Donnelly back in Corolla for rally ‘one-off’

FORMER five-times Irish Tarmac champion Eugene Donnelly is a dramatic late entry for next week’s Westlodge Hotel Fastnet Rally in Bantry.

The Irish Examiner can also reveal that he will be reunited with the Toyota Corolla WRC he drove to nine of his 18 wins in rounds of the ITC. The Derry driver’s last national outing in the car was a charity fundraising event on the 2006 Donegal Harvest Rally, an event he also won. His last ITC outing was the 2009 Cork ‘20’ where second place netted him his fifth title.

Speaking last night, he said: “It was always my intention to do something before the end of the year. It’s a one-off for now, but it will be great to get out again on the stages.