MullMurmurs – Chapter 5
From the Tunnock’s Mull Rally, 2010
Top Times after 6 (of 16 Stages)
1 Paul MacKinnon 47m 07s
2 Calum Duffy 47m 22s
3 Dougi Hall 48m 14s
4 James MacGillivray 48m 45s
5 John Cope 49m 31s
6 Willie Bonniwell 50m 25s
7 Tristan Pye 51m 35s
8 Wayne Sisson 52m 19s
9 Iain Ogg MacKenzie 52m 21s
10 Steve Cressey 52m 43s
14 Billy Bird Leading Class C
22 Ian Chadwick Leading Class B
28 Mark Constantine Leading Class A
The Lords of the Miles ruled the roads of Mull last night. The weather may have been mild and benevolent but not so the pace of this 41st Tunnock’s Mull Rally.
Paul MacKinnon is in blistering form leading the rally by a mere 15 seconds after 6 Special Stages, from last year’s winner Callum Duffy. Even so the leaders are wilting. “I’m having to be so delicate with the gearbox,” said Paul, “we had to put a standard ‘box in last night at service when the dog box broke and I’m scared the torque of this engine will break the new ‘box.” The words ‘delicate’ and ‘rally driver’ don’t usually run together, but hopefully there is a new competition gearbox on its way from the mainland overnight, “I’m not giving up yet” he said.
Callum Duffy struck trouble over the last three stages last night too: “I’ve got a misfire,” he said, “I switched over to the spare fuel pump for the thirds test, and it was better, but by the end of the stage it was misfiring again, so we’ll have to check that out before the Daylight run.”
Having been there so often before, either leading or in the leading pack, Dougi Hall was staying tight lipped: “The tyres are to soft,” he said, “and I was advised to run these, but I need harder tyres for these conditions.” Even so, he’s less than a minute behind Duffy and happy with his own pace.
James MacGillivray is another looking for harder tyres … Wayne Sisson had a loose spotlight which was waggling about – very disconcerting at high speed in the dark! … Steve Cressey heaved a sigh of relief at the end of the first Leg, “I haven’t hit a deer yet!” referring to last year’s narrow escapes … Alan Gardiner’s gearshift is a bit sticky: “It goes into gear OK but you have to tug the stick back out” … John Morrison’s spluttering has been cured but the Lancer is still not right … Reay MacKay thinks the Subaru is brilliant: “I’m getting into it now, the gearbox was rebuilt before this so took it easy over the first three” … Jimmy Christie lost his spotlights on Mishnish when the plug came out, and it’s now popping fuses, hardly the ideal problems to inspire confidence on night stages in the dark! … Mark Constantine’s class leading Corsa is handling much better having raised the ride height … Dave Thwaites has softened up the MkIIs suspension and it’s much better … Mike Storrar had a minor excursion in Calgary … Steven Ronaldson broke a driveshaft in Mishnish … and if you think the competition is fierce at the front spare a thought for Allan MacKay in the Lancer. His boy Euan MacKay is catching him in the wee Peugeot 106. “I daren’t pass him,” said Euan, “otherwise I’ll be sleeping in the garden!”
And my star of the rally so far, it has to be Iain Ogg MacKenzie. First time out in the Fiesta he’s lying in the top ten. Gaun yersel Oggy.
And if you think that a mild Mull is kinder to rally cars than a wild Mull, don’t kid yourself. Higher speeds mean that when you go off, you go off further, just ask Daniel Harper. He disappeared through the trees and bushes for 30 feet before coming to a rest off the road in Mishnish Lochs last night. Hugh Hunter is out too with a broken wheel and punctures, John MacCrone retired earlier on the Hill Road with the Fiesta, the O’Donnell twins are out with alternator failure and no lights, Cameron Mac Lean retired too as did Bruce Edwards who cracked the Darrian’s sump which lost all it’s oil. As for John Cowe, he celebrated Guy Fawkes early when the Escort had a bump and caught fire in Gribun. Fortunately both he and Colin Richardson got out although the reckoning is that John’s wallet will be well singed too by the time he gets this fixed!
That’s yer lot for now,
Yer auld pal, Jaggy Bunnet, Tobermory Hotel, Saturday, Noon.
( Note: MullMurmurs also available online at: www.mullrally.com or www.scotmaps.co.uk )
