The 2009 Eurocars Motorsport Manx Rally Championship will follow a very similar format to 2008 with one small change. As in 2009 the opening round will be the Manx Auto Sport run Jaks Bar and Grill Tarmac Stages which will see crews first battle it out in the dark on Friday night and conclude in the daylight on Saturday using some classic Manx Stages. In recent years the top crews have been getting closer and there is no doubt the competition will be as fierce as ever throughout the field.

It's then into the forests as one of the traditional events makes a return to the calendar, the Easter Stages. For the last couple of years the event has not taken place at Easter but this year it will. The proposal is for the event to take in a number of different plantations on the island and will provide the crews with a different test to the usual tarmac.

Next up for the crews is a single venue on the disused RAF airfield at Jurby. Druidale Motor Club will promote the Jurby Stages. Traditionally the season finale, for 2008 the event switches to the Summer and hopefully better weather will great both competitors, service crews and spectators.

The change in the calendar for 2009 sees the TDL Forest Stages move to an August date from its familiar October one. The event first appeared as a stand alone event in 2007 and last year saw it's first inclusion in the championship. The event has grown from its inaugural year and 2009 could see further developments.

September see the second of the Druidale Motor Club run events, the Duke Stages. Last year saw a change of format for the event from forest to closed road, with a bit of airfield. The event was a major success for the club with a capacity entry and a lot of good feedback from all. In 2009 the intention is build on the success of the 2008 event.

It's back onto the black stuff in November for the Blackhorse Tarmac Stages and the final round of the championship. Run with Friday night stages and Saturday day as per the opening round, but with different roads used championship contenders really do get to compete over some of the best tarmac stages in Europe.

With class for all types of cars there will be battles throughout the series and rivalry's will be formed. There is also the converted Junior Championship which has been hard fought in recent years and also the Team Award for those who wish to pair up and take on others to add a bit of spice and fun to the season.