Salem, Missouri. After the first four stages of the Rally In
The 100AW 2013, Ken Block, who was faced with the daunting task of running first
on the road, had somehow managed to open a 19 second lead on Subaru team driver David
Higgins after the first leg of the rally. Unfortunately for Ken and his co-driver
Alex Gelsomino their impressive drive on the very icy stages would be slowed by
an off on SS6. Ken came over a blind crest less than a mile into the stage and
hit a patch of glare ice, his Hoonigan Racing Fiesta collided with a large metal
gate, proceeded to then take out an 18inch gate before mowing down several
small trees before coming to rest in a rest in a farm yard some 6 feet below
the road level. Block would have to miss the final stage of day one. But, his crew
has worked throughout the night to repair the car. All going well Block will
return for Day 2 under the super rally rule.
A very disappointed Antoine L’Estage and co-driver Nathalie
Richard, who had been running second on the road, would see the Rockstar energy
sponsored Mitsubishi Evo X be sidelined with overheating issues after only 4
stages. Antoine had posted the fastest time on SS2, throwing down his marker on
what could have been a great battle over the two days of competition.
Not the way David Higgins and Craig Drew would have liked to
inherit the lead, but that’s rally and they will take it. Higgins eased into
the rally conceding stage victories to Block, L’Estage and Burke before taking
the stage victory on SS4. Heading into day two David is now faced with the task
of running first on the road. They have over a four minute buffer to Joseph
Burke who has now moved to second.
Despite being off the pace of the front runners, Privateer
Joseph Burke in his “Snowwhite” Mitsubishi now finds himself in second overall
with just over a minute buffer to Laughlin O’Sullivan in third. Burke would be
well advised to not go chasing after Higgins over the unknowing conditions on
day two but more focus on maintaining, if not adding to his cushion on Laughlin.
Burke set the fasted time on SS3 the short but always spectacular Spectator
Special in Potosi.
Scion Racing's driver Andrew Comrie-Picard (ACP) and co-driver Jeremy Wimpey have eased their Scion XD to a
razor thin margin over Dillon Van Way in the Fiesta to lead the 2WD battle
heading into day two. ACP has only a 14-second lead on Van Way setting up for a
tight battle over the final ten stages of the rally.
|