Fresh from overseeing Kris Meeke's victory on the international Rally of the Lakes, Banbridge driver/engineer McKinstry gets back behind the wheel himself for the Manx National Rally - and bids for a record fifth win.

But as he and co-driver Noel Orr prepare for the start in Port Erin tomorrow night, things are far from tranquil at the McKinstry Motorsport workshops. His team are facing the mammoth task of running cars for TEN different drivers in rallies in Cork and Carlow as well as the Isle of Man this weekend.

"It's bedlam here," said daughter Emma who will be in action herself on the Cork round of the Irish forestry championship in her Hankook Mitsubishi Lancer. There the McKinstry team will be fielding an S9 Subaru for Junior World championship star Guy Wilks who is making a flying visit to take part in an event were Ulster's Stephen Moore will be aiming to extend his lead in the Irish forestry series.

"Apart from dad and Guy, we're also running Subarus for Ian Harrison, Kevin and Ian Barrett, Damien Quinn and John McGaffin in Carlow as well as John Ingram and Gavin Harris in the Isle of Man," she added.

"The boys are working flat out getting the cars ready and dad's away enjoying himself!"

Former Irish Tarmac and British National champion McKinstry will enjoy himself even more if he can rack up victory No.5 on the Island although he will have to do it in the oldest of his fleet of Subarus, an S8 Impreza.

"He had no choice - he had already hired out all the others and the customers come first," said a slightly miffed daughter who had hoped to be back in the same S8 she had steered to a top 10 finish on the previous round in Limerick.

McKinstry, who scored his fourth Manx victory last year, heads an entry list which features most of Britain's leading national drivers including Roger Duckworth, Mel Evans, Paul Bird and Steve Perez.

But the most intriguing aspect of the line-up is the appearance of Kevin Lynch who last year emulated McKinstry's feat of three successive Northern Ireland championships.

Now concentrating on the international Tarmac series, Lynch is appearing on the Island for the first time, primarily to get a taste of its unique roads ahead of the 'big Manx', the Rally Isle of Man in July.

"They tell me it is a hard island to conquer so I thought I would give it a go and see what it is all about," said the Dungiven driver.

As well as being part of the British national asphalt championship, the 'mini Manx' is round three of the UK Mitsubishi Evo Challenge which is currently being led by Lisburn's Phillip Morrow.

The British elite young driver squad member won the opening two forest rounds of a series which carries with it the prize of a works Mitsubishi drive next season. Morrow has his sights firmly fixed on the prize and a third win on the fast Manx roads would be a giant step towards his aim.

Adding to the occasion is the appearance of former World champion Colin McRae who is taking part in his Mk2 Ford Escort ? "just for fun".