Three years ago, in 2020, Onchan rally driver Ian Tunney was diagnosed with cancer of the thyroid.
After two operations and radiation, he was given the all-clear.
Impressively, Ian set himself the target of entering, and completing, this week’s Roger Albert Clark (RAC) Rally and raising money for Hospice Isle of Man along the way.
He has been involved in motorsport and rallying for many years and has been working together with his two sons, Luke and Ross, to restore and recommission an ex-factory Mitsubishi Starion rally car.
There have been plenty of late nights during the build, not least during the past week which was particularly challenging as the engine needed to be replaced because of mechanical problems.
The rally begins today (Thursday) and runs through to Monday covering a total distance of 1,200 miles through the famous forest tracks of England, Scotland and Wales.
The event was conceived in 2003 to recreate the iconic Royal Automobile Club rallies of the 1970s and 1980s. It is an event run with competitive mileage on closed forest tracks predominately for historic rally cars but has become a major sporting attraction.
Ian will be joined by several members of the island’s rallying scene who will also be competing on the event.
He has chosen to support Hospice Isle of Man because of its significance to him throughout his own journey, and many of his friends have been helped by Hospice Isle of Man.
The car and entry have been fully funded by Ian himself and friend/co-driver Chris Sanderson of Bury, therefore 100% of all donations will go directly to Hospice Isle of Man.
Ian has been supported on his journey by his wife Jacqui and his sons.
To show your support, please visit https://www.justgiving.com/page/1200milesforhospice
four local crews
among the line-up
There are four local crews among the 174 entries for the Roger Albert Clark (RAC) Rally.
Steven Ormond-Smith and John Tear start at number 67 in their Ford Escort RS1600; Ian Tunney is at 109 with Chris Sanderson (Bury) in the two-litre Starion Turbo; Rory and Paul McCann of Douglas are at 133 in a 1.6-litre Hillman Avenger and Stephen Higgins of Douglas is at 174 with Corey-Powell Jones of Barnsley in a Saab 96.
Ballasalla’s Damian Bird is navigating for John Brazier of Cleobury Mortimer at No.97 in a Ford Escort RS1800.
At the sharp-end of the entry the leading names include former World Rally regular Kris Meeke in an Escort MkII; Oliver Solberg (son of the 2003 World Rally Champion, Petter Solberg) in a similar Escort; 2022 British Rally Champion Osian Pryce and multiple Manx Rally winners Jason Pritchard and Phil Clarke, again in Ford Escort MkIIs.
The five-day event got under way at 8am this morning from Carmarthen Showground and today (Thursday) and tomorrow’s stages include many of the iconic stages in Wales including Walters Arena, Sweetlamb and Hafren.
On Saturday it moves north into the Scottish Borders around Dalbeattie and Newton Stewart.
Sunday and Monday continue north of the border taking in Glentrool, Kershope, Kielder, Lundershaw, Hopehouse and Kielder Water, ending up in Carlisle.