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

 

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