Regulations row overshadows Galway rally plans

Former Irish Tarmac Rally champion, Garry Jennings, will campaign his usual Subaru WRC in next month’s Galway International Rally — the opening round of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship (ITRC).

However, he may be the only topline competitor not in an R5 car after his plan to drive a right-hand drive variant fell foul of regulations.

The WRC/R5 situation has dominated the Tarmac series since the change to the rules in 2016 when R5 cars could only win the championship even though World Rally Cars could and remain eligible to win the individual events.

Pressure to allow right-hand drive R5 cars was brought to bear on the governing body, Motorsport Ireland, who subsequently granted permission for cars to compete in events run under a national permit. However, events within the ITRC are organised under international permits and under such rules, right hand drive R5s can only win their class and more importantly (for now, at least) cannot score championship points.

The Irish Examiner has learned that the regulations for this year’s ITRC (excluding the Historic category that has already begun) have yet to be submitted to Motorsport Ireland. Were the ITRC rounds to switch to national permits, it would not be an issue but it appears that there is a monetary gain for some clubs to have “international” status.

In a bizarre twist to the situation, right-hand drive R5 cars (non-homologated) are allowed to compete and can score points in the British Rally Championship - of which the Clonakilty Park Hotel West Cork Rally is the second counting round of both championships.

Jennings claims that two other Tarmac champions - Gareth MacHale and Tim McNulty along with Aaron MacHale are willing to compete in the ITC series if the “right-hand drive R5 problem” was solved. Jennings added that he is more likely to contest next week’s Willie Loughman Forest Rally, the opening round of the Valvoline Irish Forest series, in a Subaru S14 rather than a right-hand drive Mitsubishi.

The Galway entry could also include out-of-contract world rallying star Craig Breen (Ford Fiesta R5) should he fail to secure a deal to contest Rally Sweden later that month. Jennings, the defending Galway champion, is critical of the Tarmac Rally Organisers Association (TROA).

On the domestic front, tomorrow night’s Cork 1000 Shakes Navigation Trial in Macroom incorporates rounds of the National Navigation Trial Championship and the Munster Navigation series. Champions Monaghan’s Derek Mackarel and Cork’s Muireann Hayes sit just a point off current leaders and Monaghan duo Mac Kierans/Conor Boylan. Boylan will not be competing in Macroom where the likes of Ovens man Owen Murphy and Togher’s Daire Hayes are likely to be amongst the pacesetters.

So too should the Mogeely/Ballincollig pairing of James Fitzgerald and Ken Carmody, who top the Munster series - three points clear of the West Cork partnership of Dermot Whelton/Mark McCarthy. The first car away on the 85-mile event that consists of 48-time points/controls leaves the Macroom Community Centre at 11.45pm.