Motorsport: Paddon targets Donegal success on first competitive Irish outing

The presence of Paddon along with Kesh driver Jon Armstrong and Moira's William Creighton has cranked up the competition level in the north-west. 

Reigning European Rally Champion Hayden Paddon (Hyundai i20 N Rally2) from New Zealand competes in this weekend's Wilton Recycling Donegal International Rally. Pic: @World / Red Bull Content Pool

Reigning and double European Rally Champion, New Zealander Hayden Paddon (Hyundai i20 N Rally2) gets his first competitive taste of Irish rallying shortly after eleven o'clock on Friday on the 14.3km Malin Head stage, the first of the weekend's twenty stages of the Wilton Recycling Donegal International Rally.

Although the three-day Letterkenny-based event is the fourth round of the NAPA Auto Parts Irish Tarmac Rally Championship, the fact that both Keith Cronin and Matt Edwards, have for different reasons, paused their rallying, some of the usual shine has been taken from the series.