The Manx Telecom Rally is the second round of the REIS MSA Asphalt Rally Championship and, needless to say, contenders are already formulating their plans to contest what has become one of the most popular events in the calendar. With six weeks to go, it is already clear that two of the series front-runners will have ‘celebrity’ co-drivers sitting next to them as they attempt to move their claims to the title forward at this early stage of the season.
Defending REIS Champion Damian Cole will have former World Rally Champion Co-driver Phil Mills in his Get Connected! Ford Focus WRC. Phil, who partnered Petter Solberg to the 2003 WRC title as part of the Subaru team, knows that the closed public roads on the Isle of Man must be treated with respect and that he has an important part to play as Cole strives for back-to-back Asphalt Championship titles.
Meanwhile, John Stone’s partner for the event is to be three-time British Rally Champion Ian Grindrod. Each of the titles came with Jimmy McRae and the pair won the 1987 Manx International Rally outright in a Ford Sierra Cosworth on their way to the third. Grindrod has had experience of all manner of cars during his long and successful career but this will be his first competitive outing in a World Rally Car – Stone’s Legend Fires sponsored example is a Skoda Fabia.
Cole was 3rd overall on the 2010 Manx Telecom Rally, while Stone arrived back at the TT Grandstand finish in 8th place. Both will be hoping that they can do better this time!
