Josh Moffett all out to thwart Michael O’Brien

The Valvoline National Forestry Rally Championship reaches its penultimate stage on Sunday with the Mayo Forest Rally. Though there is a 31-point difference between series leader and former champion Michael O’Brien (Ford Focus WRC) and his main rival, Monaghan’s Josh Moffett (Mitsubishi), the latter can land the title should he prevail on Sunday and again on the final round in Antrim early next month.

O’Brien won the opening round in Carrick-on-Suir and didn’t drop outside the top three championship positions until the last round in Enniskillen where an errant handling Ford Focus and a puncture took its toll, as Moffett netted maximum points.

However, Moffett, in his Group A Mitsubishi Evo IX, missed one round and can only drop one score, unlike O’Brien, who can avail of the best five from seven events. The terrain in Mayo this weekend will be new to all of the championship regulars.