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| Rally Isle of Man |
| RALLY NEWS No.7 - After SS13 - Friday @ 21:22:54 |
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MANX TAILS/RALLYNEWS NO.7 Grantstand Friday
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 13 W. BALDWIN
1st (2) Keith Cronin/Barry McNulty (Impreza N) 1.16.31.8
2nd (3) Gwyndaf Evans/Gareth Roberts (Lancer N) 1.18.16.4
3rd (10) Jason Pritchard/Robbie Durant (Impreza N) 1.19.31.2
4th (6) Jonny Greer/Gordon Noble (Lancer N) 1.19.47.1
5th (8) Steven Quine/Richard Skinner (Lancer N) 1.20.20.6
6th (19) Jarkko Nikara/Petri Nikara (Twingo) 1.21.55.7
7th (18) Matti Rantanen/Mikko Lukka (Twingo) 1.22.26.8
8th (17) Elfyn Evans/Andrew Edwards (Fiesta) 1.22.28.3
9th (20) Robert Barrable/Damien Connolly (Citroen) 1.22.30.4
10th (9) Euan Thorburn/Paul Beaton (Lancer N) 1.22.43.8
The final few stages of today’s Leg 1 of this Rally Isle of Man were streaming wet and gave the drivers many frightening moments. However, rally leader Keith Cronin, as well as 2nd placed Gwyndaf Evans, shrugged off the difficulties and fairly blitzed the final stage, West Baldwin, over the top of the hills. When Keith Cronin brought his Pirelli backed Subaru into service his co-driver Barry McNulty said. “If anyone beats that time they are going some. It was a massive aquaplaning session on that last stage. The roads were like lakes and we had a small problem with a sheep on the road as well". Interestingly, current Event Director of this rally Richard Bargery who has been involved with the Manx at the highest level for over 20 years started off as a marshal and then was the “Flockmaster”.
When Gwyndaf Evans brought his Lancer in it was a real surprise to the Cronin team that Gwyndaf was within 2s of their time over that 11.65 mile West Baldwin stage. Gwyndaf said. “It would have been very easy to go sailing in there. You should have seen Keith’s lines. Nobody can tell me he wasn’t trying. This is a big motor when she starts to go!” Jason Pritchard in 3rd kept it all together very well towards the end and is in a brilliant position for the Saturday leg. The same can be applied of course to British Championship leader Jonny Greer. Jonny’s co driver this weekend, Gordon Noble, said. “We could just as easily have gone for a sail as well past the reservoir on West Baldwin. The car took a mind of its own over the floods and I can tell you we were very cautious from then on.”
Nigel & Michaela Cannell were the best Manx crew starting that stage 13 but a boulder sticking out of the bank at Little London ripped a hole in the side of one of their Lancer’s tyres, and the ensuing 6m puncture has dropped them right out of the reckoning. Steven Quine survived a wrong tyre choice and a very big moment over Abbeylands crossroads, but Steven and his co driver Richard Skinner have now taken over the mantle of best Manx crew. Their cause was helped when a 30s road penalty was removed. Daniel Sigurdarson said he was never on the right tyres for his Lancer all day. He smashed the rear of the car against a wall on the last Friday stage, which was just one of his many dramas during the day.
Robert Barrable in his Citroen C2R2 Max clipped a rock 2 miles up Druidale on tonight’s last stage. Robert thought perhaps he had a puncture and as his co driver Damien Connolly said. “We were a bit shy then up to Brandywell Cottage, realised it was OK and went for it towards the end”. Mark Donnelly had some road penalties and a few other dramas through stage 13 and was a little frustrated at a disappointing end to a good day. Mark Gamble retired his C2R2 Max following a broken gearbox mounting at Castletown. Alex Laffey & Peter Martin retired their Fiesta when they went off the road in stage 6. Finnish driver Jarkko Nikara said after tonight’s last stage. “I love these wet conditions”. Jarkko has moved into the lead of the ultra competitive class R2.
More news in morning: BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON (with thanks to Ciara) www.rallynews.net
A little challenge for all our “perfect” followers of typos on the internet: dilligaf
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