Niall McGonigle/Caolan McKenna lead the Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship contenders after a dramatic Manx National Rally opening day.
The Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 crew completed the opening four stages (Leg 1) with a 14.9 second championship advantage (and second overall), and entered the overnight halt (after Leg 2 / SS10) having extended that BTRDA sealed surface series lead to 44.3 seconds.
In their last rally before they get married, David Wright/Jane Nicol are second in the Protyre Asphalt points standings in their GPM/DamperTek/Grove Hill Garage Fiesta Rally2, having chased their title rivals hard all day.
Three-time Protyre Asphalt Champions Jason Pritchard/Phil Clarke are third in their Pirelli-shod North Road Garage/Guttercrest Toyota GR Yaris Rally2.
They are followed in fourth by Ian Forgan/Callum Young (Mercury Motorsport Fiesta Rally2), with Aled Wyn Morgans/Jack Bowen (Aberystwyth Motorsport Fiesta Rally2) in fifth.
Lee Edwards/Sam Spencer are the overnight 2WD leaders in their Blakemore’s Autos/Evans Construction/P&B Tyres/Bailey Performance Escort G3 – and are an incredible sixth in the overall Protyre Asphalt standings!
Brad Cole/Jamie Vaughan retired their Trick Motorsport prepared and East Budleigh Garage run Hydroline Solutions Fiesta Rally2 when the power steering failed.
Huw James’ stunning new Fiat 131 Mirafiori won the Dynamic Fluids Best Presented Car Award before the start, selected and presented by Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship scrutineer Geoff Doe. That unfortunately was the highlight, as he and Lewis Sim retired the A&D Tyres/Maxxis supported car with diff cradle failure on the opening stage.
Endaf Makepeace was looking forward to making his Manx debut. Co-driven by Robert Wheeler, the west Wales driver retired on SS3 when a stub axle broke on his DP Building Supplies Escort Mk2.
It wasn’t a good start for Class 2 leaders James Hall/Laura Marshall. Their Subaru Impreza N11 kept cutting out on SS1, forcing them to disconnect the flat-shift system. They got going again, having lost six minutes. It later turned out to be a crank sensor issue. They only got as far as SS8 before retiring, however.
Meanwhile, defending champions Sam Touzel/Max Freeman did not start the event in their Smart Scaffolding/Trade Centre UK Ford Fiesta Rally2.
The rally continues today (Saturday 9 May) with a further 12 stages totalling just over 76 stage miles.
Special Stage TV will live stream the action from SS13 (09:55) and SS19 (13:40).
The rally finish will be at the Andreas Rally Village from 15:30 onwards.
Everyone in the Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship sends their sincere condolences to the family and friends of the competitor who tragically passed away following a medical incident today.
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