The 2009 British Rally Championship leaders Keith Cronin / Greg Shinnors head into the lion’s den this weekend as they compete on the Isle of Man International Rally. The island is, of course, home to their BRC rival Mark Higgins, and he has been the dominant force on the island’s stages for a long time. Last year he won the event outright in his Group N Impreza despite competition from some of Irelands fastest World Rally Car drivers.

They have already beaten Higgins this year in his adopted home of North Wales on the Bulldog Rally and also on the Pirelli Rally in the Kielder Forest, where Higgins has dominated in the past. Then on the first of three tarmac rallies they had to accept second place on the Jim Clark Rally as they fought back from a 1m56 deficit to come within 3s of the lead with 3 stages remaining. The wrong tyre choice at this point was critical and Higgins went on to win the event by 11 seconds.

The close nature of this years championship means that the 11 second winning margin on Jim Clark was the largest of the year, so far, and means that, cumulatively, after 32 stages of competitive action only .4 of a second separates the top two contenders!

Although entering the Lion’s den, Keith and Greg will fondly remember the Isle of Man from last year’s EVO Challenge. This was the location of their first clear win in that competition when they decimated their opposition and also won Group N. 

They arrive on the island brimming with confidence following their similar decimation of Irelands top National WRC drivers on the recent Ravens Rock rally, which they won by over a minute and were fastest on all but one of the stages.

The Island has historically taken foreign drivers a few years to conquer. Last year Keith and Greg bucked that trend. Greg had previously managed that feat a few years earlier when he partnered Rory Galligan who also won on his first visit to the ‘Rock’.

However things finish in this event a close fight for the championship is assured, as there has never been more than 4 points separating the leading duo so far this year, making it one of the tightest championships in recent history!