Murmur 6

Mull Murmur 6 (Click HERE for Printer Friendly Format)

- published on the island, during the event by Jaggy Bunnet

Interim Positions After Stage 17 (of 20):

1 Calum Duffy/Del Duffy (Ford Escort)                           1hr 17mins 57secs
2 Neil MacKinnon/Mike Stayte (Subaru Impreza)         1h 18m 23s
3 John Price/Caroline Price (MG Metro 6R4)               1h 21m 52s
4 Dave Miller/Andrew Bailey (Subaru Impreza)            1h 23m 17s
5 Paul Kirtley/Jon Geldart (Subaru Impreza)                 1h 24m 49s
6 Doug Weir/Duncan Brown (Vauxhall Nova)               1h 24m 56s
7 John Cressey/Ian Grindrod (Vauxhall Astra)              1h 25m 06s
8 Pat Johnson/Graham Harper (Subaru Impreza)        1h 25m 28s
9 Mark Jasper/Alan Snell (MG Metro 6R4)                    1h 25m 30s
10 Stuart McQueen/Alistair Green (Subaru Impreza)   1h 25m 35s

"I've got the best seat in the house," said John Price, referring to the battle which is raging ahead of him on the road on the final leg of this 34th Philips Tour of Mull. "That's some battle going on up there," pointing at Duffy and MacKinnon.

So just how fierce is the fight? "I spun it in the Lochs," said MacKinnon, "a full 360 and dropped over 20 seconds. That's the first time I've spun on that stage in 20 years."

Duffy's trying just as hard: "I've got a sticking throttle, it's on the last thread of adjustment and I daren't do anything with it. I also smacked the steering column into the steering box on a hard landing and it's stiffened up. It's really hard work," said a heavily perspiring Duffy.

John Price is going just as hard as he wants while fourth placed Dave Miller just wants to go home: "That 22 miler about did for me, I'm ready for home now!" Paul Kirtley continues to move up the leaderboard too: "I've still got brake problems but I thought I had a puncture in the long one and backed off, it wasn't, but it could be a wheel bearing breaking up, we'll need to get it checked." And look who's lying in 6th place, Doug Weir in the 1600 Nova but John Cressey is reeling him in despite his high temperature gauge readings: "I think I've fixed it now - I've disconnected the sensor!" Pat Johnson has run out brakes and tyres and is overheating, but is still going while Mark Jasper has lost first gear and hoping he doesn't lose any more. Rounding off the top ten is Stuart McQueen: "I'll need to give up the fags, that 22 miler just seems never ending!" James MacGillivray caught two cars in the long one, John Morrison's Mitsubishi went on fire, John Cowe is losing gears in the spare gearbox, Ian Colman had to change a cracked turbo before tonight's run and as for Curly Haigh: I'm driving like a fa**y and he (Grum Wilcock the codriver) is going to sleep!" while Mike Storrar in the Anglia has fixed his oil leak but now has an alternator problem. At least the weather is dry!

That's yer lot for now Yer auld pal, Jaggy Bunnet, Tobermory, 11.30 pm