Carlisle: Series day one summary

Croinin leads Pirelli after dusty day one

As the last cars arrive back at the Pirelli International Rally service area at Carlisle racecourse, it is Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship leaders Keith Cronin and Barry McNulty who lead the event from a frustrated Gwyndaf Evans/Chris Patterson by a healthy one minute and fourteen seconds.

The remainder of the field have been left in their dust, quite literally, as the incredibly dry still conditions have left the stages cloaked in a thick pall of fine dust. The conditions deteriorated as more cars passed through the Kershope forests, later runners even stating that they had to stop in the stages to find their way.

Craig Breen and Gareth Roberts were surprised to be third, particularly as the youngster reckoned he had driven slowly and was still not fully confident in the car after his big shunt on the Circuit of Ireland.

Leading the Rally 3 class and Fiesta SportTrophy are round one winners Elfyn Evans and Andrew Edwards despite admitting to have been going at crawling speed in the poor visibility. They lead from John Boyd and Craig Wallace in a similar SportTrophy Fiesta ST.

The Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship Rally 2 class is being dominated by the Scandinavians, Jarkko and Petri Nikara just ahead of fellow Fins Matti Rantanen and Mikko Lukka in Twingos, over a minute clear of the rest of the R2 field.

Richard Sykes and Simon Taylor are delighted to be leading the Citroen Racing Trophy after their engine problems in Wales. But they are surprised to be at the head of the one-make series as the car set-up is not to their liking. Sadly Molly Taylor and Phil Clarke, who had been second, crashed out on the night's final stage, handing the overnight runner-up spot to Robert Barrable and Damien Connolly.

The Fins also dominate the Swift Sport Cup and Rally 1 class, Mikko Pajunen and Janne Perala over three and a half minutes ahead of Manx driver David Harrison and co-driver John Connor who struggled with two punctures.

Tomorrow sees he crews tackle the same three Kershope stages followed by another two loops in the infamous Kielder complex, all split by service halts back in Carlisle. All the crews will be praying for a breath or two of wind to keep the dust down. All that is, except event leader Keith Cronin.

-source: brc