By John Kenny
Defending champion Keith Cronin took a well deserved victory on Rally Isle of Man, the fourth round of the Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship, making it two wins apiece for him and second placed Gwyndaf Evans in this year’s six round series.
Any chance of a close battle between the pair was ended on day one after Evans lost two minutes with an off in his Evo, but Cronin drove a mature second day despite some atrocious weather to claim a dominant win in his Subaru.
Third place went to Jason Pritchard, an excellent drive on the Welsh youngster’s first season in a four wheel drive car, to put him on the podium for the first time.
Alastair Fisher set the initial pace on the first stage in his Mitsubishi which started in foggy conditions straight out of the famous TT pitlane
But as the drivers settled in Evans pulled clear, leaving Fisher third behind Ireland’s Cronin.
After the first service Cronin launched a fight back, closing to within five seconds of the Welshman after his Mitsubishi’s rear suspension lost alignment.
The final stage before second service would prove time-consuming for Evans, caught out on a slippery section, the already wayward car spun and clouted a bank, further damaging the rear right hand wheel alignment as Fisher crashed out behind him.
Evans accident cost him nearly two minutes, handing the lead to Cronin which he never lost, as Evans charged back from seventh to take second place.
Northern Irelands Jonny Greer hung onto fourth and best of the Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge runners and still leads after four rounds.
Crews now have a break of over a month before the next event, the Ulster based in Antrim on 20/21 August.
