RALLY NEWS NO.5   Grandstand - service - Friday Noon

UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 8 EAST BALDWIN
1st (10) Jonny Milner/Nicky Beech (Corolla WRC) 43.58.7
2nd (15) Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila (Ford Focus WRC) 44.27.0
3rd (14) Tapio Laukkanen/Ilka Riipinen (Imprezaa WRC) 44.48.5
4th (11) Derek McGarrity/Dermot O'Gorman (Impreza WRC) 45.16.7
5th (17) James Thompson/Plug Pulleyn (Lancer) 45.17.9
6th (8) Austin MacHale/Brian Murphy (Impreza WRC) 46.26.8

Austin MacHale arrived into service reporting that he lost about 10s squeezing past the upside down Hyundai WRC of Paul Bird/Larry Carter in the East Baldwin stage. Paul and Larry seemed unhurt thankfully, but no more cars have appeared for the moment which would indicate that the organisers have temporarily halted the stage to clear the Hyundai off the track.  Fastest through the stage was Jonny Milner on 8.53.1, Tapio Laukkanen's time was 8.53.5 and James Thompson, his Lancer still with no reverse gear which makes James is having to be really careful about overshooting any junctions, 3rd fastest on 9.05.2. No more times after MacHale for the moment - we presume that the stage will need cleared and the next cars are being held. 

Milner's Corrola WRC was sprouting wads of grass and earth from the rear panel, and also the rear left light cluster was missing. Jonny explained "We were having a very on it run, not taking too many risks, but succumbed to temptation at a hairpin, flicked on the hand brake and half spun into the bank. We lost virtually no time".  Tapio Laukkanen appeared into service still streaming sweat from his exertions in the stage, and when told he had a good time, just .4 of a second off Milner, the Finnish driver said "Not enough if Jonny is doing similar times".  Latvala said "We pushed for the first stage today, took it more easy second".  Derek McGarrity lost over 20s when he spun his Impreza at the downhill hairpin going towards the reservoir at East Baldwin, Derek commenting "With the paddle gear change, a spin becomes a major hiccup as you have to let everything stop and be careful selecting a gear."  

When Kenny McKinstry arrived into service his first comment was "What we need is a ferry home"……Kenny's beautiful Impreza WRC bore the scars of flailing rubber down the sides following his double puncture in stage 7, and he explained. "It was at the chicane at junction 8, we were in the grass getting round the bale and there must have been something in there cut the tyres". 

In the Super 1600 category it looks as if Ryan Champion has moved into the lead following Gwyndaf Evans' gearbox trouble. When Gwyndaf arrived here at the grandstand he was 7 or 8 minutes before his due time. He immediately dived un the bonnet of the MG and starting stripping all the superfluous bits around the engine and gearbox, to try to save the mechanics some time when they were changing the gearbox. The Welshman went on to say that the car had been stuck in 5th gear for a part of East Baldwin, and basically the gearbox was too badly damaged to repair, and would need to be replaced. It transpired then that Gwyndaf was over 12 minute late clocking out of service and incurred 2m10s road penalty, which allows Ryan Champion into the Super 1600 lead. Ryan commented after East Baldwin "I'm really enjoying it, the Puma suspension is better now, although I'm having to re learn the car in the dry, need to lean on it a bit more". Leon Pesticcio's Fiat Punto needed attention to the clutch master cylinder, but should be OK.  Kris Meeke's retirement is confirmed as broken driveshaft. Garry Jennings had a fraught 2 stages this morning. He spun and stalled the Peugeot on the first stage today, clipped a kerb at a slippy hairpin on the 2nd. 

The Historic section of the rally is still running behind the International. Martin Freestone leads the Post Historics in his Mk1 Escort with Dessie Nutt leading the Historics in his Porsche 911. Rallying scribe David Williams has just retired his Mini Cooper with low oil pressure. The Historics are being preceded by some classic group B machinery. One of them is the Lancia 037 and is being driven by none other than Martin Rowe - Martin commented "Beautiful car, so much power, its great to be driving a slice of rallying history"" More news later. BRIAN AND LIZ PATTERSON   www.rallynews.net