Yesterday's news that Hannu Mikkola's protest against an 10 minute illegal servicing penalty had been rejected, was definitely to-day's fish and chip paper with the news that Hannu and son Juha had lost not just minutes but hours to his rivals after their Ford Escort had come to a halt just 4 kms into the day's 160 kms of special stages.

The car died in the second of three water crossings, causing chaos behind during the first of three stages. "It was misfiring as we went into the ford and then the engine died completely. We thought it was because of the water, but it took over 5 hours to eventually find out that it was a short circuit in the wiring to the rev counter that had caused the engine to quit completely," explained Juha. The missed stages and time controls cost them over three hours in penalties, effectively spoiling any chance of even a top 10 finish, although Hannu still intends to get his Ford Escort to Sydney and win a few more stages along the way.

Even the overall leader Stig Blomqvist had problems today, but minor ones compared to his Finnish rival. "We had a puncture on the second stage which I thought it would be wiser to change on an event like this one," said co-driver Ben Rainsford, Stig only 36th quickest and losing 4m 30 secs to stage winner Rick Bates. On the third stage, Blomqvist dictated the pace of the stage to his closest rivals, Michele Mouton running in his dust for much of the long 77 kms stage , completing the last 20 kms on a flat front tyre. She was followed over the line by Rick Bates, who also closed the gap, taking second overall for the stage behind a flying Andrew Haddon who had punctures on both the first two stages. "It was my seventh puncture in two days," said Haddon, who was the big winner of the day despite his own problems. Problems for most of the other front-runners on the first stage saw him shoot up the leader board into fourth place overall, but a distant 43 minutes behind the third placed car. " I think that's the best we can hope for unless the guys ahead of problems. After today, anything's possible," said an optimistic Haddon.

His running mate Olly Clark didn't profit from the day. He picked up a maximum on the first stage in a bid to help Mikkola get going and then lost more time on the third when the gear lever broke in his hand after 15 kms. "I had a bad vibration from the prop shaft and that caused the gear lever to break. I had to do most of the stage in fifth gear which was interesting," said Olly, who still managed to take an impressive seventh overall.

Like Mikkola, Richard Martin-Hurst/Tony Devantier went into freefall down the overall standings when they got stuck in the ford trying to get around Mikkola's stranded car. "We got stuck in a deep hole," said Richard, Haddon managing to squeeze past and continue, but one of the next cars through also got stuck causing traffic jam behind. By the time the blockage was cleared some 20 or so cars had been delayed enough to pick up a stage maximum time while the tail-end cars like the little Jiri Sedivy/Jiri Kotek Skoda 1100 had their day in the sun with eight fastest time for the stage.

Martin-Hurst's dramas continued. After taking the second fastest time on stage two, he was unable to start the long third stage after a suspension strut failure saw him lose the rear shock absorber and spring. He tumbled 20 places in the overall standings leaving his 4th overall placing to Haddon.

The Terry Daly/Bob Brill car also tumbled from fifth place. After picking up a maximum on the first stage, he lost around 20 minutes on the third stage when he slid off the road, unable to see through his dust covered glasses. He ended up stuck on a bank, which he eventually vacated thanks to a spectators 4WD. The final 77 kms stage was exactly the same as used in the 1993 event and, ironically, the one that put Daly out of it. "When I got going again, I realized that it was only three hundred yards from where I crashed and retired in '93," said Daly.

A self appointed "Dick of the Day " award went to Porsche 911 driver Ray Bellm, whose chances of leaping up the leader board along with Haddon were cut short by his own mistake when he roared into the first stage with the heater on. "It took the water straight into the heating system and instantly filled the car with steam. I couldn't see a thing. Paul said there was a left turn and I turned straight into a ditch and up a bank," said Ray. "Then later on I didn't believe his directions and took a wrong turn and got lost and then in the scrabble for fuel at the only fuel station between stages I reversed into another car. It wasn't a good day," admitted Ray, who still managed to come out in eighth place overall.

Lloyd Hughes/Mark Johnston didn't make it into the night stop, there Porsche 911S languishing in Port Augusta with a blown engine after losing oil pressure. After spending all night welding up the rear axle of their Cortina, the Finnigan brothers were in trouble again with a blown head gasket along with Jane James' Volvo, both of them struggling to get back to the overnight stop at Broken Hill.

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