Rallying: Kris Meeke masters tough stage to stay in control

Published on Saturday 21 November 2009 10:20

NEWLY-CROWNED champ Kris Meeke emphasised his supremacy in the Intercontinental Rally Championship when he delivered a masterful drive on the treacherously muddy and slippery final stage on the opening day of RallyScotland.

The 30-year-old from Dungannon conquered the 11 miles of Craigvinean in his Peugeot S2000 15.1 seconds faster than nearest challenger Alister McRae.

"I think I could have gone even quicker," Meeke said after completing the stage in darkness. "We had a problem with the headlights, which were set too low and and I couldn't see into the distance."

Meeke took a healthy 21.2sec lead over the second-placed Skoda of Darlington's Guy Wilks into today's stages in the Trossachs.

McRae was a further 57s adrift in third overall and Scottish rally champion David Bogie was fifth in his GpN Mitsubishi Evo IX.

One man who endured a nightmare Friday was 2009 British champ Keith Cronin.

The man from Cork, driving an Abarth Punto S2000 for the first time, finished his rally after rolling his car on the penultimate stage.