Donegal flyer Boyle won’t let up as he turns focus to Cork 20
Like many drivers, he was surprised the Tarmac Rally Organisers Association gave full points for the ill-fated Ulster Rally.
“On the Tarmac points and the Ulster Rally, the points, in our eyes, did not come into it at all,” he said.
“We are still going to Cork, I want a result there to finish the Tarmac, hopefully we will get a podium finish, it would be a better ending.”
Still on course to add the Dunlop title and secure a double that only Tim McNulty managed, Boyle actually campaigns the S12B Subaru that Meath driver McNulty drove to double success in 2011.
“It’s not going to be easy. Hopefully the car will not let us down and we keep it on the road, we just need to concentrate on Clare [the next and penultimate round of the Dunlop championship] first and take it from there.” added Boyle.
The Acesigns Cork 20 International Rally will be based in Millstreet. The 14-stage rally on October 4/5 is also the penultimate round of the Plasticbags.ie Southern 4 Rally Championship. Tomorrow’s stages are at Mushera Beg, Coolea and Mullaghanish with Caherbarnagh, Moll Carty and Nadd providing the locations for the action on the Sunday. Local driver Darragh O’Riordan is seeking an unprecedented fourth win in a row.
Meanwhile, Donegal’s Donagh Kelly will drive a Mini WRC in tomorrow’s Lakeland Rally in Enniskillen, a round of the Northern Ireland Rally Championship. Portglenone’s Desi Henry and his Cork co-driver Liam Moynihan (Mitsubishi) along with the similar cars of Pat O’Connell and the Moffett brothers, Sam and Josh, and Martin Cairns (Subaru WRC) are the top six seeds. Frank Kelly (Escort) is the leading two-wheel drive exponent with opposition including Adrian Hetherington. The number eight slot is left vacant in honour of the late Timothy Cathcart. Gladys Fisher, wife of the late Bertie Fisher, has donated some of the splendid trophies previously won by Bertie as the Enniskillen club celebrates its 50th year.
Elsewhere, current Billy Coleman award winner Stephen Wright will compete in this weekend’s Tour of Flanders Rally as he resumes his foray in the Belgian championship in his Killyhevlin Hotel-liveried Peugeot 208 R2. Unlike other championships, the Belgian series takes a break in July and August, during which Wright competed in Luxembourg and also at the Ulster Rally. His co-driving sister Suzanne is unable to partner him this time and the experienced Karl Atkinson will call the notes.
“Switching co-drivers shouldn’t be a problem,” said Stephen. “Karl knows my style of pacenotes very well, brings a lot of knowledge and we have a very good understanding.”
The Hewison Autotest series kicks off with a double header in Ballyvourney. Tomorrow’s opening round is organised by the Munster Car Club and starts at 1pm and Sunday’s Cork Motor Club event begins at 11am. Traditionally, the entry is strong for both rounds as the national contenders will be joined by regulars in the Munster Autotest series. Knockalla is the location for the Donegal Hillclimb double header from 11am tomorrow.
With an impressive six wins and some 13 podium finishes, Colin Turkington heads the Dunlop British Touring Car Championship entering Sunday’s latest round at Rockingham. The Portadown driver in his BMW 1251 is 14 points ahead of Honda Yuasa Racing’s Gordon Shedden, who has finished inside the top seven in every race except one, ironically, at his home track in Knockhill last time out. Former champion Jason Plato with three wins remains in contention but he will need to cut the 39-points deficit to stay in the frame for a third title. Double race winner Dubliner Aron Smith (Volkswagen CC) lies ninth overall.
