Rally Isle of Man had a certain two-wheel flavour to it this weekend with former world trials star Steve Colley winning the event outright and TT ace Michael Dunlop finishing an excellent eighth overall, fourth in the national class.
Having been third and second in their previos two attempts at the event together, Colley and co-driver Andrew Cowley led the three-day event vircutally throughout in their Pogo Loans-sponsored Mitsubishi Evo IX.
The drive certainly wasn’t without its moments, but the Manx pair eventually won by 1min 47.6sec from local father and daughter Nigel and Jade Cannell in a similar four-wheel drive Evo
Towcester’s Rob Smith and Alun Cook finished a fine third overall and first of the Rallee Classicagh cars in their RS1800 Escort MkII .
Ulstermen Ryan Barrett and local resident Paul McCann were next in a similar car, with two more Escorts filling fifth and sixth in the hands of Will Onions/Dave Williams and Jason Pritchard/Phil Clarke.
Stu Bainborough and Charlotte Shimmin were the third local crew home in their Evo III, third in the national class.
The best newcomer award went to none other than TT ace Michael Dunlop who finished an excellent eighth overall, fourth national and first class B3.
Expertly co-driven by the experienced Kirk Michael man Rob Fagg, Dunlop confounded a lot cynics who said he wouldn’t get through the first night without crashing.
The Vauxhall-engined Escort finished as pristine as it started and the 11-time TT winner proved equally adept on four wheels as he is on two.
Full reports in Tuesday’s Isle of Man Examiner and Thursday’s Manx Independent.