MULLMURMURSMULLMURMURSMULLMURMURS – Chapter 9
– published on the island, during the event by Jaggy Bunnet
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Provisional Leaderboard after 18 (of 18) Special Stages: |
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| 1 | Neil MacKinnon/Mike Stayte (Subaru Impreza) | 2Hr 20m 54s |
| 2 | John Cope/Tony Cope (Ford Escort Cos) | 2.29.59 |
| 3 | John Cressey/Ian Grindrod (Vauxhall Astra) | 2.31.07 |
| 4 | Robert Davies/Neil Fraser (Mitsubishi Lancer) | 2.31.34 |
| 5 | John Swinscoe/Paula Swinscoe (Ford Escort) | 2.32.37 |
| 6 | Tony Bardy/Reg Smith (Nissan Sunny) | 2.33.42 |
| 7 | Doug Weir/Duncan Brown (Vauxhall Nova) | 2.34.25 |
| 8 | Roger Binyon/Nick Bray (Mitsubishi Lancer) | 2.35.00 |
| 9 | Bob Cowe/John Baird (Mitsubishi Lancer) | 2.35.45 |
| 10 | Stuart McQueen/Alistair Green (Mitsubishi Lancer) | 2.36.34 |
Records are made to be broken and that's what Neil MacKinnon and Mike Stayte have done. On the 32nd Philips Tour of Mull Rally, MacKinnon clinched his 10th outright victory. As ever, he made it look easy, but driving these roads in such slippery and changeable conditions is anything but, as the cleaning bills for underwear will testify when everyone gets round to it next week!
John and Tony Cope came here aiming for a top five finish, "We had the car and the ability, all we needed was a bit of luck. To get second, we're just over the moon."
As for John Cressey and Ian Grindrod, their achievement must stand out as a beacon to all those who think that youth and vigour will always win out against age and experience, "I was second in '86 but I've never been 3rd before. 17th at the end of the first night and 3rd now, it's all due to the service crew, they've put in a power of work. I break it, they mend it."
But they are the lucky ones. Calum Duffy disappeared from the runner-up position when the oil-cooler broke. It wasn't really his fault, the road just came up and smacked it. James MacGillivray too was in trouble, "The throttle cable broke. I used a bit of baler twine to operate the throttle and steered with the other hand, while Brian worked the gears – and no-one passed us in 7 miles." But they were out at the end of the next stage with an engine rattle. As for Dougi Hall, second place was in the bag till the Escort coasted to a silent halt in Gribun. As yet we haven't found out what exactly happened.
It also looks as though Doug Weir has clinched the 1600 class with an excellent 7th overall in such high speed company while Chris Tooze appears to have the 1300 class sewn up. Cressey's 3rd earned him top 2 Wheel Drive accolades but all results are provisional until declared final at 2:00 pm on Sunday. Jim Oddy retired at the end of SS13 with a broken gearbox and Chris Paton retired with a broken clutch.
That's yer lot for now,
Yer auld pal, Jaggy Bunnet, Tobermory, 3:00am Sunday.
