MANX
TALES NO.1
Douglas/Grandstand/Thursday 2pm
The teacups in the Mooragh Park café will fairly be rattling this evening
when the first World Rally Car of this scintillating Manx International Rally
entry takes to the opening Ramsey spectator stage outside the café's front
door. Last year's winner and current Pirelli British Rally Champion Jonny
Milner will be piloting that first car on the road, a Subaru WRC. At 2 is the
Manx International winner of two years ago, Mark Higgins, driving an Octavia
WRC. Then it's a man who has never won the Manx International, but has won
just about everything else, Kenny McKinstry. At 4 is Pirelli Tarmac Champion
Derek McGarrity in his Subaru, then Eugene Donnelly in his Corolla WRC. Former
multiple MN Champion Melvyn Evans in his Impreza WRC rounds off the top half
dozen.
The rally brings together the best of drivers. In the British series David
Higgins leads, but he's away in China doing an event there. This could open
the door for Barry Johnson, seeded at 11, to move to the top of the table. The
man the British series spotlight will be really on however is Champion Jonny
Milner. He's had two wins and two non-finishes this season. He really needs a
top result here to get back on course. Following a test session with his
Subaru in his native Yorkshire earlier this week, Jonny reported "The
fire damage from the Jim Clark wasn't too bad. The bag tank needed replaced
and the wiring loom to the transmission was burned. The engine and
differentials were due an overhaul anyway, so the whole car has been stripped
and re-built. The test went well" Jonny went on to say, "We're still
strong for the Championship. Alright we've dropped our two scores. It's
important that we don't put too much pressure on ourselves, just enjoy the
rally"
Mark Higgins is on neutral ground in a way in all this, not contesting either
Championship. With Craig Thorley of Motorsport Travel co-driving, Mark just
wants to win the rally, and obviously in a roundabout way help David any way
he can. At a test session earlier this week, Mark had to settle for 'Monte
Carlo' suspension in the Octavia WRC, as there is nothing in the spares
package equating to an Irish/Manx tarmac set-up. Still, as well as being
quick, Mark is adaptable! One further fly in the ointment is that the Octavia
is in turbo trouble.
Regarding the Pirelli Tarmac series, Derek McGarrity leads but cannot afford
to relax as Eugene Donnelly has been pretty sensational so far this season.
However, with no real knowledge of the Manx stages and a limited
reconnaissance, all in all it will be nothing short of a miracle if Eugene can
produce a winning result here! On top of all this his Corolla WRC has a new
engine. Austin MacHale has a foot very firmly planted on almost the top rungs
of both Championship ladders. He knows the Island well through many years of
experience, and his Sanyo Air Conditioning Focus WRC is top dollar. It would
be something else now if he could become the first Irish driver to win the
Manx since the late Frank Meagher in '95. And it would shake up both
Championships!
Anyway, enough of Championships, the rally is here to be won, and to be
enjoyed over it's two and a half days and 22 stages. Outside the top six
'superstars' are many drivers capable of good results, especially if the rally
lives up to its tradition of attrition and some of the established stars are
sidelined. Paul Bird and his Focus WRC at 7 has been producing some brilliant
stage times this season. Young Matthew Wilson at 9, also in a Focus WRC,
demonstrated when he won the McRae Stages last weekend that he's a man on a
mission. Dougi Hall, also in a Focus WRC, rounds off the top ten. The Penrith
man is another who really is capable of producing stunning times. Barry
Johnson is at 11, Eamonn Boland, back in a Subaru, at 12, Steve Perez in the
Vodka Kick Focus WRC at 14. Another dark horse, Tim McNulty, although with
little knowledge of the Manx stages, is at 15. All are capable of good
results.
There are many more, and then we move into the GpN runners, with Japanese
driver Fumio Nutahara (20) the lead 'production' runner in his Lancer. Fumio
will probably have top local man Rob Watson (21) also in a Lancer, breathing
down his neck. Seb Ling is the top Pirelli BRC GpN runner, his Lancer at 29.
Willie Fannin is the top Tarmac GpN combatant and he's at No.38. Dorian Rees
upholds Prodrive Subaru Production Cup honours at No 39. Jennie Lee Hermansson
has a brand new Impreza N10 prepared by 22 Motorsport and is at 44. Lorna
Smith is leading lady, has switched to Max fuel in her GpN Subaru, and runs
with No 55 on her car. There are few changes to the International entry. No.64
(Nathan O'Connor) is a non-starter. George Tracey has Swedish lady Maria
Andersson co-driving his Peugeot 206 WRC. Super 1600 drivers such as Guy Wilks,
Barry Clark and Gareth Jones, all with competition numbers in the thirties,
will start further up.
More news later. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net