206 Cup - Rounds 3 & 4 - Scottish Rally - 14-15 Jun 03

Posted: June 29, 2003 9:24 PM

Twenty six crews lined up in warm sunshine for the start in Dumfries High Street, but the drama had already begun at the shakedown stage on Friday morning when Chris Moore badly damaged the sump and hasty repairs had to be made before scrutineering. To add to his worries, co-driver Mike Panes had been suffering from a bad stomach bug for several days and was still very poorly when the pair left the start ramp. Stuart Jones bonnet flew up on the way back from scrutineering and his windscreen had to be replaced before he could make the start.

Current Championship leaders Shaun Gallagher and co-driver Richard Pashley set the pace on the first stage, 4.36 miles through Knocksallie around the north of Clatteringshaws Loch, but they were less than a second faster than second placed crew Mike Faulkner and Peter Foy. Co-driver Richard Edwards did not have a very happy birthday when Stuart Jones put their car upside down in a boggy ditch - not how we planned it!.

A very short road section took the cars to the 7.9 mile Black Loch stage where Mike Faulkner set fastest time to take over the lead from Shaun Gallagher, with Sebastian Ling in third place followed by Phillip Morrow and Chris Moore, who was struggling with the car which was not pulling properly in fifth and sixth gear. They thought the problem could be due to a collapsed catalytic converter which they proposed to change at Service. Graham McClintock suffered a gentle roll, landing back on the wheels and continuing unabated apart from a puncture, but were showing quite a bit of damage when they retired at Service in Baldoon. He later complained of a twisted neck from having to squint through the only remaining piece of straight glass. Gareth MacHale limped back into service with driveshaft problems, collecting 20 seconds of road penalties on the way. Jack Ingleby had a puncture half way through Stage 2 which he felt had not cost much time but at the second service he complained I cant stop having punctures, I dont know why. Joan Roca had a problem with his pacenotes on the first stage, leaving him in 14th place, but he went on to put in a real charge and subsequently set fastest time on Stage 4.

Irish brothers Phillip and Simon Morrow set fastest time on Shaw Hill, the first stage after Service, but their charge was short-lived when they retired on Stage 4 after clipping a log pile and breaking a drive shaft. In fifth place at the end of Stage 3, Chris Moore reported that we changed a few things in Service and feel the car is going better now. However they left the finish line trailing oil and were to go no further. Rodney Wilton had had a big accident in Ireland when he had destroyed his car, so he was happy to find himself in 5th place. Im just getting my confidence back, he said.

After swapping the lead all day with Mike Faulkner and setting two fastest times, Shaun Gallaghers event came to a very unhappy end when his car refused to start at the end of the final stage, and the consequent road penalties dropped him from second to fifth place.

Mike was delighted to break his 206 duck, and finally take the champagne in the pocket rocket on his home event. Catalunyan Joan Roca had charged back up the field from his earlier 10th place so was also delighted with his second place.

Into third came Jack Ingleby, another Scot who was amazed with his placing after his earlier punctures. Rodney Wilton finished fourth, Shaun Gallagher fifth, Richard Sykes sixth and Dessie Keenan rounded off the top seven. And after a prize giving ceremony tonight at the Ice Bowl, the crews return to the fray with a clean sheet tomorrow

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Scottish Duet

All but one of the twenty six Peugeot 206s who had travelled to the South of Scotland started todays event. Graham McClintock was unable to fit a new windscreen to his car so reluctantly decided against restarting, but some hard work overnight ensured everyone else was back in the fray. Yesterdays winner Mike Faulkner had been unable to replace his driveshaft, so he would have to take it steady through the first two stages until he could change it at service. The TOTAL supported 206 Super Cup championship started the day with a clean sheet and full championship points to be gained.

With the day once again promising to be hot and dry, dust and tyre wear were big topics of discussion at the Dumfries start ramp. Mike Faulkner and Shaun Gallagher set equal times over the first seven mile stage in Fuffock Hill, but Jack and Grania Ingleby took the front spot five seconds ahead. This was obviously their plan for the day, as they repeated the feat on Shiel Rig with Joan Roca coming up to take second fastest. However, Jack was running short of tyres and thought he would have to slow down towards the end of the event, while Mike Faulkner was considering drawing his joker tyres.

George Phillipedes retired at the end of this stage after going straight on at a square left. Chris Moores miserable weekend continued when the new exhaust fitted that morning collapsed. Two cats and two sumps he moaned, but weve got to keep going, I need the points. Everyone was complaining about punctures especially in Shiel Rig, which was variously described as the surface of the moon, the roughest Ive ever seen and needs a vehicle with tracks.

Dessie Keenan had three punctures and had to resort to swapping the wheels around in order to continue. This rim is wrecked he said at service in Baldoon, its not worth taking home. Eynon Price had holed the radiator and needed to keep stopping to fill it on the way back to service. Richard Phillipson was cross with himself after going uphill for some time in fifth gear, before realising he should have been in third! Andy Pawley retired on the second stage.

The short Jennys Hill stage came as a great relief to most crews, who enjoyed the much better conditions and Phillip Morrow put on a spurt to set fastest time. At the end of that stage, Chris Moore said his car was finished, only 10bhp and no exhaust, but it was destroyed totally on the following 18 miler through Glentrool when it caught fire and was burnt out. Ironically Chris is a fireman! Stuart Jones also ended his rally here with an off following a puncture.

Sebastian Lings consistent drive came to an end on the final stage through Arecleoch when he rolled his car whilst lying sixth. Ian Warrens clutch failed in last stage. In a thrilling finish, Phillip Morrow set fastest time only one tenth of a second ahead of Shaun Gallagher to take 4th place, while Mike Faulkners rear wheel was at a crazy angle, so his final charge to the top spot ended and he was satisfied with 5th.

However, Scots crew Jack and Grania Ingleby held on to the lead they had set from the start, their decision to attack paying off. They move one place up in the championship to 4th. Catalunyan pair Joan Roca and Dani Guirro confirmed how close the 206 Super Cup championship still is by being placed a mere 12.7 seconds behind after over one hundred miles of competitive stages. Second yesterday, second today and lying second in the championship. One day his turn will come. Shaun Gallagher/Richard Pashley were only one second behind in third place, but hang on to the lead in the championship by a mere 4.5 points.

The podium finish was remarkable in that three red, all left hand drive cars graced the ramp at the same time for the champagne celebration of the Huntly based pairing of Jack & Grania Ingleby on their debut Cup victory.

The 206 Super Cup now moves to the first of three asphalt events with the Jim Clark Memorial Rally based in Edinburgh and Duns on July 4th & 5th.

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