1999 – Murmur Chapter 4

MULLMURMURSMULLMURMURSMULLMURMURS – Chapter 4

– published on the island, during the event by Jaggy Bunnet

Leaderboard after 4 of 22 Special Stages:

1	Chris Griffiths/Aled Davies	Subaru Impreza	24:11
2	James MacGillivray/Brian Kennedy	Mitsubishi	24:45
3	Dougi Hall/Gareth Williams	Ford Escort	24:54
4	John Price/Caroline Broad	MG Metro 6R4	25:00
5	Callum Guy/Fred Bell	Vauxhall Astra	25:09
6	John Cope/Tony Cope	Ford Escort Cosworth	25:13
7	Daniel Harper/Les Reger	Vauxhall Astra	25:28
8	William Bonniwell/Ali Campbell	Ford Escort	25:41
9	John Cressey/Ian Grindrod	Vauxhall Astra	25:52
10	Rob Barry/Alan Whittaker	Mitsubishi	26:04
11	Steve Smith/Alistair Douglas	Subaru Impreza	26:06
12	Doug Weir/Duncan Brown	Nova 1600	26:09

It would appear that both Callum Duffy and Eddie O’Donnell are out of this year’s Philips Tour of Mull Rally. Both cars are off the road in Gribun and since they have not yet appeared at Craignure service, methinks they are now out of time … George Hill was reported off in Aros and this has been confirmed by the man himself. The accident looked much worse than it was with the light pod and lights scattered over the road, but everyone appears to be OK.

Elsewhere in the Entry List it has been an eventful night so far, Jock Threadgall broke a shock absorber in his Sierra on the Hill Road and George MacDonald’s Nova broke a spring, and he hasn’t got a spare.

Lyndon Barton was spotted parked up by the side of the road in the Metro and it looks like he’s going no further … Doug Weir lost the Nova’s exhaust on the Hill Road but has managed to borrow a tail pipe for a one litre car for his 1600 car … Rick Fry’s Sapphire encountered a broken down Nova at a tight hairpin and the two cars came together as he tried to squeeze past, but it’s the co-driver’s side which shows the scars – aint’t it always!? … Graham D’Arcy broke a ball joint in the Astra and the service crew were attacking the bits with huge hammers! … Alasdair Ingram has a clutch problem, he can get gears in the Mini at rest, but not on the move … Jimmy Fergusson slid off the road just beyond a crest when the main battery lead broke and he lost all his lights … Mark Jasper is in the wars, driveshaft broke and punctured a tyre, drove 4 miles on flat, changed it between stages and got penalties, but still going … Willie Bonniwell’s roll bar bushes have disintegrated in the Escort and now the doors don’t shut right following a hard landing be he’s still laughing … Steve Davies lost a dose of time with a broken steering coupling … Stuart McQueen broke a spark plug and did last two stages on 3 cylinders … Grant Fleming stuck in 3^rd gear after SS2 and had to do next two stages in 3^rd only … Andy Tearle’s Chevette blew its water out but re-filled from co-driver’s drinks bottle and seems to be OK – fingers crossed.

And finally, Chris Paton pulled a muscle in his back yesterday and is wearing one of his wife’s corsets for support. It seems to be working but wife Mary says there is just one thing (or two things) wrong, he doesn’t have the t*ts to fill it. Go on work it out for yourself.

That's yer lot meantime,

Yer auld pal, Jaggy Bunnet
Craignure, Friday/Saturday, 1:30 am.

Published October 10, 2009

2009 – Murmur Chapter 8

MullMurmurs – Chapter 8

Provisional Leaderboard after SS17 (of 17)

1 Duffy/Duffy                2 Hr 09 Mins 25 Secs
2 MacGillivray/Fraser            2h 10m 30s
3 Harper/Campbell            2h 11m 05s
4 Cope/Fagg                2h 11m 18s
5 Bardy/Smith                2h 11m 38s
6 Pye/Falconer                2h 12m 50s
7 Sinclair/Hamill            2h 14m 31s
8 Hall/Hall                2h 14m 58s
9 Sisson/Stone                2h 15m 39s
10 Sherrington/Bould            2h 15m 49s

There was just no stopping Calum and Iain Duffy tonight. They were not to be denied their 5th win on this 40th Tunnock's Tour of Mull Rally. Over the final two stages Duffy led from the front consolidating and extending his winning margin to just over a minute from James MacGillivray and Ian Fraser.

John Cope was holding third place going into those final rain dampened stretches of tarmac, which weren't exactly wet, more greasy was the feel. In other words, it was uncertain underfoot, or more precisely, treacherous undertyre. Cope picked his pace and made his choice: “I had 3 on Harper going into that last one, I wasn't going to try any harder.” Daniel was in two minds. Finish, or go for it. He did both.

Tony Bardy scored a remarkable 5th in the Nissan while Tristan Pye earned the Group N win with 6th place as Wayne Sisson dropped back into the clutches of Shaun Sinclair, the number 50 seed who finished in 7th place ahead of the hard charging Dougi Hall, demoting Sisson to 9th.

At the finish, Dougi looked quite resigned to his fate. “Yes, I've led the rally a couple of times in the past but I've been lying second more often, before trouble struck. That's rallying, eh?” If it hadn't been for those two punctures, who knows? Duffy was closing, but Hall is a fighter, as he showed battling back to finish 8th.

Rounding off the top ten was Tugs Sherrington after two nights and one afternoon of high drama and even higher excitement.

But they were the lucky ones. Paul MacKinnon went off while leading. Neil MacKinnon crashed while in contention, Willie Bonniwell retired with gearbox failure and Dave Pattison called it a day after fuel pump troubles and finally a worsening gearbox.

And just outside the top ten there were a few more surprises. Iain MacKenzie won the 1600 class with 14th place and Andy Knight took the 1400 class with 16th place and Stevie Brown was on course for a result till fate intervened and the Fiesta went for walk on the beach at Scridain.

As ever, the Tunnock's Tour served up a feast of surprises and shocks, heroes and heroines, and a healthy dose of drama and disaster, but that's what makes this the 'Best rally in the World.”

Note: A full report will be served up in the final issue of the 2009 MullMurmurs sometime on Sunday – now I'm off for a Tunnock's pie and my bed.

That’s yer lot for now,
Yer Auld Pal, Jaggy Bunnet
Sunday, 3.00 am, The Sea Life Visitor Centre, Tobermory

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