Jason Pritchard and Phil Clarke sealed a first ever victory on the Manx National Rally in their Ford Focus WRC.

The pair started Saturday down in ninth place after punctures and alternator troubles on Friday night’s six stages, but cruised into contention with fastest times on two of the first three stages.

A victory still looked highly unlikely with Paul Bird/Aled Davies (Ford Focus WRC) blazing a trail on Friday evening and carrying a huge two minute 25 second lead.

However, after being unsettled by tyre issues on SS11 Parville at lunchtime, the Penrith driver - bidding for a fourth event success - put the car off the road just 400 metres into the next stage on the Brandywell Road and out of the rally.

That promoted the Proton Millington of Ollie Mellors/Ian Windress to the lead, and when reigning National Asphalt champion Damien Cole retired his Focus WRC on the penultimate stage at Staarvey, it left a head-to-head battle between Mellors and Pritchard.

Last year’s runner-up ultimately managed to go one better this time but had to endure several time queries from other teams before being confirmed as the winner.
In the end, the winning margin for Pritchard was extended to 42.7 seconds with Mellors second and Stephen Simpson/Patrick Walsh (Subaru WRC) third.
John Stone and Carl Williamson (Skoda WRC) were promoted to fourth place, dropping Arron Newby/Rob Fagg to fifth.
Simpson/ Walsh’s third place moved them to the top of the Asphalt standings, ahead of Stone.
Newby/Fagg (Subaru) still took maximum Eurocars Motorosport Manx Championship points after a rally-long battle with Steve Colley/Andrew Cowley (Mitsubishi Evo9), who completed in seventh, just ahead of Connor Corkill/Dale Furniss (Subaru) with Nigel Cannell/Graham Fargher 10th.