RALLY NEWS NO.1                 Pickering Showgrounds/Saturday11 am

UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 1
1st (11) Jonny Milner/Nicky Beech (Corolla WRC) 56.0
2nd (17) Jari-Matti Latvala/Miika Anttila (Focus WRC) 56.4
3rd (12) Austin MacHale/Brian Murphy (Impreza WRC) 56.6
4th (15) Julian Reynolds/Ieuan Thomas (Impreza WRC) 56.9
5th (16) Steve Petch/John Richardson (Accent WRC) 57.2
6th (14) Tapio Laukkanen/Ilka Riipinen (Impreza WRC) 57.3
7th (22) Nigel Heath/Steve Lancaster (Impreza WRC) 57.8
8th (19) Barry Johnson/Stewart Merry (Impreza WRC) 57.0
9th (18) Chirs Mellors/Craig Thorley (Escort WRC) 58.7
10th (26) Dougie Hall/Steve Egglestone (Lancer) 59.4

There were no major dramas on the opening test of this Trackrod Rally, most of the drivers reporting the stage to be quite loose and rutted in places. One driver did have a problem and that was Steve Hill, whose Alfa Romeo broke a drive shaft.  As can be seen above, Jonny Milner was fastest, Jonny determined to try and tie up his 2nd Pirelli British Rally Championship crown this weekend, and saying "It's a belt and braces job, get to the end, get the points".  However Jonny is also keen to win his home rally here in Yorkshire and we don't expect him to giving much away.  Jari-Matti Latvala in 2nd place was a very tired young man when he finished his recce yesterday. He competed on an Italian rally last weekend, Sardinia, then flew home to Finland to set his final college exams, the equivalent of our A levels for the 19 year old. So he has had quite a week.  Austin MacHale reports all well with his car.  It is interesting to see Tapio Laukkanen in 6th, he is out for the first time in the ex Marcus Dodd Impreza S8. Hadn't even driven the car until he went to the start ramp in Malton this morning. Interesting as well to see Chris Mellors in 9th. Chris is a 3 times winner of this event but hasn't been seriously behind a rally car wheel for over 2 years.

Gwyndaf Evans was the fastest of the Super 1600 cars, Gwyndaf 6s behind overall leader Jonny Milner. The power of the Super 1600s getting sapped up by the soft and rutted nature of this opening test. Leon Pesticcio was 2nd in the Super 1600, Kris Meeke 3rd, but only a split second separating all 3 cars. There is an interesting Super 1600 down the field, young Finn Aki Teiskonen running at 34 in a Saxo.  We must wait for his times. Aki's fellow countryman  Sami Vatanen is already in trouble, his Super 206 car breaking the gearbox on the way from the start ramp to the service here at Pickering Showgrounds.

In Group N after that opening test Neil Buckley was fastest by just over a second from Roy White. Neil is concentrating on trying to tie up the showroom category in the Pirelli British Championship, Roy from Clonmel in Co. Tipperary, is driving a Lancer hired from the Buckleys as he trying to keep his own Mitsubishi in good shape for next weekend's Cork 20.

Still to come in the main International field are the Peugeot 206 Super Cup competitors led by new Champion Shaun Gallagher.  The young Donegal man was in shreds when he finished his recce yesterday, having had all sorts of dramas with missed ferries on Thursday evening, and having to drive right through the night to start his recce at 6am on Friday morning. Shaun, who is also contesting the French Peugeot 206 Championship, thought that he would have an easy run here in Yorkshire, until it was pointed out to him that he is the new Champion, and now the man to beat! Still on the ferry theme - Shaun's main service vehicle was on a ferry yesterday which broke down and had to be towed into Stranraer!

Main changes to the published entry list include - Nasser Al-Attiyah, seeded at No.20, is not starting. Steve Lancaster was to have co-driven with Nasser but is now sitting with Nigel Heath in the Impreza WRC. Swedish girl Jennie-Lee Hemamsson has a start number of 24 but has been re-seeded further back to run between cars 32 and 33. This Jennie-Lee's first UK rally, first time on an English speaking rally, first time with Howard Davies co-driving and first time in a group N car. Jennie is driving a 22 Motorsport prepared Impreza S9. Normally rallying a Group N VW Polo at home, the cheerful young Swede seems to be taking the new situation in her stride. 

More news later.  BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON     www.rallynews.net