Rally - Bogie still leads

With a 51 second lead over the pursuit you’d think David Bogie was in a comfortable place. Apparently not: “After three days driving a rear wheel drive Escort in Donegal on tarmac and then coming back into this (4WD Fiesta) it’s just so different and it’s nearly catching me out, I’m really having to concentrate on what I’m doing.”

Jock Armstrong is now a clear second but Steven Clark is only 19 seconds behind: “When we were waiting at the start of the first stage I walked down the line of cars,” said Jock, “and realised I was the only one on hard tyres, and I thought, what do they know that I don’t?” Anyway a change of tyres and Jock is back in control but with little hope of catching Bogie.

After tying with Rory Young after three stages, Steven Clark has now managed to put some air between them in third place - ONE secondsworth! But Rory was smiling: “Dom (Buckley) says I can use the ‘Fast’ button now.”

Donnie MacDonald is fifth, but the man on the move is Faulkner, now up to sixth place and has his eye on some serious ARR Craib Championship points. Game on.

Desi Henry is still having to be cautious with his gears and hs dropped to 11^th behind young Greg McKnight who is currently in tenth place overall and leading 2WD runner i his Mk2. According to Chris, he’s on a mission to beat Bannister. Steve is 13^th but only 21 seconds behind with 2 stages to go. “I’ve beaten some of his stage times in the past,” said Greg, “but never beaten him on a rally.”

Scott MacBeth is out, third gear punched a hole through the Nova’s gearbox and made a bolt for freedom. So Alex Curran leads the 1600 class but his Nova is not selecting third gear at all. Unlike MacBeth’s, it’s still inside the gearbox but it doesn’t want to work for its living.

As for the sunshine, it’s still here, even the midges are sunburnt, but compared to Scottish rallies of old, the service park here at Heathhall is awfy empty. Changed days indeed.

Leaderboard after 5 (of 7) stages:

1, David Bogie, 27m 00s

2, Jock Armstrong, 27m 51s

3, Steven Clark, 28m 10s

4, Rory Young, 28m 11s

5, Donnie MacDonald, 28m 24s

6, Mike Faulkner, 28m 41s