impreza WRC) 9.37.9
7th (19) Jari-Matti Latvala/Carl Williamson (Focus WRC) 9.41.1
8th (3) Gwyndaf Evans/Claire Mole (MG ZR) 9.42.7
9th (23) Tim McNulty/Anthony Nestor (Impreza WRC) 9.50.0
10th (4) Kris Meeke/Chris Patterson (Opel Corsa) 9.50.1

The first proper stage of this Jim Clark Rally brought its fair share of dramas.  Young Simon Hughes crashed his Clio out of the rally, fancied group N front runner Neil Buckley crashed his Lancer, current British Champion Jonny Milner lost a lot of time with a puncture, and last year's winner Andrew Nesbitt was slowed with a spin.

The above leaderboard and times are very unofficial as yet, but by our reckoning James Thompson was fastest on stage 3, with young Finn Jari Matti Latvala and Peadar Hurson tying for 2nd fastest, just .1 of a second behind.  Interestingly, James Thompson commented at stage finish "I drove that like a right prat!"  Unofficially we have Eamonn Boland in around about 6th place, but he is further back on the official results - this could be corrected later.

In the Super 1600 category Gwyndaf Evans blitzed the opposition, over 7s faster than Kris Meeke, with Garry Jennings a further 7s from Meeke.  Ryan Champion in the works Puma was another 8s back, and commenting "We had oversteer at the start of the stage and then an over shoot at the fam".  Jennings' Peugeot front mud guard was flapping at stage finish, testimony to the 206 clicking a bale at a chicane.  Kris Meeke seemed to be on the rev limiter a lot longer than Evans where we were at stage finish, so possibly the Corsa is slightly under-geared for today's fast stages. 

We have had no definitive word on Simon Hughes' accident, but Leon Pesticcio in the following car told us that it appeared to be a right big one, but the boys were out of the car and seemed OK.

In the battle of the "big" cars, Austin McHale finished the stage and said "A lot of smoke in the car, don't know where its coming from".  Andrew Nesbitt reported that time consuming spin.  There were tongues of flames licking from Laukkanen's rear brakes but he reported no problem.  Jonny Milner's appearance at the finish line was pretty dramatic, the front left rim was worn away to virtually nothing, indicating that Jonny had driven many miles on the flat.  Derek McGarrity had caught the stricken Corolla in a 6th gear section, Derek reckoning he lost some time. Barry Johnson spun his Subaru at the farm yard. Tim McNulty had some problem with his Subaru gearstick. Peadar Hurson reported rear brakes locking up but still set a stunning time.

Fastest of the earlier group N cars was Seamus Leonard in the Subaru, 7s up on Roy White, both commenting that the stage was really very slippy.  Indeed there was a fine mizzle starting just before the gpN cars appeared.  Brendan Crealey was banging his gpN Lancer's steering wheel in frustration, and reported "The handbrake stuck on at a hairpin for ages, 2nd time this year".  More news after stage 5. BRIAN AND LIZ PATTERSON               www.rallynews.net