Kelly and Flanagan poised for first title

All season long Donagh Kelly (Ford Focus WRC) has been a consistent barometer of pace in the Triton Showers National Rally Championship. 

In terms of points, the Donegal driver and his Derry co-driver Kevin Flanagan have converted their dominance to a near perfect score – 112 from a possible 115 points.

Their journey across all four provinces has also been accompanied with reliability – always a key component for national success. On Sunday at the McCormack Opel/Sligo Park Hotel Rally, the sixth round of the series, the pair can clinch their first national title and lift the Vard Memorial Trophy, one of the most prestigious pieces of silverware in Irish motorsport.

Their requirement is eleven championship points – and given that there are 23 points on offer for the top Triton competitor – this translates to a seventh place finish.

It will of course bring a change of perspective as Kelly outlined. “Yes, it will be a Sunday drive, much as we would like to have a go, we must be sensible as well. I didn’t set out with any aspirations but now it would be nice to win the title. I have really enjoyed the Triton series, it’s been great with the level of promotion and publicity. There is a competitive rivalry in all regards but it’s also been a friendly rivalry.” Kelly’s main title adversary Niall Maguire is competing in Sligo, some two weeks ago his maiden outing in the ex-Boyle S12B Subaru WRC was punctuated with niggling issues but his pace should be better through the lanes of Sligo and Leitrim.

The quality of the entry is impressive with outgoing national champion Declan Boyle bringing his all-new Ford Fiesta WRC to the national arena for the first time. His debut in the car on his hone Donegal International was relatively seamless as he finished second behind Garry Jennings (Subaru WRC). Interestingly, if or perhaps when Kelly will win the national series it will be the first time that two drivers from the same county will have won back to back titles since Cork pair Mick O’Connell and Ger Buckley won in 1978 and 1979 respectively.

Given Kelly’s title stance, Monaghan’s Sam Moffett (Ford Fiesta WRC) fresh from his exploits in the European Rally Championship is well capable of giving Boyle a stern test over the nine stages. The S14 Subaru WRC’s of Kenny McKinstry and Kevin Barrett are seeded at five and six - the former is on his first national outing of the season and the latter returns after an uncustomary demise on the last round.

The absence of Kerry’s Alan Ring will provide Clonmel’s Roy White (MG ZR) with an ideal opportunity to claim a top three championship finish but he will need 14 points from Sligo to move ahead of his rival and into third. Tyrone’s Martin Cairns (S14 Subaru WRC) and John Cairns (Subaru WRC) along with the talented Donegal driver Declan Gallagher (Toyota Starlet), who is the top two-wheel drive exponent, complete the top ten. Others in the two-wheel drive category are the Escort trio of Jonathan Pringle, Gary Kiernan and Chris Armstrong and David Moffett (Toyota Starlet).

In the showroom class Donegal’s Trevor Bustard (Mitsubishi EvoIX) will lead the way with opposition from the Mitsubishi trio of Pat Kirk, Shane Maguire and Aidan Wray (Mitsubishi EvoX) and Paul Barrett (Subaru), the latter is six points behind Wray in the quest for the Motorsport Safety Group N award. The first stage is at 10.27am, servicing is at the Sligo IT complex and the finish at the Sligo Park Hotel is timed for 5.15pm.

Racing ace Matt Griffin and his British team mates Duncan Cameron and Aaron Scott compete in round three of the European Le Mans Series at the Red Bull Ring in Austria. They will drive the AF Corse prepared Ferrari 458 Italia for the four-hour race that begins at 1.30pm.

Meanwhile, Mondello Park will open its gates to the public free of charge this weekend for two days of racing in aid of Laura Lynn, Ireland’s Children’s Hospice. There are two races in the SEAT Supercup Ireland on Sunday at 10.15am and 2pm.

The leading trio of Niall Quinn, Michael Cullen and John Farrelly are separated by just three points. Quinn in his Randridge liveried car and Cullen both have two wins apiece. Last round polesitter Niall Murray could be a major threat.

Elsewhere, round five of the 5 Star Catering National Autocross Championship takes place at Grancore, Clonakilty, the event will also count towards the Munster series and Carbery Plastics Championship.