Almost two years since it was the final pre-Covid closed-roads rally in the island, the PokerStars event heralds a return to action this Friday and Saturday.

With the Manx National cancelled in May, the event slots in as its replacement as a double-header round of the Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship, with a set of points available on each day.

The opening evening’s action heads north at 6pm for two runs of stages at Glen Roy, Cornaa/Maughold and a 13-mile test over Druidale, Injebreck, the Baldwins, Abbeylands and finishing on the Little Mill road from Hillberry. This has not been used for a stage rally since the 1980s.

Saturday then heads south from 9.10am to tackle the longest stage of the event, a 14-mile test from Ellerslie, taking in Archallagan, Eairy, St Mark’s, Mullinaragher and The Gate.

It is followed by a 13.5-mile run from Slieau Whallian to The Mines, Round Table and Ronague, finishing in Ballabeg. The rally is concluded with a stage at Kentraugh, onto the Gansey coast road and Balladoole, finishing at Ballanorris on the Southern 100 course.

Full preview - including the complete entry list - in this week’s Manx Independent, on sale now - head to http://www.iomtoday.co.im/subscribe.cfm to pick up your copy.

Reports, photographs and results in next week’s Isle of Man Examiner and Manx Independent.