With last years 50th Anniversary event now in the record books, Rally Isle of Man, powered by Microgaming starts a fresh chapter tonight (Thursday) with five Championship battles set to be fought out.
The combined organising team from both Rally Isle of Man and Druidale Motor Club has laid on a 167 stage miles across the island over the traditional roads used since the events inception, though in many cases with new configurations. Double-lap tests and side by side starts, allied to town centre stages, should provide plenty of action to thrill the crowds.
The event is a double-header round of each of the MSA British Rally Championship, NGK Spark Plugs BRC Challenge Trophy and Eurocars Motorsport Manx Rally Championhip. It is also a qualifier in the Mintex MSA British Historic Rally Championship and the Clonakilty Blackpudding Irish Historic Tarmac Rally Championship. In total 105 crews are set to take to the islands roads, including competitors from Australia, Belgium, France, Egypt and Japan as well as all of the home countries.
In addition a wide variety of cars will feature amongst the now annual visit from the Rallying with Group B team demonstration, including an Audi Quattro, Metro 6R4, Sierra Cosworth and more modern ex-works VW Polo S200.
The route is largely similar to 2013, the main changes being a longer Friday night leg and earlier finish on Saturday afternoon.
The first action is the Shakedown Stage, reintroduced this year at Baldromma, just minutes from the events TT Grandstand base on Thursday morning.
That evening, the Ceremonial start will take place this year at the War Memorial, with crews assembling from 6.30pm for a start half an hour later*, offering fans the chance to see the cars and teams up close as part of an evening on ‘the prom’.
It is then just a matter of yards to the startline of the opening stage, the Villa Marina test. Introduced over the last two years and hugely popular with spectators as crews tackle the stage in pairs, is the centerpiece of a six stage opening evening, but the main mileage follows. A run down Tholt-e-Will is followed by Druidale and Little London before the 13.4 mile Sand Quarry test in the west of the island completes the night.
Friday is a 13-stage day, headlined by the Castletown stages in the evening, running to their extended versions as last year.
The 14 hour day starts at the Lhoobs before heading north to a new side by side start line at Killane for two separate stages at the Curraghs and The Cronk. Ellanbane completes the loop. After Grandstand service the opening half of the event conludes with a loop taking in a second run of Sand Quarry, Glenneedle and .179 (Ronague).
Crews then get some much needed time to work on the cars as the rally breaks late afternoon. It resumes at 6.30pm as crews depart to tackle Marine Drive and the Castletown stages. They will follow that up with more night time driving on Tholt-e-Will, Ellanbane and Ravensdale, with the first cars not due back to the Grandstand until almost 11pm.
There are still a further seven stages on Saturday, in two loops. The first takes in Marine Drive, Lhoobs, Glenneedle and Ronague, a real sting in the tale at 12.02 miles.
After service the crews head back to the Curraghs and The Cronk, all building up to the now traditional finale, the Classic stage. Starting on Druidale and heading down Injerbreck and throughthe Baldwins, the 13.3 mile run joins the TT course at Cronk-ny-Mona and heads to the TT finish line at around 1.40pm. There is free access to the Grandstand for all, so head along and see the champagne sprayed!
As ever, the action can’t happen unless the stages are sufficiently marshaled. If you can help, even for only a few hours please head along to the Rally HQ at the TT Grandstand (Monday 9am to 5pm/Tuesday & Wednesday 5pm to 9pm).
The Grandstand is also the sole service area throughout the event, and will host scrutineering throughout the day on Thursday.
* As a mark of respect for Timothy Cathcart from Enniskillen, who lost his life on last months Ulster Rally, the original start time for the rally on Thursday evening of 7.01pm will be left blank, with Daniel McKenna leading the event into action at 7.02pm. Timothy was contesting the MSA British Rally Championship and Rally Isle of Man is the next and final round.
