Class B4 went to non-BHRC registered David Mylchreest/Allan Cathers in the MGB, while a measured performance in the light of on-going misfire problems netted second in class for the Lotus Cortina of Neil Calvert and Arlene Cookson.
Importantly, they stayed at the head of the BHRC overall points as Arlene co-drove on the island for the first time in a decade.
Class B1 was all about the Imps of Gary and Jane Edgington and Mike Barratt/Jody Watson. Both crews finished, which was a major achievement, and the Edgingtons took the class by a healthy margin after an attacking drive. Despite an engine that was consuming oil at an increasing rate, they also took a remarkable fifth place overall in the category.
Category 2
It all started badly for Smith/Nichols on the opening stage on Marine Drive when an errant seagull smashed the Porsche's windscreen, while uncharacteristic road penalties added to their woes. With no replacement on the island, the XS Racing crew had to make a borrowed screen from a later 911 fit.
Once that was sorted, the Porsche and its crew ran faultlessly, giving chase to McRae in overall terms, but also measuring the need to bag maximum championship points. "We struggled a bit with set-up, but we had a very fair run," reported Smith after wining C4 from the 911s of Derek Boyd/Roisin Boyd and Dessie McCartney/Andrew Holmes.
Second in the category with a fine performance came David Stokes and Guy Weaver (Escort Mk1). "That's about where we thought we'd be," said Stokes after a remarkably trouble-free event.
Out of contention in C5 with a broken halfshaft after a spectacular run went the Escort of Rupert Lomax/David Alcock, while engine dramas accounted for Ernie Graham/Robin Kellard on Friday morning.
