WEE MANX TALES NO.1
Grandstand/Friday afternoon
Last year’s winner Kenny
McKinstry heads a star studded entry on this year’s Roush Manx
National Rally, and even Ulsterman McKinstry admits that with drivers
of the calibre of Mark Higgins behind him he’s going to be hard pushed
to secure his 4th win on the event. If he does capture
that 4th title it will be unique. Kenny hasn’t quite got
off on the right foot. In his own words. “The engine of the Subaru
wasn’t talking to the gearbox, or vice versa, anyway, the car wouldn’t
go.” He is driving the S8 from last year, now converted to right hand
drive by Prodrive. His mechanics tried another gearbox in the car,
and it still wouldn’t go. Then they discovered a fault in the gearbox
wiring loom. They have sorted that and the Impreza WRC has roared
into life. Such are the complications and joys of a modern world
rally car!
Kenny reports that he has had a good
reconnaissance, the route laid out by Clerk of the Course, John
Skinner, has flowed nicely and he had a good run over the stages.
Behind Kenny is Mark Higgins, bookies favourite for victory. Mark is
here directly from Rally Sardinia and is driving an M-Sport Focus WRC.
He has a different co-driver for today, Andy Richardson, and the 2
have yet to settle down together, but that shouldn’t hold Mark back
too much. Higgins has never done the Port Erin stage, but apart from
that freely admitted that as soon as he drove most of the other stages
all the memories came flooding back, although there are not so many
chicanes on this event as there are on the International. He said
“It’s great to be here although I’ve a lot of rallies on at the
moment. I’m flying straight out to Cyprus on Saturday night to start
the recce for the WRC event, and then back for the Pirelli Rally. I’m
not complaining, its hard work, but its great. I think with the
quality of the entry here I’ll need to be on it this weekend. Some
drivers say the stages are a bit bumpier, but compared to our days
here with the Formula 2 cars when they were jumping about all over the
road, a WRC machine is like sitting in an armchair!”
Derek McGarrity was to be at No.3, but
he’s not here. Mark Perrott is next on the road, keeping No.4 on his
Escort WRC. Mark has put up some brilliant performances here on the
Island, 2nd last year, but his car is now perhaps getting
left behind in the technology stakes. Paul Bird is at 5 in another
M-Sport Focus WRC, Paul’s car having been damaged by Matthew Wilson on
the Rally of Wales 2 weeks ago. Paul feels that this car is better
than his own, changed weight distribution, different suspension, wheel
base, and reckons at the same time that he’ll treat the whole job with
respect to start off. On the subject of M-Sport young Matthew Wilson
is being allowed home from hospital at the weekend, and Scott Martin
has been discharged from hospital.
Former ANCRO Champion Marcus Dodd is at
No.6 in his Accent WRC, although Marcus no great lover of asphalt
rallying. He has a new engine in his Hyundai and will be
concentrating this weekend on scoring points in the championship.
Steve Perez at No.7 is the current Champion. He has done some
extensive testing in Wales. Mark Higgins was present and gave Steve
all the advice that he could. Perez has a non finish so far in the
championship and says it is really important for him to get the car to
the end this time and notch up as many points as he can. Behind Steve
is Roger Duckworth at 8 in his Impreza WRC, another top runner in the
National Gravel series. At 9 is Tony Davies. He is driving a new S9
Impreza WRC and is fresh from the Killarney Rally of the Lakes, so
he’s not short of asphalt miles on the car.
Steve Fleck at 10 has had several
attempts at winning this Manx Rally, it has always ended in disaster
of some sort or another so he’s hoping for a top finish this time.
Former Scottish Champion Barry Johnson at 11 feels he is much happier
on forest stages. However, he has new suspension in his Subaru and is
just hoping that he can get to grips with the Isle of Man this time.
No.12 is Steve Hendy, his Escort WRC lost the lead on the Cornwall
Rally when the alternator started to give trouble, and he will be
hoping for better luck this time. No.14 is John Price. John’s Metro
6R4 is supposed to be outdated compared to the Impreza WRCs, but John
will surely not be too far away, particularly if it stays dry, his
main aim Asphalt c/ship points. Brendan Crealey rounds off the top
15. Brendan’s outings so far in his recently acquired Focus WRC have
been disappointing, but the Ulsterman has now discovered that the
crank shaft was moving about, and that is why the car was cutting out.
A replacement engine has been fitted and the car is being delivery to
the Island at the very last moment.
So the entry list goes on….lots
more top drivers in superb motor cars. Another facet to the event is
the Mitsubishi Evo Challenge. Nik Elsmore is the points leader. He
did course car duties on Epynt last weekend to bed in tarmac
suspension, is looking fairly confident, and said. “All the pressure
is on the other guys, they have to score on every round now”. Stuart
Jones is the highest seeded Evo Challenge driver, he’s at 23, and is
back in his own car which has been repaired following its Border
Counties accident. Next up is Phillip Morrow, who had an extensive
test session on the Orra Lodge stage in the Glens of Antrim earlier
this week. That went well, so he’s in good form, and as his “adviser”
Stevie Whitford said. “And he didn’t put it in the bin which was quite
a surprise!!” Ryan Champion at 25 is probably the most experienced of
the top Evo competitors as regards Manx competition, and he’s got a
new Evo 8 for this one. 13 Evos are competing this weekend, and the
pace is sure to be fairly frenetic. Other hotly contested aspects of
the rally include the Peugeot 205 Super Cup contenders. Jonny Wigmore
is the current points leader.
Further non starters include:
Maurice Gass (21): Martin Doherty (41): John Ashton (48): Damon Harvey
(50): James Quirk (92):
More news after stage 1. BRIAN
& LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net
