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The 2008 MSA Pirelli Gravel Rally
Championship blasted into life in Bournemouth this
evening when the 23rd running of Rallye Sunseeker got underway in dry
and mild conditions.
After a delay to treat two members of the public who needed medical
attention prior to proceedings getting underway, eventually the 85 crews took to
the 1.6 mile stage in Bournemouth town centre in reverse
order.
There was drama when five times Rallye Sunseeker winner Marcus Dodd
(Hyundai Accent WRC) reported clutch problems after SS1 and Jon Ingram (Subaru
Impreza WRC) incurred a jump start penalty, meaning it was left to the Subaru
WRC of Steve Fleck to lead the field overnight going into tomorrow’s forest
stages.
Mitsubishi Evo Challenge driver Nik Elsmore was fastest on SS1 ahead of
Fleck with Stephen Petch Jnr (Hyundai Accent WRC) an impressive third and after
the second run along the seafront it was Irishman Stephen Moore (Ford Focus WRC)
who stopped the clocks fastest, two tenths ahead of Scotsman David Bogie
(Mitsubishi) with Fleck, Dodd and Andrew Barnes (Ford Focus WRC) all a further
tenth of a second behind.
Fleck’s lead is just 1.4 seconds over Bogie with Irishman Sean Devine in
third. Petch lies fourth ahead of
Elsmore and the Peugeot Cosworth of Andy Burton, but with Fleck not being
registered for the ANCRO Championship it was left to Bogie to claim the honour
of being first registered championship contender heading into tomorrow’s eleven
stages.
Overnight
Classification
1, Steve Fleck/George Thaw (Subaru Impreza) 2m55.9
2, David Bogie/Kevin Rae (Mitsubishi) 2m57.3
3, Sean Devine/Damien Duffin (Subaru Impreza) 2m57.5
4, Stephen Petch/Michael Wilkinson (Hyundai Accent WRC) 2m57.9
5, Nik Elsmore/Paul Wakeley (Mitsubishi) 2m58.0
6, Andrew Burton/Shelley Rogerson (Peugeot Cosworth) 2m58.0
7, Marcus Dodd/Andrew Bargery (Hyundai Accent WRC) 2m58.4
8, Stephen Moore/Tony McHugh (Ford Focus WRC) 2m58.5
9, Andrew Barnes/Neil Dashfield (Ford Focus WRC) 2m58.6
10, Julian Reynolds/Patrick Walsh (Subaru Impreza WRC) 2m59.2
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