Defending champion Donagh Kelly says 'pressure is off' for Killarney Historic Rally

This year's route is somewhat different to other years with three competitive runs over the iconic Moll's Gap accounting for almost half of the 109.35km distance

Donegal’s Donagh Kelly/Rory Kennedy (BMW M3) won the Killarney Towers Hotel Killarney Historic Rally. Picture: James Burke.

Defending Killarney Towers Historic Rally champion Donegal's Donagh Kelly (BMW M3 E30) is looking forward to tomorrow's iteration of the event but will miss some of the stages that are more familiar territory with the event down through the decades. "It's nice to have number one on the doors for sure, the reality is that the competition is very, very steep."

The presence of Kris Meeke, a winner of five World Rally Championship events, who like Kelly, will campaign a MATS prepared BMW M3 E30 is just one example that underlines Kelly's view.