Adam Gould and co-driver Craig Drews' Dulux Trade British Rally Championship campaign suffered a setback on last weekend's Manx International.
The two-day, 150-mile event offered crews some of the most daunting Manx lanes with rain, fog and mist added to the mix.
Gould started well in the older Subaru N11, despite fuel pressure problems causing the car to cut out on tight junctions, costing time, but still held an impressive fourth after four stages.
The duo then set consistent top three times over the next three tests, including a fastest time on stage seven pushing them up to second overall, but disaster was just around the corner.