But where the most intense battle will take place will be in the Group N category and namely, those protagonists who are chasing honours in the Mitsubishi Ralliart Evo Challenge. Ulstermen Daniel Barry and Richard Cathcart are front-running after two rounds but David Bogie, Nik Elsmore and Neil McCance have all racked up points in both Bournemouth and Jedburgh and know a good, solid run around the Manx lanes could prove vital come the end of the season when they get tossed the keys to a works Mitsubishi for 2009.
ANCRO stalwarts Roger Duckworth (Subaru) and Steve Perez (Ford Focus) both make their welcome comebacks on the event, so too former champion David Mann in his Subaru whilst former Manx winner Melvyn Evans will also be in action.
Throw in the likes of regular asphalt men such as the MG Metro 6R4s of John Stone and Mark Jasper, veterans Charlie Payne and Brian Bell, as well as Icelandic visitor Daniel Sigurdsson, and the scene is set for an epic Manx battle whereby come the prize-giving on Saturday night at the Villa Marina, the cheers reserved for the winners will be most deserving.
The action starts at 19.00 on Friday with the five opening tests before the crews return to the Grandstand in Douglas at 21.00 and then on Saturday, the crews head out at 08.45 for the remaining nine stages with the winners due back around 15.20 at the TT Grandstand.
