Callum Black of Brackley, Northants swept to a decisive maiden victory on last weekend’s Manx National Rally as other challengers fell away one by one.

Held in glorious sunshine with bone dry roads throughout, Black and last autumn’s Chris Kelly Memorial Rally-winning co-driver Jack Morton were embroiled in a huge battle with Lancaster driver David Wright and Paula Swinscoe over Friday’s opening two legs.

The two crews swapped the lead on the opening four tests at Pooil Vaaish, Barregarrow and Injebreck across Friday lunchtime, with Wright, in an older Ford Fiesta R5, eking out a 13.6-second lead over Black’s newer Rally 2 version of the car.

As the evening leg began on Marine Drive, Black dropped to third behind Welsh crew Kevin and Owain Davies (VW Polo R5), but kept the leaders in sight despite a run up a bank on the final stage of the day. They ending the five-stage leg back in second place, only 6.3s off Wright’s lead.

2017 winners Hugh Hunter and local co-driver Rob Fagg (Fiesta Rally 2) held fourth from the outset of the event until a storming final stage of the day saw them go fastest on a longer Injebreck test to move past Davies into third. Although 26.8s off the lead they were still harbouring hopes heading into Saturday’s long day of action.

Only the front three crews made it through the opening 11.92-mile Newtown Saturday stage, as Davies crashed out on the Lhoobs section, blocking the stage, and causing a one-hour delay.

Black, driving the car on asphalt for the first time, stormed through The Curraghs (SS11) to slash Wright’s lead to 0.9s as Hunter dropped four minutes stopped in the stage, and then moved ahead on Dog Mills (SS12).

2022 winners Neil Roskell/Andrew Roughead (Fiesta Rally2) were now up to third ahead of reigning Asphalt champion Steve Wood (Fiesta WRC). Those places became one better when Wright stopped at Eary on SS14 with broken rear suspension, as Black’s lead grew from single figures to over two and a half minutes at a stroke.

While the top three remained unchanged to the event finish, there was no shortage of incidents behind.

John Stone/Laura Connell (Polo R5) crashed out of fourth place on SS15 Curraghs, becoming wedged, while Gareth Mimnagh/Barry McCarney (Fiesta R5) retired one stage later also from fourth.

Hunter and local man Fagg crashed out of sixth early on the final Druidale/Baldwins stage within a couple of hundred yards of the start, leading to the abandonment of the stage.

Northern Ireland’s Martin Toner/Ben Taggart (BMW 1M Coupe) were excluded from fourth overall in the final results for driving misdemeanours.

It left Steve Colley/Kirsty Duke (Mitsubishi Evo IX) to eventually claim that fourth place and best local crew with son/father team Rory and Paul McCann (Honda Civic) grabbing a top ten result in ninth with the Honda Civic.

Results – (top 10): 1, Callum Black/ Jack Morton (Ford Fiesta Rally 2) 1hr 58min 16.1sec; 2, Neil Roskell/ Andrew Roughead (Ford Fiesta Rally2) 2:01.33.9; 3, Steve Wood/ Kenny Hull (Ford Fiesta WRC) 2:02.40.9; 4, Steve Colley/ Kirsty Duke (Mitsubishi Evo IX) 2:05.07.5; 5, Wayne Sisson/ Peredur Davies (Mitsubishi Evo X) 2:05.43.2; 6, William Hill/ Richard Crozier (Ford Fiesta Rally3) 2:08.02.0; 7, Sam Adams/ Michael Johnston (Ford Escort MkII) 2:08.27.8; 8, Damian Toner/ Aodhan Gallagher (Ford Escort MkII) 2:08.41.3; 9, Rory McCann/ Paul McCann (Honda Civic) 2:08.54.5; 10, Will Rowlands/ Emyr Hall (Ford Escort MkII) 2:09.30.1.