Kenny McKinstry’s bid to finally win the one event missing from his illustrious CV is on track at the end of a frenetic opening night to Rally Isle of Man, sponsored by TOTAL.

The Subaru Impreza WRC pilot and co-driver Noel Orr take the slenderest of hard-fought leads into the second day of the rally, just 1.1 seconds.

When Eugene Donnelly headed off the start ramp at the TT Grandstand at 6pm this evening much of the talk was of a particularly tough opening stage; and so it was to prove.

Eugene and Paul Kiely in the Toyota Corolla WRC made their customary slow start, dropping 6 seconds to McKinstry, despite the Banbridge man cooking the clutch on the start line and admitting it’s ‘tough run in this direction’.

Plenty behind suffered in the tight, narrow lanes. Welshman Mel Evans reported his Subaru to be jumping out of gear, countryman Gareth Jones lost time with a puncture. Nigel Hicklin fared worse, out of the event when he lost a wheel.

When the leading Tesco 99 Octane British Championship runners arrived at the start line in bright and breezy conditions, it was no surprise that Mark Higgins, last years event winner and reigning champion, was well on the pace. That was though only until Suzuki Ignis driver Guy Wilks went two seconds faster to move into fifth overall.

Behind, Mitsubishi Motors UK drivers Ryan Champion and Rory Galligan both struggled with car set-ups, Gwyndaf Evans lost over four minutes in the SJR Hankook Mitsubishi with electrical problems and a turbo pipe coming off left Jonny Milner limping his way back to service after the second test.

Worse was to follow when Roman Kresta crashed his Stobart Ford Fiesta heavily less than a mile into the test. The car was destroyed but fortunately the crew were unhurt.

McKinstry was again fastest on stage 2 at Glen Roy, to eke the advantage out to 2.3 seconds over Eamonn Boland, who was pushing in the Ford Focus WRC. McGarrity dropped to third, 'a bit timid in this stage, I will try harder!’

The young Norwegian driver, 17 year-old Andreas Mikkelsen, dropped time in his Focus when he overshot a junction.

In the BRC battle Mark Higgins snatched the lead away from Wilks by 7 seconds, but behind we lost Stuart Jones, Gwyndaf’s team-mate after a heavy impact at the final, high speed, corner of the stage.

The crews next headed for the double run through the famous Castletown town centre stage. McGarrity went on the attack, fastest ion the first run, second fastest after to take the lead by just under a second. ‘It’s brilliant!’ said Derek.

Fastest on that second run was Mikkelsen, an incredible achievement on his first ever visit, and a new stage record as well.

Donnelly launched a major attack on the final stage of the night, and was rewarded with a stage win, gaining just one tenth of a second back on McKinstry, who reclaimed his lead. It’s tight at the top though, just 13.8 seconds separating the top four.

Higgins lye’s sixth overall. ‘Just where we want to be’, said co-driver Rory Kennedy, ’all going to plan’. Wilks is keeping the pressure on though, 9.4 back. The Mitsubishi’s continue to play with suspension settings but are third and fourth in the British series positions.

Tomorrow is the longest day of the Tesco 99 Octane British Championship year, spanning 12 hours and twelve stages.

Positions after day one (Stage 5) (mm.ss.0)

1 Kenny McKinstry/Noel Orr (Subaru Impreza WRC) 22.19.5
2 Derek McGarrity/Diarmuid Falvey (Subaru Impreza WRC) 22.20.6
3 Eugene Donnelly/Paul Kiely (Toyota Corolla WRC) 22.30.0
4 Eamonn Boland/Francis Regan (Ford Focus WRC) 22.33.3
5 Melvyn Evans/Aled Davies (Subaru Impreza WRC) 22.52.7
6 Mark Higgins/Rory Kennedy (Subaru Impreza) 23.11.2
7 Guy Wilks/Phil Pugh (Suzuki Ignis) 23.20.6
8 Andreas Mikkelsen/Oza Floene (Ford Focus WRC) 23.22.0
9 Ryan Champion/Craig Thorley (Mitsubishi Evo IX) 23.26.3
10 Rory Galligan/Greg Shinnors (Mitsubishi Evo IX ) 23.33.3.