MullMurmurs – Chapter 3
From the Tunnock’s Mull Rally, 2010
Top Times after 2 (of 16 Stages)
1 Paul MacKinnon 18m 12s
2 Calum Duffy 18m 19s
3 Dougi Hall 18m 23s
4 James MacGillivray 18m 44s
5 Daniel Harper 19m 06s
6 John Cope 19m 08s
7 Hugh Hunter 19m 33s
8 Willie Bonniwell 19m 41s
9 Iain Ogg MacKenzie 20m 00s
10 Tristan Pye 20m 04s
What’s that old saying – starts with bang and builds up to a climax? That’s the 41st Tunnock’s Mull Rally for you. The top three seeds cleaned the opening stage up Glen Aros and over the Hill Road – incredibubble, that’s what it is. How fast were they going? All three overtook the Tardis.
No advantage was gained by MacKinnon the Younger who was quicker than Calum Duffy with Dougi Hall beating the Bogey time too.
At the stage finish, Paul said: “We lost the intercom part way through that test and the tyres went off. The pressures were up to 50 psi!” That speaks volumes concerning the pace of the leading Subaru.
Calum looked quite calm saying: “That was a good start, the stage was good.” As for Daniel Harper, he uttered: “That was effin quick in there.” I wonder what he means.
James MacGillivray went too soft on tyre choice for the first one but has fitted harder compounds now. John Rintoul lost the Notes half way through too. Curly Haigh said the brakes were fading and Grum Wilcock had similar problems, as did the O’Donnell twins. John Morrison came in sweating hard despite saying: “That was just a steady run through there.” On the other hand, his co-driver Louise Sutherland looked as fragrant and unruffled as ever. She fair puts us sweaty blokes in our place!
Sadly, young John MacCrone hit trouble in the first stage. He was spotted parked up on the Hill Road and phone in to say he had mechanical trouble so we don’t yet know what’s up.
The hectic pace continued through Gribun where Paul MacKinnon was fastest from Calum Duffy by 7 seconds with Dougi Hall still pushing hard just 4 seconds behind.
That’s yer lot for now,
Yer auld pal, Jaggy Bunnet, Salen Hotel, Friday, Gone 10.00 pm.
( Note: MullMurmurs also available online at: www.mullrally.com or www.scotmaps.co.uk )
