With a new headline sponsor committed to the event for the next three years and an entry list to be proud of, the 2009 Manx Telecom Rally already has plenty to celebrate even before it has started.

However, a great deal of hard work is required from all concerned before the eventual winners congregate at the Awards Presentation at the Villa Marina, on Douglas Promenade, during the evening of Saturday 9th May to begin some celebrations of their own!…

Last year’s winners, MELVYN EVANS/SEAN MULLALLY (Subaru Impreza WRC S11), will lead the field off from Port Erin at the start of the first leg of the rally – hoping, obviously, that they are still in that position by the time they arrive back at the TT Grandstand for the finish on Saturday afternoon.

Behind them, runners-up for the past four years, ROGER DUCKWORTH/MARK BROOMFIELD (Subaru Impreza WRC), will be set on a role-reversal that would see them taking their first - and long-awaited! - victory on the Isle of Man.

The Manx Telecom Rally marks the only point in the season when contenders for both the MSA National Asphalt & Gravel Rally Championships meet, a fact which always promotes some good-natured rivalry between the two factions. Whilst Melvyn Evans currently leads the Asphalt runners, MARCUS DODD/ANDREW BARGERY (Hyundai Accent WRC) are the defending Gravel Rally Champions who have scored maximum points on their last two outings.

They take the No.3 slot ahead of PAUL BIRD/IAN WINDRESS (Ford Focus WRC) who were leading the Manx at the overnight halt on their last appearance two years ago. Gearbox woes dictated that they would not actually start the Saturday leg but, nevertheless, a point had been made.

Then there are defending Asphalt Rally Champions DAVID KYNASTON/ANDY RUSSELL in their fearsome Audi A3 Quattro – 4th last year on their way to the title – and 2004 Gravel Champion STEVE PEREZ, accompanied on this occasion in his Focus WRC by vastly experienced Swedish co-driver STAFFAN PARMANDER. Manx winning crew in 2003, DAVID MANN/ALUN COOK
(Subaru Impreza WRC) are at No.8, in front of the first representatives of the www.manxrally.org

Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge, of which the Manx Telecom Rally is a qualifying round, SIMON HUGHES/CRAIG PARRY. Rounding off the Top 10 are Irishmen DANIEL BARRY/MARTIN BRADY who not only lead the MSA Gravel Championship standings, but also the Mitsubishi
Challenge in their Lancer EVO9.

The local interest, led by Douglas residents STEVEN QUINE/RICHARD SKINNER (Mitsubishi Lancer EVO6) and ROBERT FAGG (Kirk Michael) will be guiding the Impreza of Blackburn’s JOHN COPE round the stages.

Melvyn Evans will leave the start of the first stage of the Manx Telecom Rally in Port Erin at 7.00pm on Friday 8th May and, following an overnight halt, the second leg commences at 8.45am on the Saturday from the TT Grandstand. The surviving crews then return there for the finish at 4.30pm that afternoon. Over the years, the Manx Telecom Rally has built up a reputation as an enjoyable, but very tough, event and one which competitors return to time and time again. The vagaries of the British climate can play a part in the eventual outcome but, with precious few exceptions, it is experience that counts – and there’s only one way to get that!…

TOP 20 Seedings.

1  Melvyn Evans Sean Mullally  Subaru Impreza WRC S11
2  Roger Duckworth Mark Broomfield Subaru Impreza WRC
3  Marcus Dodd Andrew Bargery  Hyundai Accent WRC
4  Paul Bird Ian Windress         Ford Focus WRC 07
5  David Kynaston Andy Russell         Audi A3 quattro
6  Steve Perez Staffan Parmander Ford Focus 07 WRC
7      
8  David Mann Alun Cook  Subaru Impreza
9  Simon Hughes Graig Parry  Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9
10 Daniel Barry Martin Brady  Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9
11 Steven Quine Richard Skinner  Mitsubishi Evo 6
12 Nik Elsmore Craig Drew  Mitsubishi Evo 9
13      
14 Owen Murphey    Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9
15 Wayne Sisson Daniel Stone  Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9
16 Graham Coffey Dave Gamblin  Subaru Impreza S9 WRC
17 John Cope Robert Fagg  Subaru Impreza WRC
18 John Stone Lee Carter  MG Metro 6R4
19 Alan Cookson Julian Wilkinson Subaru Impreza WRC
20 Mark Cubbon Eunice Cubbon  Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 7