The dramas continued to the end. The unpredictably of rallying might cause last-minute upsets for a few unfortunate competitors, but championships like the PBRC thrive on it. The biggest loser was undoubtedly Tapio Laukkanen (definitely the ‘man of the match'). Having put up a tremendous display of skill, commitment (you should have seen him on some of the twisty downhill sections) and tenacity, he retired on the final part of the final stage having put his car off the track. This left Milner over three minutes ahead of Marcus Dodd, with Group N winner David Higgins in third overall. Local man Jock Armstrong took a very creditable fourth overall and second in Group N in his Impreza, with Ford Puma crew Kris Meeke and Glenn Patterson coming in fifth overall and earning 10 Championship points after winning the 1600 category from Peugeot's Rory Galligan.
That's the end of the gravel events for the moment. The action now switches to fast and tricky tarmac on 12-14 July when we move to Edinburgh to appreciate the new
Jim Clark Memorial Rally's HQ (and Royal Yacht Britannia ) at the Ocean Terminal, Leith. Will Milner be as quick on tarmac? Will McHale show us why he's a multiple Irish tarmac champion? Will one of the other Irish contingent expected show the PBRC regulars how it's done? Will the 1600s spring a few surprises?
Unfortunately we'll have to wait to find out.
