by Geoff Mayes
Julian Reynolds experienced a very frustrating end to a promising run on the RBS Manx International Rally last weekend when the gearbox on his SG Petch Motorsport-run Mitsubishi Evo 9 broke without warning.
Reynolds, co-driven by fellow Welshman, the experienced Patrick Walsh, tackled the opening stages in a confident but determined fashion.
Fifth fastest Evo Challenge driver through the opening test was then followed by a brilliant second quickest on Stage 2. Despite a minor overshoot due to the changeable conditions the Kumho shod car continued to set top five Evo times throughout the rest of the night stages to end day 1 twelfth overall and third in class.
Day two saw Reynolds continue to set strong times, never dropping outside the top 4 and by lunch time he was up to ninth overall just 14 seconds off the class leader.
However all of Reynolds' fine work would be undone on Stage 11 when, without warning, the gearbox blew up and he was left with no option but to park up the stricken car and become a spectator for the rest of the rally.
“Our end result is really frustrating but until SS11 we were having a brilliant rally,” he summed-up. “This was my first event on Kumhos and they were fantastic. We were using the same tactics we've been using all year, not pushing too hard and always driving within ourselves and it appeared to be working…”
Picture credits: Geoff Mayes Media - www.geoffmayesmedia.com
![Julian Reynolds [Pic credit: Geoff Mayes Media - www.geoffmayesmedia.com]](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/323067.jpg)
