Vinyes leads IRC 2WD Cup in Canarias
He leads fellow Suzuki Swift driver Gorka Antxustegi by 52.8s
Joan Vinyes holds a comfortable lead in the IRC 2WD Cup heading into the second day of the all-asphalt Rally Islas Canarias El Corte Inglés.
Vinyes, from Andorra, leads fellow Suzuki Swift driver Gorka Antxustegi by 52.8s with four stages of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge round remaining. He has won six of the seven stages run so far. Antxustegi is the only other stage winner after going fastest in class on stage three.
A former outright winner of Rally Islas Canaris, Vinyes shone on the event last year but at the time wasn’t eligible for IRC 2WD Cup points. However, following a change to the rules for 2011 drivers in any two-wheel-drive rally car built to Group A, Group N and Group R regulations are eligible for the IRC 2WD Cup drivers’ title.
Canary Islander Angel Marrero is third in his Honda Civic Type R with Raul Quesada fourth in a Renault Twingo. Enrique Cruz, a Canarias hillclimb champion, is fifth in his M-Sport Ford Fiesta R2.
Former IRC drivers’ champion Enrique Garcia Ojeda and Yeray Lemes, the IRC 2WD Cup winner on Rally Islas Canarias, both dropped out in the early stages.
Defending IRC 2WD Cup champion Harry Hunt, from the United Kingdom, is 10th overnight after losing time with a fuel pump issue and a brake bias problem on his Citroen DS3 R3.
Subaru Impreza exponent Jose L Barrios, from the Canary Islands, is the only driver in contention for the IRC Production Cup following the retirement of Sosa Gustavo (Ralliart Mitsubishi Lancer).