by Geoff Mayes
Julian Reynolds overcame a dramatic driveshaft failure on the Ulster Rally last weekend to bring his Mitsubishi Evo 9 home third in the Evo Challenge, adding to his recent string of podium positions.
Reynolds, co-driven as always by Patrick Walsh in the Hankook Tyres shod ex-works Mitsubishi, was in the thick of the fight for the lead from the word go, and despite the changeable conditions throughout the event never put a foot wrong.
Despite initially struggling to match the pace of championship leader Phillip Morrow, Reynolds upped his game on the second day and was embroiled in a battle with fellow Welshman Sebastian Ling for the runners-up spot when a front driveshaft failed on his car in the penultimate stage.
With the Mitsubishi reduced to three wheel drive, and torrential rain throughout the last loop of stages Reynolds was powerless to challenge Ling and limped back to the finish in Armagh happy to claim the final podium position but equally as frustrated to miss out on second.
“Second place was there for the taking,” said Reynolds. “Sebastian had his own problems early on and fair play he was driving really well. However, had the driveshaft not failed things might have been different, but then that's rallying.
“Tarmac always puts such a strain on the transmission. The car was otherwise faultless and a big credit to Dorian Rees for looking after her.
“The Hankook tyres were fantastic too and offered me so much confidence in the changeable conditions.”
Reynolds, who is currently third in the overall Mitsubishi Evo Challenge standings, courtesy of podium positions in four of the last five events, is currently contemplating his plans for the rest of 2007.
