A quartet of firsts gave Dan Boardman a weekend to remember on the Manx National Rally.

For the 25-year-old from Ribchester notched up a maiden class victory in a car he's never driven before and on his first visit to the Isle of Man to drive on tarmac!

Boardman, who is contesting this year's Ford Fiesta Sporting Trophy, was using the event as practice for forthcoming asphalt rounds, piloting a borrowed Suzuki Swift GTi And despite his inexperience with the car and the stages, he went from 91st place at the start to 51st - and top of the N1 class - by the end of the two-day event.

"We entered in the standard Suzuki Swift, as it is a relatively cheap car to run and to gain some tarmac experience," said Dan, who works for TVR in Blackpool.

"Despite being in one of the slowest and most standard cars in the rally and that I had never made my own pace notes, or competed in night stages, we managed to beat several four wheel drive rally cars, which produce three times the power.

"I made a rather spectacular start to the event, spinning near the start of both the first and second stages, much to spectators' delight, but then soon settled into the event."

He went on: "We broke an engine mount at the end of the first night's stages, which a fellow Fiesta competitor helped me fix, at which point we were lying some three minutes ahead in the class.

"I am ecstatic with my result, as it was the first time I had ever driven on roads like this.

"This event was part of my plan to gain much-needed tarmac experience and I feel I have now more than proven my potential on tarmac after this weekend," added Dan, who is currently in eighth position in the Fiesta championship after the first round.

His next appearance is on the weekend's Pirelli International Rally.