With last years 50th Anniversary event now in the record books, Rally Isle of Man, powered by Microgaming starts a fresh chapter on Thursday evening with five Championship battles set to be fought out.
Principle amongst them will be the MSA British Rally Championship, which will be decided on the island following the cancellation of Rallye Dorset, the intended finale.
It is essentially a head-to-head between Irish driver Daniel McKenna and Welshman Osian Pryce, both driving Citroen DS3’s.
Clones driver McKenna holds the upper hand heading into the event, topping the points table on 78 with three event wins already on the board, which could prove crucial when dropped scores come into play.
Machynlleth man Pryce, and his co-driver Dale Furniss, the 2012 winner of the Rallee Classicagh category of this event, struck first with victory on the Pirelli Rally in Kielder in May.
Pirelli Star Driver McKenna and pacenote caller Arthur Kierans then took a hollow victory on June’s Jim Clark Memorial Rally, halted after a spectator tragedy. They moved to the top of the table after an event long battle on the Scottish Rally, ultimately resolved when Pryce retired on the final stage with gearbox failure on his Citroen.
Last months Ulster Rally was again tinged with great sadness, halted after the opening loop of stages after BRC driver Timothy Cathcart lost his life. Points were however awarded, with McKenna again taking them after a puncture had delayed his opponent.
The story so far leaves 27 year-old Mckenna, who contested May’s Manx National Rally as practice for this weeks event, finishing sixth in a Ford Escort after a brilliant drive, to carry a 22 point lead into this week. However it is far from done and dusted yet.
Rally Isle of Man counts as a double header, and more with bonus points also available. The first set of points will be awarded following the Thursday evening and Friday daytime stages. The final points scoring opportunity takes in Friday night and Saturday’s tests and points will be increased by 50% for that part.
With one score to be dropped for the final tally, 21 year-old Pryce’s Scottish non-finish can be discarded, but even so he realistically needs to win both rounds to take the title.
McKenna meanwhile knows that victory on either part will be enough to land the final British crown to awarded in its current incarnation.
Three other crews remain in contention, albeit largely mathematically only. 23 year-old Dean Raftery from Galway with co-driver Aileen Kelly, and 19 year-old Calvin Beattie from Newry, co-driven by the very experienced Martin Brady, both in Ford Fiesta’s, would need both of the front two to non-finish each part of the event to come into the equation, but then stranger things have happened on an event as tough as this one!
Similarly the supporting NGK Spark Plugs BRC Challenge Trophy will be settled this weekend, with Richard Sykes (Citroen) and Ross Hunter (Peugeot) battling it out.
Sykes (Stourbridge) tops the standings on 60 points having taken victory on each round bar the Scottish, which went St Boswell’s driver Hunter’s way, leaving him on 56 points. Each driver has had one non-finish so they can each count all points this weekend, making it a straightforward title fight.
All eyes then to the action, three days to decide the titles. Good luck to all!
