Rally - Clark leads

Steven Clark has take an early lead after two stages of today's Arnold Clark Thistle Snowman Rally, but has a mere 15 seconds in hand over Jock Armstrong and Bruce McCombie.

It would appear that David Bogie's earlier 'dubious' time for SS1 still stands. Apparently he had a couple of slight offs losing a few seconds each time in the snowy and icy conditions, but he was the fastest man in SS2. He currently lies 11th, 55 seconds behind the rally leader. If anyone can do it, Bogie can. Game on.

But just how bad are conditions? "It was really slippy all the way through the first stage," said Mike Faulkner, "and really slippy in places in Stage 2 - but you can't see the slippy bits. David (Bogie) had been off a couple of times, I could see his tracks in the snow,  but I could also see some gravel on top of the snow so I knew that there was grip underneath. Conditions should improve for the later runners, al though I was going as hard as I dared!"  

As ever Jock Armstrong was less politically correct than most: "I've got all these electronics on this thing, Launch Control and ALS and all that, but when I was sitting there on the start line of the first stage watching David and Mike go off and the sun glinting on the ice, I just thought, I'm not going to use any of this! It's really bad in places, but I'm enjoying it."

Sharing second place with Armstrong is Bruce McCombie: "It's really slidey. If its better for us, then it must be REALLY bad for them up front. In the second stage I was in too many ditches. I was erratic, trying too hard, I just need to calm down a bit."

Milne is off the pace with rear brake problems: "Nothing serious, it's a new car. The power and handling is fine, I'm just trying to sort out the brake balance." Shaun Sinclair has a problem too: "It goes into gear fine, but it's getting stuck coming out of gear. Nothing serious, but it is worrying." Andrew Gallacher lost a bit of front airdam at a R7 when the ear end stepped out and the car slid into a ditch. Fraser Wilson had an overshoot and a stall as well, but no damage, just time lost. Mark McCulloch is smiling from ear to ear with his new car: "It's quick and I think it's better than the Subaru - but this is no place to learn a new car!"

Leaderboard after SS2 (of 5):
1. S Clark, 13m 36s
2, B McCombie, 13m 51s
3, J Armstrong, 13m 51s
4, S Sinclair, 14m 04s
5, C Collie,14m 10s
6, F Wilson, 14m 16s
7, D MacDonald, 14m 18s
8, J Morrison, 14m 21s
9, M Faulkner, 14m 21s
10, M McCulloch,14m 27s