Tudor Webasto Manx International Rally - Manx Memories 1987-89

Report by David Harbey

15 January 2023

For many PistonClick followers, the Isle of Man means only one thing – the TT. However, for some of us, it also means rallying on closed tarmac roads. Back in the 1980’s, if you wanted to watch tarmac rallying, there was little opportunity to do so short of travelling to Belgium, Ireland – or the Isle of Man.

Thus, it was only natural that, at some stage, a family holiday would be arranged to coincide with the rally. Well, in the end three family holidays - 1987, 1988 and 1989 - and here is a flavour of what we experienced.

The trusty Olympus OM2n was packed along with the, then obligatory, Barbour, flat cap and, of course, cagoule and over-trousers; performance outerwear ?  hadn’t been invented then.

We drove every mile of the stages and the TT course. At the time, I was a regular contributor to the NatWest Bank Motoring Club quarterly magazine so a letter from the Editor secured a photographer’s tag. They’d already featured a couple of my favourite images on previous covers.

Scrutineering was held in the ferry terminal and I, unusually, went with black and white. The British Championship stars of the day were there - Jimmy McRae, Mark Lovell, Mikael Sundstrom and some young lad called Colin in a Nova. There will be more of Colin later.

I also got to see the official start where Steve Rider was interviewing Malcom Wilson, David Llewellin, Louise Aitken-Walker and Pentti Airikkala before they headed off on a typically damp Manx morning.

Then it was off to the Glenroy stage - and a long downhill left hander. The spectators lining the course made for a super backdrop.

Most drivers negotiated the corner happily, but Steve Davies arrived in his Golf with rather too much speed and proceeded to re-locate to the field having negotiated a three foot drop behind the hedge. The spoiler which was ripped off lived in our garage for many years until the last house move. Much like the front tyre from Le Mans in 1985…

Brandywell Cottage is another popular spot allowing for a close up view. In my photo of Mark Lovell’s Cosworth, it seems that I have included, I believe, Ralph Hardwick a noted motorsport photographer of the day and clearly pointing me towards a Nikon future!

The lack of EXIF data on 35mm slides and negatives means that aside from the year, I am relying on memory and the results. It did rain over the three days so here’s a Golf splashing along in a location I cannot recall and a Sierra Cosworth and Volvo both negotiating the hairpin at Sartfell.

The ever wonderful Mrs Harbey had clearly enjoyed 1987 so much that she agreed to go back in 1988 with our five month old child in hand. Although I had missed the glory years of Group B quattros, 6R4s and RS200s on the IoM, nevertheless to see an M3, integrale or Cosworth flat out was a treat. Here are British Championship regulars Jimmy McRae and Pentti Airikkala.

The Manx was part of the European Rally Championship - a complicated affair where occasionally it made sense for the leading competitors to travel to the Isle of Man in search of a high ranking points event. 1988 attracted continental competitors Patrick Snijers, Robert Droogmans and Fabrizio Tabaton. Patrick Snijers was driving the wheels off his Prodrive run BMW M3.

Fabrizio Tabaton was in the HF Grifone run integrale.

Robert Droogmans was pushing hard in the Cosworth.

Further down the field, the Golf looked like it was on a Sunday afternoon drive while Colin McRae visited the scenery more than once in the battered Nova.

Photos are fine, but to get a real flavour of the 1988 event I’d recommend that you watch the video (sound on). Of course, I had to watch it again as essential research for this article.

1989 was to be our last visit to the island as within a year we were blessed with twins; however, there may yet be another visit to watch two wheeled action in the future.

Only Droogmans made it from the European Championship that year after Yves Loubet withdraw just before the event. The action though was no less exciting. We had McRae Senior and McRae Junior in Cosworths.

Droogmans upheld Belgian honour while David Llewellin was in the Toyota and Bertie Fisher drove an M3.

Lovell had teamed up with Russell Brookes in Andrews Heat for Hire Cossies and Gwyndaf Evans was in the distinctive pink Mr Tomkinson Carpets Sierra.

Tarmac rallying at its finest !

Postscript 1

Another family holiday happened to coincide with the 1996 Ulster Rally. As we walked down the country lane to the stage, a small voice piped up - “where are the grandstands, Daddy ?”  We had clearly spent too much time at Silverstone.  This time, I only have a few prints but they give a flavour of the event and how the locals ensured they had a good view.

Postscript 2

Last year I was approached about a shot of Snijers on the 1988 event. It was from the editor of a new BMW magazine, werke, which was featuring the M3 in their first issue; it was rather cool to see the photo in print over 30 years after it was taken.

There’s more photos from the Manx International Rally on my Flickr account. As I often say at this point, it would be good to be able to go back with my current kit - but instead I’ll let these imperfect images serve as a reminder of three great events. Oh, and go watch that video of 1988 sometime.

A superb rallying results resource can be found here - https://www.ewrc-results.com