by Geoff Mayes
Mark Higgins controlled from the front to take the win on the Rally Isle of Man on Saturday, however the event won't be remember so much for that, as the carnage that the island and its unique changeable weather and tricky roads created.
Before the event, the third round in the 2006 Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship, local man Mark Higgins had stated that the pace of the championship would mean everyone would be pushing very hard from the word go - and he was right!
Roman Kresta took the dubious honour of being the rally's first casualty when the rear of his Ford Fiesta S1600 stepped out of line over a crest just over a mile into the very first stage. With the section being extremely narrow the car clipped the bank, ripped a wheel off and ended up on its side hanging over the edge of a small ravine. Both crew were ok, but those competitors following lost a bit of time as they slowed to ensure everyone was alright.
As on the Pirelli International in July, Guy Wilks went quickest in his Suzuki Ignis S1600, 2 seconds faster than Mark Higgins' Group N Subaru Impreza N12. Ryan Champion and Rory Galligan were next up but pre-event favourite Gwyndaf Evans dropped loads of time with an electrical problem whilst double British Rally champion Jonnie Milner dropped down the order with a blown turbo.
Higgins reclaimed the lead by going 10 seconds quicker than Wilks in the very fast second stage, Baldhoon 1. However most of the field would receive nominal times after Stuart Jones crashed his Hankook liveried Mitsubishi Evo IX heavily half way through the stage causing it to be halted. Fortunately the crew, though shaken, were both ok.
