RALLY NEWS NO.4                    Pickering Showgrounds/Saturday 6pm
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 9
1st (14) Tapio Laukkanen/Ilka Riipinen (Impreza WRC) 58.07.5
2nd (17) Jari-Matti Latvala/Miika Anttila (Focus WRC) 58.13.4
3rd (11) Jonny Milner/Nicky Beech (Corolla WRC) 58.49.3
4th (12) Austin MacHale/Brian Murphy (Impreza WRC) 1.00.06.4
5th (16) Steve Petch/John Richardson (Accent WRC) 1.01.09.2
6th (19) Barry Johnson/Stewart Merry (Impreza WRC) 1.01.28.7
7th (18) Chris Mellors/Craig Thorley (Escort WRC) 1.01.57.7
8th (3) Kris Meeke/Chris Patterson (Opel Corsa) 1.03.19.8
9th (27) Neil Buckley/Dougie Redpatch (Lancer N) 1.04.13.7
10th (23) John Lloyd/Pauline Gullick (Impreza) 1.04.37.2

There is still a rare old battle going on at the front of this Trackrod Rally with Tapio Laukkanen and Jari-Matti Latvala swoping fastest stage times. Jonny Milner is content to sit tight in 3rd place, a weather eye on his second Pirelli British Rally Championship title.
In the Super 1600 category Gwyndaf Evans has disappeared from the fray, his MG suffering a broken gearbox towards the end of stage 8 Cropton. This leaves Kris Meeke very much on his own, although young Finnish driver Aki Teiskonen, driving the ex Niall McShea Saxo, is setting some brilliant Super 1600 times, but he is running pretty far back and we are not up to date on his total. Garry Jennings was fortunate to reach service, his Peugeot gearbox making the most weird and wonderful noises, but still engaging all the cogs. There is a 45 minute service before the cars are tucked into parc ferme at Malton, and that will give the Peugeot engineers plenty of time to change the gearbox.

When the cars reached service Tapio took time out to explain that he lost some time on the penultimate stage of the day when his Subaru overshot a junction, costing about 5 or 6 seconds. Otherwise he is happy enough and looking forward to tomorrow. Jari-Matti Latvala commented "I have a very good feeling on the first stage after service, went well, but decided to take the 2nd stage of the loop slowly. It is easily to make mistake. Tomorrow is still rallying day".  When asked was he going for a win the 19 year old Finn said "It is too much to win, too difficult, do not want to take risks. I have made so many mistakes this year in the British rally championship. I want to finish".  Jonny Milner said "We had a good run through stage 8, but backed off a little on stage 9 on the narrow stuff, but I'm relaxed enough, still thinking of the title".  Austin MacHale is staying right behind the leading trio, the Dubliner saying "I had an overshoot in stage 8 at a junction down an escape road, lost maybe 10 or 15 seconds, but I'm reasonably happy. I've closed the gap from earlier in the year, as I get more used to the forests, it's a fair pace at the moment".

Super 1600 leader Kris Meeke commented "I'm really happy, taking it steady, no risks, middle of the road. The car is really good and I'm relaxed in my driving, but disappointed Gwyndaf went out".  Ryan Champion set a fastest Super 1600 time through stage 8, and said "Its just a case of what might have been without the earlier drive shaft problem".  Leon Pesticcio in the other front running Puma had a good time through stage 9 despite a broken gear change mechanism. 
In Group N Neil Buckley has eased back very slightly to conserve his Pirelli British Championship category lead. We have unofficially Neil Gatt 2nd in gpN in his new Subaru. Rob Swann 3rd and Roy White still setting some sparkling times in 4th.

Further stories include - Steve Petch overshooting a junction in stage 8 Cropton, his favourite stage. It was a downhill approach to a hairpin left, Petch slid past it and then stalled the car. Reckons the clutch needs some attention. Nigel Heath's Impreza WRC continues to misfire visciously and Nigel has dropped off the leaderboard, and commenting "The car is completely knackered, but we'll be out again tomorrow".  John Lloyd has now come into the top 10 and is going very nicely, a fine way to celebrate his birthday tomorrow. Bob Ceen  had come into 10th earlier but has now retired with suspected overheating/engine problems. Latest news we have on the Peugeot 206 Super Cup still leads, and young Stuart Jones is up into 2nd. Chris Moore 3rd. Finally for now, Steve Perez has won the Historic Rally by over 3m from Chris Green. Richard Gower won the Post Historics  by 8s from David Stokes. Gareth Lloyd won the Classics from Grant Shand, Marcus Dodd was leading but rolled his Escort out on the last stage.  Peugeot 206 Super Cup latest news - Stuart Jones looks to have moved into the lead from Chris Moore with Shaun Gallagher 3rd at the end of Leg 1. This is unofficial. More news in the morning..BRIAN AND LIZ PATTERSON   www.rallynews.net