MULLMURMURSMULLMURMURSMULLMURMURS – Chapter 5
– published on the island, during the event by Jaggy Bunnet
Provisional Leaderboard after 3 Stages:
| Posn | Driver/Co-Driver | Car | Mins:Secs |
| 1 | Callum Duffy/Hugh Duffy | Ford Escort | 52:10 |
| 2 | Neil MacKinnon/Mike Stayte | Subaru Legacy | 53:13 |
| 3 | Chris Griffiths/Stephen Griffiths | Subaru Legacy | 54:31 |
| 4 | James MacGillivray/Brian Kennedy | Opel Corsa | 54:33 |
| 5 | Eddie O'Donnell/Eddie O'Donnell | Ford Escort | 55:40 |
| 6 | John Price/Mike Bowen | MG Metro 6R4 | 55:45 |
| 7 | Paul Kirtley/Jon Geldart | Ford Escort Cosworth | 57:10 |
| 8 | Richard Thompson/Reg Smith | Nissan Sunny | 57:30 |
| 9 | Gordon Boyd/Stella Boyles | Ford Escort Cosworth | 58:22 |
| 10 | Ian Wilson/John Bennie | Opel Kadett | 58:35 |
As usual don't regard these times as gospel since this is not the official Philips Tour of Mull Rally results, but hopefully it will give you an idea of what is going on out there. On the weather front, things are still unpredictable, when it's not raining there are dry stretches of road mixed in with wet, slippy bits and puddles, definitely not for the faint-hearted, or as John Price put, "It makes the old pacemaker work a lot harder."
There is no change at the top with Duffy still leading MacKinnon but the Subaru pilot has reduced the youngster's advantage from 1 minute 15 seconds to 1 minute 3, not a lot mind you, but it shows MacKinnon is getting to grips with the Legacy. In fact he's getting real confident getting the four wheel drive machine to slide when he wants to.
Chris Griffiths has moved ahead of James MacGillivray. If anything, conditions on those last three stages were not quite as bad as the first, and Griffiths got a bit more confidence although MacGillivray hasn't given up yet, he's really enjoying the wee lightweight Corsa.
The O'Donnell twins are still going well and it's about time they got themselves a result on home territory with Price secure in 6th place for the moment. Paul Kirtley's on the move too, up from 10th after 3 stages to 7th place now, demoting Richard Thompson in the Nissan while Gordon Boyd has overcome his electrical problem to move back into the top ten despite a huge spin on that last test which punctured a tyre. Ian Wilson is currently holding 10th place but that will definitely not last, for the Opel expired on the road section to Craignure service, the rear axle wheel bearings seized solid and he's now heading for the Mishnish to console himself, that's the pub, not the beauty spot! Steve Davies is still going, although he admitted to another off at Calgary, said he "went beachcombing in the reeds" and John Cope is still just outside the top ten although he struggled to reach service. The Sierra's water pump gasket is leaking and the car overheated on the last stage but they got here by stopping regularly at puddles to try and top up the radiator.
That's yer lot for now, till later, Yer auld pal, Jaggy Bunnet, (Craignure, Saturday, 2:30 am)
