Rally of the Lakes in Killarney to be crucial in championship race

The event will be more than a head-to-head showdown between current leader Keith Cronin and Derry's Callum Devine.

For this weekend's Assess Ireland Rally of the Lakes in Killarney, Ballylickey's Keith Cronin will again campaign the Citroen C3 Rally2 belonging to his brother Daniel - the same car he drove on the recent Circuit of Ireland Rally. Picture: Martin Walsh.

This weekend's Assess Ireland Rally of the Lakes in Killarney is a crucial and possible defining moment within the context of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship. It will be more than a head to head between reigning champion and current leader Ballylickey's Keith Cronin (Citroen C3 Rally2) and Derry's Callum Devine (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2), who is seeking a fourth straight win in Killarney. For Welsh driver Matt Edwards (Hyundai i20 N Rally2) it's a key event insofar as he hasn't finished the previous rounds - the West Cork Rally and the Circuit of Ireland.

Current regulations stipulate the best five scores from the seven events, however, a place has yet to be found for the postponed Galway International Rally (due to Storm Éowyn) and that is a concern, should it not go ahead, the series will be based on the best five from six.