RALLY NEWS NO.6 Grandstand - service - Friday 2pm

UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 11 ANDREAS
1st (10) Jonny Milner/Nicky Beech (Corolla WRC) 1.01.40.7
2nd (15) Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila (Ford Focus WRC) 1.02.14.0
3rd (14) Tapio Laukkanen/Ilka Riipinen (Imprezaa WRC) 1.02.32.0
4th (17) James Thompson/Plug Pulleyn (Lancer) 1.03.21.8
5th (11) Derek McGarrity/Dermot O'Gorman (Impreza WRC) 1.03.27.4
6th (8) Austin MacHale/Brian Murphy (Impreza WRC) 1.04.56.4
7th (12) Kenny McKinstry/Noel Orr (Impreza WRC) 1.05.29.7
8th (19) Eamonn Boland/Francis Regan (Impreza WRC) 1.05.35.1
9th (21) Seamus Leonard/Paul McLaughlin (Impreza N) 1.06.26.7
10th (5) Ryan Champion/Cliff Simons (Ford Puma) 1.06.40.3

There is a ding dong battle going on at the front of this Manx International Rally with the top 3 drivers swapping fastest times stage by stage.  Generally though its Milner who has that tiny little edge on Latvala and Laukkanen. On stage 9 Druidale Jonny was half a second faster than Latvala with Laukkanen almost 3s back. Interestingly, Kenny McKinstry was fastest overall for that stage, 2s up on Laukkanen., but of course Kenny is well out of contention for a top 3 place, for the moment anyway. On stage 10 Lough Dhoo, Laukkanen was fastest by 6s from Latvala with Milner a further half a second back. Then on stage 11, Andreas, Jonny reigned supreme again, just over 4s up on Laukkanen and Latvala who recorded almost the same time.  Jonny commented here at service "Yes, we had a good run on those 3 but I treated the Curraghs with respect".  Latvala said "It is OK, but a bit of understeer on the very fast long corners, maybe it is tyre compound, but I could be a bit harder on the suspension, then it is a compromise with some bumpy stages and some smooth".

Tapio Laukkanen told us "It is quite alright for these last few stages, a couple of mistakes early in the morning, the roads are now bone dry and we will change the suspension and try some more".  James Thompson is a solid 4th, almost as solid as his Lancer suspension. James climbed from the Mitsubishi here at service, holding his back and grimacing. He observed "The car is very low, crashing out on bad bumps, its on Catalunya suspension set up because it is all we have. We have no suspension engineer here, the car has very complicated triple rate front springs and a simple adjustment is very difficult. Its all a learning curve". Derek McGarrity cracked the windscreen of his Impreza WRC on a big jump dip in Lough Dhoo, otherwise Derek is happy enough with his position, and feels he can up the pace if necessary. 

Kenny McKinstry remarked "Its hard to get the motivation really, I hate it for something so stupid to happen as those punctures. The trouble is in the road car it is no problem getting round the bales, but the rally car has a lot less lock, and you have to get on to the verge a bit. I'm pissed off with myself really". 

In the Super 1600 category what was a happy party of 7 has now become two and a half!  The 2 are Ryan Champion in the works Ford Puma and Garry Jennings in the Peugeot. The latter is nibbling away at Ryan's lead, chipping approximately 2 to 3 seconds a stage. Garry said "I'm getting my confidence up, it's a long rally, we were always gong to go for a finish. Although the back is moving about a fair bit over the bumps, I'm learning to drive round it". Ryan also felt his car was "a bit lively over the Curragh bumps, but not too bad".  Leon Pesticcio has really struggled over the last few stages, the clutch gone, an engine mounting broken and the car jammed in 2nd gear. We reported earlier that Kris Meeke has retired because of a broken drive shaft on his Opel. Gwyndaf Evans has also retired, his MG suffering transmission troubles. The mechanics changed the gearbox at service after stage 8, but still there was something wrong, and Gwyndaf was push started at the start of stage 11 but the car would only go a few yards and then stopped. Barry Clark has apparently rolled his Puma out of the rally and Steve Hill is having mechanical problems with his Alfa.
Dougie Hall has retired his gpA Lancer - he rolled the car earlier, kept going but then the oil pressure went leaving service.
In the Lex Army Land Rover part of the event Jace Webster leads from Anton Mitchell with John Duncan 3rd. Gary Mitchell is normally a front runner but his version seems to be lacking power and he is in 4th. Anton did suffer a puncture but lost little time. While John Ducan's Land Rover had wiper and lights trouble in the rain and darkness of last night. More news later. BRIAN AND LIZ PATTERSON                      www.rallynews.net