Rally - Kames

Car 66 - are you OK?

Kames was shrouded in thick mist earlier this morning, or it may have been low cloud up here in the Muirkirk Mountains, but given its past meteorological record it could have gone either way. Fortunately, as the sun rose, it burned off the mist to bathe the complex in bright sunshine and long dark shadows, but with a cold edge to the breeze in the shade. Marvellous, absobluidylutely marvellous.

At the half way point, Nigel Feeney leads first time out in the ex Rob Swann Subaru Impreza: "My own car still isn't finished, so I bought this," said Nigel, "and the plan is to get the feel of if before the Jim Clark Rally next month."

Only 21 seconds behind him is Colin 'Tyres' Gemmell in the Impreza, only he's not complaining (much) about tyres today: "I put a back wheel on the grass on the third stage," said Colin, "and half spun, but I couldn't get reverse so I dropped about 12 seconds."

In third place is Derek Connell going very well in the wee 1400 Corsa with the Lancer of Graham Bruce in fourth place after breaking a driveshaft, but still going.

Alex Vassallo leads the Junior Rally in his Citroen CC1: "We broke a gearshift cable on the second stage,"said Alex, "but didn't lose any time." 20 seconds behind is the Nissan Micra of Dylan O'Donell with the similar car of Craig MacIvor only 6 seconds behind him.

Michael Robertson is top Toyota Aygo driver in fourth place ahead of Brodie Balfour's Aygo and Andy Struthers' Micra, but Brandon Walsh will have homework tonight. First time out in his new Citroen today he clipped a lorry tyre sized marker which tipped the wee car on to its roof. It wasn't a fast accident and it didn't strike anything hard, but the cooling system is damaged so he's out.

Kames Rally leaderboard, after 8 (of 16) stages:
1, N Feeney 10m 59s
2, C Gemmell, 11m 20s
3, D Connell, 11m 27s
4, G Bruce, 11m 50s
5, J Black, 11m 52s,
6, N Thomson, 12m 09s

Junior Rally
1, A Vassallo, 11m 44s
2, D O'Donnell, 12m 04s
3, C MacIvor, 12m 10s
4, M Robertson, 12m 20s
5, B Balfour, 12m 42s
6, A Struthers, 12m 44s