Circuit of Ireland Rally now more of a sprint

A four-stage loop repeated in the afternoon will provide the action.

Fri, 29 Mar, 2024 - 07:06

Martin Walsh

Motorsport

Reigning Irish Tarmac Rally champion Derry’s Callum Devine (VW Polo GTi R5) will be hoping that the Circuit of Ireland Rally, that begins tomorrow will, like last year, ignite his championship bid. Currently fourth overall, he trails series pacesetter Keith Cronin by 26 points. With the best five from seven events to count, a successful defence of the title is still within his grasp.

This year’s Circuit is more of a sprint compared to its halcyon days. A four-stage loop repeated in the afternoon will provide the action. “Last year it was a case of gauging ourselves off Josh (Moffett), but there are so many more this time, there’s Keith (Cronin), Matt (Edwards) and Desi Henry, who should go well, it's tougher for sure. If Keith gets a third win he will be hard to stop (for the championship) yeah, it's going to be tricky.”

West Cork ace Cronin has made the best possible start with victories in Galway and Clonakilty, his outing in last week’s BRC opener in Lancashire was fraught with problems and highlighted the fickle nature of the sport. This will only be his second time to compete in the Easter classic, in 2016 (his ITRC winning season) he crashed on the opening stage.

The four time BRC champion is experienced and well able to focus on the task at hand. “The nature of the sport is that you'll have days when things don't go right, sometimes it's within your control, sometimes not, but it does happen. Hopefully, we can have a clean run on the Circuit.” His plan is relatively straightforward. “With only eight stages there will be no room for complacency at the start or easing into it gently, everyone will have to be on it from the beginning."

Boosted by his second place in West Cork, Welsh wizard Matt Edwards (Ford Fiesta Rally2) will be in confident mood and with the stages relatively new to everyone, it will be more of a leveller with the pacenote reading skills of his co-driver David Moynihan a key aspect.

Still trying to come to terms with his Citroen C3 Rally2, the event offers Monaghan’s Josh Moffett an opportunity to provide the expected challenge to the top trio. Having missed the last round, Ryan Loughran (Ford Fiesta Rally2) returns to action.

The Citroen C3 Rally2 duo of Carryduff’s Jonny Greer and Derry’s Desi Henry and Dromore’s Cathan McCourt, possibly in a Ford Fiesta Rally2, are all capable of mounting a strong challenge.

The Modified category protagonists include Donegal’s Mark Alcorn (Ford Escort), Armagh’s Jason Black (Toyota Starlet), Tyrone’s Frank Kelly and Killarney’s Conor Murphy, both in Ford Escorts. The first stage (Drummond) begins at 9.44am.

Elsewhere, following a six-week break, the World Rally Championship resumes with the Safari Rally. The Toyota Gazoo Racing outfit, who have won the event each year since its return to the series in 2021, aim for their first win of the current campaign. Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville leads the Drivers’ series.

Fermanagh born Jon Armstrong (29) will campaign an M-Sport prepared Ford Fiesta Rally2 in this season’s European Rally Championship that begins with Rally Hungary (April 12-14). The deal is also supported by the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy, Seacon UK and C&M Motorsport Sales. Armstrong, the reigning ERC3 champion, will be co-driven by Cork’s Eoin Treacy.