Three-time Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Champion Jason Pritchard returns to the series on the Manx National Rally (8-9 May), where he’ll aim for a record-breaking sixth victory.
Co-driven by Phil Clarke, Jason scored maximum Protyre Asphalt points on the Manx last year, but this will be his first appearance in the BTRDA sealed-surface series since the Dunoon Presents Argyll Rally in June 2025.
Since then, his Pirelli-shod North Road Garage/Guttercrest Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 has been re-shelled, meaning the Builth Wells driver has had very little seat time in the car over the past 10 months.
Even so, with such an impressive record on the Isle of Man, Jason will start as one of the favourites – although he’ll face incredibly stiff competition.
In only his second rally on the Isle of Man, Sam Touzel was battling for maximum points right up until a late puncture on last year’s Manx. Co-driven by Max Freeman, he returns to the island as the defending Protyre Asphalt champion and, armed with a latest spec Smart Scaffolding/Trade Centre UK Ford Fiesta Rally2 run by PB Engineering, will be aiming for nothing less than victory in the Michelin-shod car.
Brad Cole hasn’t taken long to get up to full speed in his Trick Motorsport prepared and East Budleigh Garage run Hydroline Solutions Fiesta Rally2. Together with Jamie Vaughan, the Somerton driver arrives fourth in the overall drivers’ standings after an impressive run on the opening East Riding Stages.
Ian Forgan finished the East Riding Stages less than a second behind Brad. Co-driven by Callum Young, the Scottish driver will be aiming to turn the tables this time, as he contests the event in his Mercury Motorsport Fiesta Rally2.
High water temperature forced Roger Duckworth/Ian Windress to retire from last year’s Manx, as they hope that doesn’t happen again as they return in their Technia Fiesta R5. The Towcester driver had a great run on the opening round, recovering from a puncture to take home sixth place Protyre Asphalt points.
Former Escort Challenge frontrunner Aled Wyn Morgans made a great Protyre Asphalt debut in a Fiesta Rally2 in Yorkshire. Partnered by Jack Bowen, the Welshman will be aiming for another top 10 Protyre Asphalt finish in the Aberystwyth Motorsport car.
A clean run would undoubtedly put David Wright/Jane Nicol firmly in the hunt for victory. They were challenging for a podium on the East Riding Stages until they had to stop and change a puncture, so they’ll be hoping for better luck this time in their GPM/DamperTek/Grove Hill Garage Fiesta Rally2.
It’s all change for the 2022 Protyre Asphalt champion Steve Wood, who has swapped his Citroën C3 Rally2 for a Volkswagen Polo GTI R5. With Kenny Hull alongside, the Welshman will make his debut in the car on the IOM.
Niall McGonigle makes the trip from Strabane in Northern Ireland. He won the Chris Kelly Memorial Rally last year on the island in a Fiesta Rally2 and returns with co-driver Caolan McKenna in a Volkswagen Polo GTI R5.
A late puncture dropped John Stone out of contention on the East Riding Stages, so he’ll want to bounce back straight away. As the driving force behind the creation of the new Protyre Asphalt Senior Drivers’ category, he and Rhys Stoneman will be out to once again prove that experience and speed are a potent combination when they start in their immaculate Legend Performance Volkswagen Polo R5 GTI.
A rare mistake saw Stephen Simpson hit a wall on last year’s Manx, triggering a magnificent fightback up the leaderboard by the 2007 Protyre Asphalt champion. He and co-driver Mark Glennerster will be hoping for a slightly less dramatic event this time in their Tudor Glass Fiesta Rally2.
Darrell Taylor began the season with a strong points finish on the East Riding Stages, despite a spin and argument with a hay bale. Co-driven by Martin Brady, he’ll be looking for another strong Protyre Asphalt points finish in his Dom Buckley Motorsport Fiesta Rally2.
Mike English always goes well on the IOM, and together with Simon Hunter will be targeting a top result in his Lumina Fiesta Rally2.
Ryan Burns will be looking for his first finish of the season in his Bat-Sport Performance/Burnley Motors/Seacon UK Fiesta Rally2 – the Liverpool driver co-driven on this occasion by James Morgan.
It’s great to welcome Ryan Fagan to the Protyre Asphalt Championship. Now into his second year of driving a Fiesta R5, he’ll be hoping to put a top 20 finish on last year’s Chris Kelly Memorial Rally to good use. The Liverpool driver will be co-driven by Jordan Joines.
Nathan Bolton/Kirsty Duke appear in their Monza Installs/Legend Performance Fiesta Rally2, while Barry Groundwater/Ashleigh Will contest the event in their Fiesta S2000.
James Hall/Laura Marshall will aim to extend their Class 2 lead in their immaculate Subaru Impreza N11. They’ll have tough competition from the likes of Steven Harvey/Graham Wild (Telematic Solutions/Kelmore Subaru Impreza), Paul Murphy/Richard Robinson (RAC Consultants/CM Motors Mitsubishi Evo 6), Arwel Parry/Catrin Price (Subaru Impreza), and Ian Taylor/Louise Lewis in their Macwhirter Motorsport-run and ABX Roofing Supplies Derwydd Garage/CMJ Motors-supported Mitsubishi Evo 9.
Lee Edwards was the star of the opening round, coming home first 2WD, winning Class 3 and finishing fourth in the overall Protyre Asphalt standings in his V6-engined Blakemore’s Autos/Evans Construction/P&B Tyres/Bailey Performance Escort G3. The Oswestry driver has a strong record on the Isle of Man, and together with Sam Spencer will be aiming for another extraordinary result.
Defending 2WD class champions Huw James/Lewis Sim have had some incredible outings in their A&D Tyres/Maxxis Escort Mk2 but hope to debut their new Fiat 131 on the Manx.
Chris Simmons returns to the series in his very rapid 2.5-litre Millington engined Darrian T90 GTR. The Gloucestershire dairy farmer finished seventh overall on the 2022 Manx National and will be co-driven this time by Dannii Matthews in the SRT Motorsport-run car.
Russell Addyman/Kev Wilson (A1 Concrete Harrogate Escort Mk2) and Andy Brinkley/Helena Mayall (M-Tech Motorsport/AB Bodyworks BMW E38 M3) both hope to add to their Class 3 points tally, Kyle Adam/Steven Brown (Pinnacle Re-Tec/Foz Sports Bodyshop Escort Mk2) aim to bounce back from their East Riding retirement and Max Murray/Matthew Owen will be aiming for a class win on home soil in their BVS Vehicles Citroen DS3 R3T.
Others to look out for include the 2023 class B11 champion Michael Harbour who, co-driven by Cameron Dunn, returns in his two-litre Vauxhall engine Escort Mk2 and 2024 class B13 runners-up Gordon Montana Morrison/Ian Parker in their Escort Mk2.
Alyn Welsby/Dan Parsons got their class title defence off to a magnificent start with a Class 5 win on the East Riding Stages in their Cobra Hydraulics/CSA Recruitment Escort Mk2.
The Manx also represents a great opportunity for the likes of Ben Hardy/David Radcliffe (Ford Escort), Ben Lyon/Jack Corlett (Renault Clio RS) and Neil Jones/Alan Thomas (#TeamPitStop Escort Mk2) to score big Class 5 points.
Manxman Peter Harrison scored Class 7 victory on the East Riding, which was his first event outside the IOM. Back on home ground, the Peel driver will fancy his chances of making it two class wins out of two when the former Eurocars Manx Rally Champion teams up with Nigel Morris in his rapid Peugeot 106 GTi.
Endaf Makepeace travels from west Wales to challenge for class victory in his DP Building Supplies Escort Mk2. He scored a class podium last time out on his close road rally debut and, co-driven by Robert Wheeler, will be aiming for a strong finish on his Manx debut.
Also making the long journey, this time from Milford Haven, is Anthony Jevons. Always fast in his Fiesta R2, he’ll be co-driven by the reigning Ladies Challenge Co-driver champion Margaret Kelly.
Jeffrey Simm/Daniel Callaghan (Suzuki Swift Sport), Colin and Chris Davies (Escort Mk2) and George Thomas/Mark Ammonds (Citroën C2 R2) and David Mills/Harvey Robert (Escort) will also be challenging for class victory.
The reigning Protyre Asphalt Junior Drivers’ champion Luke Constantine returns to the series on the Manx. Co-driven by Ifan Devine, the talented Catterick youngster has swapped his Constantine Motorsport Opel Adam R2 for an Opel Corsa Rally4, and this will be the first time this car has appeared in the series.
The Historic classes have received their biggest entry to date.
Stef Davies was the class of the field on the East Riding, winning Class H6, taking the lead of both the BTRDA Historic Asphalt Cup and Escort Challenge and taking home an incredible 10th place Protyre Asphalt overall finish in his Shell Oils Escort M2. Co-driven by Michael Gilbey, the Carmarthen ace will have his sights set on another clean sweep this time.
Will Rowlands/Emyr Hall will be aiming to stop Stef’s sensation run in their Escort RS1800, as will the likes of Graham Muter/Mark Mason (Escort Mk2), John Adams/Oisin Joyce (Escort RS1800), Hywel Davies/Dorian Evans (Escort RS), David Iwan Jones/Nigel Roberts (Wales Motorsport-run HIJ Electrical Contractors/Mill Farm Eggs/JD Tyres/GNJ Construction Escort Mk2), Andrew Bushe/Geraldine McBride (Vauxhall Chevette HSR) and Mark Holmes/Tom Simkiss (ND Civils/Mark Holmes Auto Engineering Escort Mk1).
A good result could give Shane Gamble the Class H1 lead. The South Staffordshire driver will be partnered this time by Michael Diehl in his R3 Race & Rally Repairs Mini Cooper S.
Last year Ian Clare stopped for an agonising two minutes when his J&S Handling/DT Training/Melia Accounting Wolseley Hornet ground to a halt with a misfire. Co-driven this time by Richard May, the Ludlow driver will be hoping it’s all plain sailing this time, as indeed it was last year after the bottom pulley had been replaced.
Action from the Manx National Rally will be streamed live and free-to-view on the Special Stage TV Facebook and YouTube channels.
Organised by Manx Auto Sport, this year’s Manx National Rally will contain 22 stages and over 130 stage miles – and with its new base at Andreas Airfield to the north of the island, it will have a new route, with different stage variations and several sections not used for a long time.
The shakedown stage will be on Thursday (7 May) starting at 20:00. Competition gets underway the following day, with 10 stages totalling just over 60 miles on Friday (8 May). Slieau Whallian (SS6), at 13.34 miles, is the longest stage of the event.
Saturday (9 May) sees a further 12 stages totalling just over 76 stage miles, with the finish back at the Andreas Rally Village from 17:30 onwards.
2026 Manx National Rally – top 10 seeds
1. Sam Touzel/Max Freeman (Ford Fiesta Rally2)
2. Jason Pritchard/Phil Clarke (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2)
3. David Wright/Jane Nicol (Ford Fiesta Rally2)
4. Hugh Hunter/Andy Marchbank (Ford Fiesta Rally2)
5. Ryan Loughran/Rob Fagg (Ford Fiesta R5 Rally2)
6. Niall McGonigle/Caolan McKenna (Volkswagen Polo GTI R5)
7. Cal McCarthy/Eric Calnan (Citroën C3 Rally2)
8. Brad Cole/Jamie Vaughan (Ford Fiesta Rally2)
9. Steve Wood/Kenny Hull (Volkswagen Polo GTI R5)
10. Roger Duckworth/Ian Windress (Ford Fiesta R5)
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