After eight years of trying, Penrith rally driver Paul Bird eventually got his hands on the winner's trophy by taking a deserved win on this weekend's Manx Telecom Rally.

The 2005 ANCRO Champion has had lots of success around the world-famous TT course with his various bike racing teams over the years, including the legendary Joey Dunlop winning his 26th and final TT on one of Bird's bikes in 2000, but had never won on the hallowed Manx lanes himself despite coming close on numerous occasions.

However, that all changed as following a display of domination in very changeable weather conditions, Bird and his Northallerton co-driver Ian Windress brought their www.supercasino.com, Vent Axia and Kick Energy-backed Ford Focus WRC07 home to win the event and with it, get their 2009 Pirelli MSA Gravel Rally Championship bid back on track.

Once a clutch problem following the opening stage had been sorted in record time by the TEGSport team, Bird hit the front and was never headed meaning he set fastest time on ten of the fifteen stages, converting a 21 second overnight advantage to just under a minute at the end, after backing off to preserve his lead in the latter stages.

After crossing the Douglas finish ramp, Bird said: "The job's a dream and it's very satisfying to win round here as the place is so special to me. I've been so close so many times and I thought I'd maybe never win this rally but I'm absolutely made up. I only used four slicks and four wets throughout the rally and eased off in the end but now it's time to celebrate and I feel a major bender coming on!"

The result has seen Bird move up to fourth in the series but with his best five scores to count, it will be a couple more events before the true reflection of who holds sway in the title chase will become apparent.

Bird and Windress will next be in action later this month when they contest Rally Barbados, which unfortunately clashes with the next ANCRO round (Severn Valley) so all will be to play for when battle resumes thereafter in Wales in July.

Manx Telecom Rally Results

1 Paul Bird/Ian Windress (Ford Focus WRC) 07 1:27:59.5
2 Melvyn Evans/Sean Mullally (Subaru Impreza WRC S11) 1:28:56.4
3 Roger Duckworth/Mark Broomfield (Subaru Impreza WRC) 1:29:29.3
4 Marcus Dodd/Andrew Bargery (Hyundai Accent WRC) 1:29:36.1
5 Steve Perez/Stephen McAuley (Ford Focus 07 WRC) 1:31:36.1
6 George Collister/Janet Craine (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 3) 1:33:43.6
7 David Mann/Alun Cook (Subaru Impreza) 1:34:05.4
8 Daniel Barry/Martin Brady (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9) 1:34:54.6
9 Wayne Sisson/Daniel Stone (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9) 1:35:20.4
10 Nik Elsmore/Craig Drew (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9) 1:36:04.4

Provisional 2009 Pirelli MSA Gravel Rally Championship Standings after Round 4

1 Daniel Barry 78
2 Simon Hughes 74
3 Marcus Dodd 73
4 Paul Bird 68
5 Nik Elsmore 67
6 Steve Perez 63
7= Alan Cookson 47
7= Owen Murphy 47
9 Alan Carmichael 43
10 Sean Devine 25