Keith Cronin recorded his very first Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge UK victory on the RBS International Manx Rally last weekend when, with co-driver Greg Shinnors, he took the lead after Richard Cathcart and Martin Brady suffered a puncture and then mechanical problems on the penultimate stage.
After winning last year's Evolution Challenge on the island, Neil McCance delivered another top-class performance to finish second, whilst Daniel Barry managed to cling onto his championship lead after surviving a host of incidents throughout the event to claim third place.
The Isle of Man's demanding tarmac roads lived up to their reputation of providing competitors with one of the toughest tests of the season, when 12 Evolution Challenge crews met up with teams contesting the Pirelli MSA Gravel Rally Championship, the Richard Egger Insurance MSA Asphalt Rally Championship and others just entering the 120-mile rally on an individual basis, to provide a total entry of 124 cars.
The first of the rally's five stages on Friday evening got underway with a run through the South West coast town of Port Erin, Nik Elsmore setting the fastest time just 0.3 seconds ahead of Cathcart, with Miles Johnston 0.2 seconds further back in third.
Albeit the highest Evo Challenge seed, McCance was the slowest Mitsubishi through the stage, having been caught out on cold tyres causing him to spin on the second corner. However, the Ulsterman redeemed himself on SS2, when he climbed back up to third place, behind Cronin and Cathcart - who were now the pace-setters.
After a further three stages, competitors arrived at the Douglas TT grandstand for the overnight halt, where the time sheets showed Cathcart in charge with a healthy 25 second advantage over Cronin, who was a further 25 seconds ahead of McCance.
![Keith Cronin / Greg Shinnors - Mitsubishi Lancer Evo. RBS International Manx Rally [Pic credit: MREC UK]](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/438595.jpg)
