Stage Snippets

A capacity entry of 150 cars started the Border Counties.

Rallying veterans Brian Bell and John Richardson signed up to the ANCRO championship on the event. The pair are going to see how their year goes as to how many rounds they compete on.

Car 45 driver Michael Curtis hurt his shoulder in January and had to put off doing the Riponian Stages in February and the first round of the championship, the Rallye Sunseeker. The Border Counties was his first event of the year but he confessed "my shoulder still hurts a little." He had a new co-driver and had never done the rally before.

Alan Cookson and Julian Wilkinson (car 37) displayed their new "cow" livery on their Subaru Impreza WRC. They also had a flower purchased for them by Val Thompson who has christened the car "'Ermintrude", they did the rally complete with the flower on the front!

Henry Richardson (car 80) is watching his figure. He refused chocolate when offered some, insisting "it would only be added weight for the car". It obviously affected his metabolism judging by the penalty sheet at the regroup. C'mon Mr Flintstone, what happened.?

Mitsubishi front runner David Bogie had a mammoth roll on SS2 when he left the road at high speed. He was eventually extracted by spectators and lost over seven minutes but at least got to the end in 24th place to claim important points in the Evo Challenge.

Andy Burton suffered a 30 second 'cone or line penalty' and David Bogie was docked over a minute for similar transgressions. No cutting corners boys!

Championship leaders Marcus Dodd and Andrew Bargery retired for a second successive year when their Hyundai clouted a bank on SS1 and damaged the exhaust meaning they couldn't continue.

Daniel Sigurdarson/Isak Guojonsson (32) - The Icelandic driver confessed that "We love British rallying. I've been the Iceland national champion twice and we need something new to aim for." They hope to do most of the ANCRO championship.

They Said What.

"On the second stage we were very lucky. There was a long tight left hand corner and by the grace of god and skill of the driver we didn't hit the logs." Richard Cathcart was praying nonetheless.

"Shit happens but we're still here." The blasphemous David Bogie. Hope his mum doesn't hear about this one.

"We're relaxed and enjoying it." What do you expect of someone of Brian Bell's age. Of course he has to take it easy!

"We had a monster sixth gear moment in SS4. How we didn't hit the bridge I don't know." Jon Ingram has time to admire the scenery.

"The sticking throttle made life interesting." Stephen 'Hollywood' Petch plays down the Hyundai's problems.

"We made love to some of the cones." but we didn't see Harry Dodd's name on the teacher's report did we?

Bumper hanging off, Mitsubishi WRC driver Charlie Payne's co driver Craig Thorley suggested."We've been off and lost two minutes in SS5. He ran out of talent." At three grand each, he'll soon be running out of budget.

"We're getting there slowly; I'm still half asleep." Dave Meredith finds the whole she-bang a little tiresome. Nothing to do with the fact he'd been up night and day lambing in the run up!

"That last stage was craaaaaap." Nik Elsmore tells it how it is.