Multi-venue forest stage rallying makes a return this weekend for the first time since 2010 with the Haydn Minay Memorial Stages Rally, writes Chris Boyde.

Forming the opening round of the Motor Mall Manx Rally Championship, it has been created by organisers Manx Auto Sport as a re-instatement of the Easter Stages that for many years was the island’s main clubman rally.

The entry of 26 crews includes entries from Ireland and England, a good return for a first foray back onto the gravel.

With no real recent loose-surface form to go on, it’ll be interesting to see who re-adapts to the surface quickest on the 14-stage, two-day event.

Multiple former Manx champion and a former Easter Stages winner, Nigel Cannell, will head the action in his Mitsubishi Evo IX with Nick Kaighin on the notes. The Santon driver’s last event was the PokerStars Rally at the end of 2015, so he’s been out of the car for some time.

It may allow Enniskillen visitors Shane McGirr and Martin McGarritty into the mix. Renowned for spectacular driving in his rear-wheel drive Toyota Starlet, McGirr is a regular top-10 finisher in forest championship events both sides of the Irish border, and is likely to excel on fast and flowing stages such as Stoney Mountain.

Of the all-wheel drive cars, expect Timmy Collins/Paul McCann to be near the pace in a Toyota Celica, with 1994 Easter winner Scott Bradshaw out in Stu Bainborough’s Mitsubishi Evo III.

McGirr aside, the two-wheel drive challenge is led by 2000 Easter winner George Collister and Adam Yates (BMW E30), and the similar cars of Dan Colley/Rob Fagg and David Hughes/Emma Kennaugh. Amongst the most flamboyant drivers to look out for is Ben Hardy in a Ford Escort.

Friday night features four stages, two runs each of South Barrule and Stoney Mountain plantations from a 7.30pm start, with the service area at South Barrule’s main car park (Ape Mann), making for a very compact night. The main stage runs right alongside the car park so is an obvious spectator location.

A further 10 tests follow on Saturday, when the event base will be the TT Grandstand. Crews depart shortly before 9am for the opening two stages of the day will be in Conrhenny plantation off the Creg-ny-Baa back road, before heading off-road to Glion Gill (off the Brandywell Road), where crews will tackle the test both in and out.

The pattern of alternating with Conrhenny will continue throughout the day before the finish at the Grandstand shortly after 2.30pm.