Provisional Top Ten after SS12 (of 19)
1 Neil MacKinnon/Mike Stayte (Subaru Impreza WRC) 1 Hr 22 Mins 18 Secs
2 Calum Duffy/Iain Duffy (Ford Escort Mk2) 1h 23m 32s
3 John Cope/Tony Cope (Subaru Impreza WRC) 1h 25m 36s
4 Paul Kirtley/David Jones (Subaru Impreza WRC) 1h 26m 19s
5 Denis Biggerstaff/Graham Thomson (Subaru Impreza WRC) 1h 26m 45s
6 John Price/Caroline Price (MG Metro 6R4) 1h 27m 36s
7 Tony Bardy/Reg Smith (Hyundai Accent WRC) 1h 28m 12s
8 John Swinscoe/Bill Robertson (Mitsubishi Lancer EVO9) 1h 28m 49s
9 Mark Durham/Andy Mort (Mitsubishi Lancer) 1h 29m 35s
10 Daniel Harper/Chris Campbell (MINI) 1h 33m 23s
(Please Note: These times are provisional pending confirmation by Rally HQ)
Come daylight, come drama. Last year’s winner of the Tunnock’s Tour of Mull Rally is out. James MacGillivray crashed towards the end of Mishnish Lochs this afternoon. Given that conditions were dry and bright, it would seem that many folks were after John Cope’s 6m 25s record from last year (including the man who set it!)
But still leading this year’s teacakingly tortuous Tour is Neil MacKinnon and Mike Stayte, but Neil was looking a bit concerned at the end of the Lochs: “I’ve lost 5th gear again, properly this time, we changed the box last night/this morning, and it looks as though we’ll need another for tonight.”
Holding station behind is Calum Duffy: “It’s all we can do, Neil took 12 out of us on the long Tuath. That’s not too bad but it means he’s still pulling away. But I had the biggest moment of my career (what? another one? Ed.) in Calgary Bay. It’s really slippy in there – and there’s lots of spectators!” No doubt playing to the grandstands again, eh!
As for John Cope, he’s still holding third place despite two punctures, one on Tuath and the other in Calgary and has dropped over a minute and a half to Calum. Paul Kirtley had a puncture too and is now up to fourth. “We landed very heavily in Calgary and the tyre just blew out with a big bang,” said Paul, “we were lucky.”
Denis Biggerstaff is fifth: “ We’re starting to get it together. We changed the Notes this morning and it’s working better.” John Price had a front puncture too: “If it had been a rear we would have had to stop and change, but as it was a front we were able to drive out and only lost 33 seconds.” Tony Bardy reckons he’s winning the Hyundai over – at last! And John Swinscoe had a smile wider than Tobermory Bay at the end of Mishnish. Mark Durham is moving steadily up the leaderboard now and Daniel Harper is still battling away with a recalcitrant MINI; “It’s now running straight—ish,” said Daniel, referring to his wheel losing and suspension damaging incident last night.
But James is not the only one, Peter Jackson (50) and Doug Weir (18) are both off in Calgary and it looks as though their rally has been run, and John Cressey is out with a holed piston in the MINI, and we found out what happened to Dougi Hall – engine failure. And now we’ve lost young Paul MacKinnon.
Now here’s a thought for tonight, why not try the Mediterrania Restaurant at Salen? Genuine Italian food cooked to genuine Italian recipes and both sit-in or takeway. Or if you fancy a real Pizza give them a call on 01680 300200.
That’s yer lot for now,
Yer auld pal, Jaggy Bunnet, Riverside, Tobermory, 3.00 pm, Saturday
