The contest for C3 was a topsy-turvy affair and the lead changed three times in less than a mile. Out after a clash with a bank on the Orrisdale stage went Ken Forster/John Stanger-Leathes and less than mile further on Drew Wylie/Neil Ewing parked their Escort Mk1 with a starter problem. Instead, fellow XS Racing crew Andrew Siddall/Captain Thompson moved ahead on the driver's first Isle of Man event. But, cruelly, an engine problem on the very last stage cost them three minutes and into victory came Peter Smith/Howard Pridmore, another XS crew with a driver making his island debut.
Neil Rudd/Brian Hodgson had a good run to take C2 in their Escort Mk1.
Category 3
McRae started as meant to go on with fastest time on the opening stage and was never headed once the meat of the event got underway on a very foggy run over Little London on Friday morning.
It proved to be a very problem-free run for McRae/Richardson, until the final stage of the rally. Heading into the Classic stage they had 50s in hand over Smith/Nichols, but going over the top of the stage at Injebreck, the Porsche shed another fan belt.
"The last six miles were very nervous," said McRae. He backed off as much as possible to nurse the car home and only dropped six seconds, despite finishing with a very hot engine.
On only his second visit to the Island, Richard Hill – co-driven as usual by Patrick Cooper – was as spectacular as ever in his Escort Mk2 and took second in category three as well as D5 spoils. However, a rather battered Escort showed how hard he had been trying, with notable damage from an off on the Orrisdale stage. The same corner claimed Dick Slaughter/Geoff Dearing, while Simon Tysoe/Rob Dyson had earlier inverted their Escort Mk2.
Ian Corkill, co-driven by his daughter Rivka, came through to second in D5, while third in the class was reward for Roger Kilty/Lynette Banks (Vauxhall Chevette HSR).
