Next weeks Rally Isle of Man powered by Microgaming has again attracted over 100 crews as organisers and competitors alike enter final preparations for the three day event, one of the longest tests in British Isles rallying.
Amongst them are competitors from Australia, Belgium, France and Japan and Egypt as well as all of the home countries.
In particular the rally will decide the 2014 MSA British Rally Champion, forming the final two rounds of the series, with the event split into two points scoring opportunities. Irish driver Daniel McKenna and Welshman Osian Pryce are the contenders, both driving Citroen DS3’s.
Similarly the supporting NGK Spark Plugs BRC Challenge Trophy will be settled, with Richard Sykes (Citroen) and Ross Hunter (Peugeot) battling it out.
2013 event winner and reigning Eurocars Motorsport Manx Rally Champions Arron Newby and Rob Fagg (Subaru) will look to take a major step towards retaining the title, with the rally also forming a double round of that series, though there is strong competition to the Carnforth driver from former champion Nigel Cannell and trials star Steve Colley, both in Mitsubishi’s, and Connor Corkill’s Subaru.
The crowd-pleasing historic crews are also at the top end of the entry list, with the Ford Escorts of Rob Smith, David Stokes, Meirion Evans, Will Onions and Guy Woodcock just a few of those set to entertain, alongside Jimmy McRae’s return in a Vauxhall Firenza. The event is also part of both the Mintex MSA British Historic Rally Championship and the Clonakilty Blackpudding Irish Historic Tarmac Rally Championship.
In addition the ‘Rallying with Group B’ team also sees the return of up to ten iconic cars bringing a further echo of yesteryear to the stages as a demonstration event.
The event begins on Thursday 11th September, with the shakedown stage during the day before the event gets properly underway on Douglas promenade with a side by side spectator special stage the first of four tests on the opening night.
The following day crews will tackle 13 closed roads special stages across the island between 9am and 11pm, headlined by the double run through Castletown in the evening, always popular with large numbers of spectators.
The action continues on Saturday, a further seven stages building up to the traditional finale, the Classic stage that takes crews across the island, starting near Ballaugh and ending with the dash through the streets of Douglas to the finish at the TT Grandstand, where the champagne will await the victors.
Spectating is free of charge throughout the event.
Entry lists and route maps are available from the event website www.rallyisleofman.co.im
