Matt Edwards and Sam Moffet viewing bigger picture in Antrim

By Martin Walsh

The withdrawal of top seeds Keith Cronin and Sam Moffett from the John Mulholland Motors Ulster Rally that starts this afternoon in Antrim has boosted the aspirations of their rivals in the respective Prestone British Rally Championship and the Irish Tarmac Championship.

Cronin’s decision to pull his entry was down to financial constraints and it also ends this year’s bid for a fifth British Rally Championship title to equal the all time record set by Jimmy McRae. Furthermore, it gives BRC leader Matt Edwards (Ford Fiesta R5) an easier path to championship victory.

Moffett’s withdrawal tilts the Irish Tarmac Championship title in favour of younger brother Josh, who is also in contention for the Triton National and Valvoline Forest series.

Currently, Sam leads by a point but with the dropped scores, Josh has a three-point lead and as third-placed Robert Barrable has been ruled out through injury, Josh could well have one hand on the ITC by the finish at the Castle Gardens in Antrim tomorrow evening.

Seeded at three in the CombiLift Fiesta R5 he will be the first car on the road over today’s five stages that feature a double run over the classic Torr Head. Edwards is next off the start line and provides the first BRC/ITC comparison. Whether either or bot will concentrate on their title ambitions or seek event victory remains to be seen.

For Derry’s Desi Henry (Skoda Fabia R5) and his Cork co-driver Liam Moynihan, a first Ulster win is the objective. That will also be the case for Belfast’s Jonny Greer, who sticks with the Fiesta R5 he campaigned earlier in the season.

Derry’s Marty McCormack with Mallow’s David Moynihan on note calling duty will also be very much in Ulster victory mode. Another driver to opt out is Derry’s Eugene Donnelly and his Hyundai i20 R5 will now be driven by Philip Allen. The leading two-wheel drive exponents are Donegal’s Kevin Eves, Derry’s Camillus Bradley and Tyrone’s Frank Kelly, both in Escorts. The first stage starts at 2pm.

Meanwhile, Waterford’s Craig Breen (Citroen C3 WRC) is relishing his first proper tarmac event in the World Rally Championship in Rally Deutschland that continues until Sunday.

Yesterday, Breen was equal sixth on the shakedown stage - 1.1 seconds ahead of his Citroen team mate Mads Ostberg. After a poor Rally Finland, series leader Thierry Neuville (Hyundai i20 WRC) bids to extend his 21 point championship lead over Sebastien Ogier (Ford Fiesta WRC), however, both will have to watch the in-from Ott Tanak (Toyota Yaris WRC).

Following a brief mid-summer break Cork racer Matt Griffin returns to competitive action in Silverstone this weekend in rounds of the European Le Mans Series and the World Endurance Championship while Cork motorcyclist Ted Brady will attempt to break his own record (217.85mph) at the weekend’s World Wheelie Championships at Elvington Airfield in North Yorkshire.

He will ride the 1300cc turbo-charged Suzuki Hayabusa he campaigned last year — the front wheel of the bike has to be off the ground of one kilometre.