Home favourite blows up before start of Jim Clark Rally

THE NO-SHOW of top Scottish hope Euan Thorburn and a stray young deer brought some early drama to the Jim Clark Rally last night, but Irishman Craig Breen put all of that aside to roar into an early lead in the third event in the British Rally Championship.

Thorburn was due to start in car No 5, a Pirelli Teg Sport Subaru Impreza N15, but the car developed a severe misfire before even reaching the start in his hometown of Duns and the local driver was, agonisingly, forced to withdraw.

It was a huge blow to the talented young Scot, who has been coming through the ranks with some sublime rally driving with Inverness co-driver Paul Beaton, and also dampened spirits among the hundreds of spectators packing the streets of Duns for the 6pm ceremonial start.

No sooner had the opening cars left on the first stage through the twisty streets of the old market town than a roar engulfed one part of the town and a deer was spotted winding its way merrily up the road. Fortunately, the young animal appeared between cars and was shepherded out of harm's way before the next car arrived on that section of road.

Breen was always well on the way to setting a blistering time in the much-fancied Ford Fiesta S2000. The 20-year-old failed to finish in his maiden trip to the Berwickshire rally last year and the exciting Waterford prospect signalled his intent to make up for that by posting the fastest time on the short opening stage of one minute and 22.5 seconds with Welsh co-driver Gareth Roberts reading the notes.

That was almost a second quicker than Aberdeen's Dave Weston Jnr and Ieuan Thomas in their Impreza N16, now leading the Scottish charge, with the rally's top seed and reigning British Champion Keith Cronin back in third another half-second back.

Former British Champion Gwyndaf Evans started in second spot, but a spin around a mini-roundabout that gave the crowd the excitement it craved plunged him down to 11th six seconds off the pace.

However, he lost time in the second stage high up in the Lammermuir Hills and Cronin and Evans reigned him back in for Cronin to take first spot and Evans slip into the third. Breen, who is desperate to get his championship campaign back on track after suffering a puncture while leading the last round, the Pirelli in Cumbria, is hopeful that the weather stays as sunny and dry as it was last night.

"That is the key for me," he said. "This is a great event with some great stages, but when it gets wet it can be like driving on ice.

"I'm confident I've got a good car for the twisty roads, but it can be quite different on the long stretches. That's where Gwyndaf and guys with the bigger cars pull in the time.

"But it means I've just got to try and take advantage on the shorter stages and get leads up there.

"The first stage is perfect for that, but this rally will not be won in the first stage."