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| Manx International Rally |
| RALLY NEWS No.7 - After SS14 - Saturday @ 10:36:57 |
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RALLY NEWS NO.7 Laxey/Saturday
First few times from stage 14 Maughold
1ST (1) Mark HIggins/Bryan Thomas (Impreza N) 1.34.17.4
2ND (2) Keith Cronin/Greg Shinnors (Lancer N) 1.35.07.5
3RD (4) Adam Gould/Sebastian Marshal (Impreza N) 1.38.04.5
4TH (3) Alastair Fisher/Rory Kennedy (Lancer N) 1.38.05.1
5TH (11) Steven Quine/Paul McCann (Lancer) 1.40.22.6
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 13 GLENROY
1st (1) Mark HIggins/Bryan Thomas (Impreza N) 1.31.06.5
2nd (2) Keith Cronin/Greg Shinnors (Lancer N) 1.32.03.2
3rd (4) Adam Gould/Sebastian Marshal (Impreza N) 1.34.54.5
4th (3) Alastair Fisher/Rory Kennedy (Lancer N) 1.34.55.1
5th (11) Steven Quine/Paul McCann (Lancer) 1.36.59.9
6th (7) Euan Thorburn/Campbell Roy (Impreza N) 1.38.10.0
7th (8) Dave Weston Jnr/Aled Davies (Impreza N) 1.38.54.4
8th (25) Marty McCormack/Phil Clarke (C2R2 Max) 1.39.54.2
9th (26) Jason Pritchard/Andrew Edwards (C2R2 Max) 1.40.37.1
10th (16) Craig Breen/Gareth Roberts (Fiesta) 1.40.42.5
It has been all drama around the Mark Higgins camp this morning as following a gear box change last night the clutch release bearing fell off it’s fork as Mark drove his Impreza into overnight parc ferme. Mark is having to drive this morning without being able to disengage the clutch, which means jumping the car into motion with the starter motor. In typical form Mark is managing very well so far. He dropped just under 6s to Cronin on stage 13 and just over 6s on stage 14. He has another 2 stages to go before service and a possible gearbox change. Even that will be tight as just 20m are allowed in service and changing a Subaru box in that time is quite a task.
Although it was dry in Douglas this morning as the cars left the Grandstand it was raining on the Glenroy stage and Mark reported that it was quite slippy and he had possibly picked the wrong tyres. Keith Cronin told us that he was on a compromise set up with his tyres. Keith very much had in mind that it was a 4 stage loop this morning and the roads are reportedly dry at Ramsay. Alastair Fisher dropped just under 2s to Adam Gould on the opening Saturday stage which was enough to let Gould into 3rd place. Interestingly the two tied in Maughold. Alastair reported a strange noise from the rear of his Lancer that was worrying him somewhat. Steven Quine in 5th place was quite happy with his tyre choice, the local man really enjoying his run. Dave Weston Jnr finished the stage with a smashed front wheel on his Impreza and the rear one full of mud which was testimony to banging a wall and slipping into a ditch in the stage.
Marty McCormack continues to head the Citroen Racing Trophy contenders although he spun his C2R2 Max at the big wide turn 6 left junction halfway through the stage. His closest rival Jason Pritchard had a half spin. Nigel Cannell has re-started this morning under Super Rally rules and has been seeded up with the top runners on safety grounds. Nigel retired yesterday when his Lancer broke 2 rear drive shafts and because the transfer box wasn’t working properly he couldn’t drive out of the stage. He is running a standard differential this morning that is costing a little time. David Bogie in the Evo X is also seeded with the top runners although he is 29th overnight. David said at the end of Glenroy. “Just cruising on. It is very slippy under braking and it would be easy to make a silly mistake”. Molly Taylor in her Suzuki unfortunately did just that and slid the car into a field at the dog kennels grass triangle junction. More news later: BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net
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