Motorsport: Eamonn Kelly gearing up for Donegal International Rally

Donegal's Eamonn Kelly (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2) will use Sunday's IPS Packaging Circuit of Munster Rally as a shakedown for next month's Donegal International Rally. Picture: Martin Walsh.

Donegal's Eamonn Kelly is confident that a recent test by the works Toyota Gazoo Racing Team in his native county will be of benefit as he prepares for next month's Donegal International Rally. 

His debut in a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 on the Galway International Rally at the beginning of the year was curtailed after an accident on the second stage, temporarily halting his participation in the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship until the Rally of the Lakes earlier this month. The former British Junior Rally champion, Junior World Rally Championship front-runner and JWRC winner of Rally Finland will tackle this weekend the IPS Packaging Circuit of Munster Rally, an event ideally placed as seat time ahead of his three-day home international.

"I did two days with the Toyota team in Donegal last week, it was good to be involved and it was a very positive step, the car is now a lot more stable and easy to drive and I feel we can push it on a bit more now." 

The vagaries of Irish tarmac surfaces are unique as Kelly added, "There was nothing actually wrong with the car, it was a case of fine-tuning it and adapting the car to Irish roads, which are very specific, it's much more of a positive window now."

Former World Rally winner Kris Meeke put the car through its paces for two days in the north-west and Kelly pointed out that he was there as a reference from someone that had driven it on Irish roads. 

"I hopped in after they made some changes and it was to confirm that (the changes) were going in the right direction and for me it was very noticeable and I felt very comfortable in the car straight away."

However, and given the implications of the Toyota test, Kelly doesn't want to put himself under undue pressure for the Circuit of Munster where the presence of seven Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 cars in the top 10 illustrate the popular choice of the Czech marque within Irish rallying with no fewer than five in the hands of Kelly's fellow county drivers.

All are using the nine-stage event as preparation for Donegal and the majority for their Triton Showers National Rally Championship bid.

BALANCING ACT

Top seed Michael Boyle, who got his Triton bid underway with victory in Carlow a few weeks ago, will balance both objectives. For another Donegal driver David Kelly, it's been a whirlwind start to the season. A first national round victory in Mayo and a maiden ITRC win on the Circuit of Ireland, fourth in Galway and West Cork and third in Killarney are hugely encouraging since his switch to the Skoda.

Like Eamonn Kelly, Monaghan's Josh Moffett, Ballylickey's Daniel Cronin and Donegal's Joe Kelly are all aboard Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 cars and while Moffett gave the Japanese marque its first Irish victory (West Cork Rally) it will be interesting if last week's developments will filter through the ranks. 

Moffett heads the Triton Showers series - four points ahead of Longford's Shane Quinn (Ford Fiesta Rally2), who has shown impressive form this season. Although he didn't compete in Carlow, Tyrone's Cathan McCourt (seeded at nine) lies third in the series - twenty points behind Moffett.

Others in the top 10 include the Skoda/Donegal trio of Matthew and Declan Boyle and Kevin Eves and Tyrone's Ryan Loughran, who is listed to drive a Ford Fiesta Rally2.

Elsewhere, Leitrim's Keelan Grogan (Ford Fiesta Rally2) and Longford's Tommy Doyle (Hyundai i20 Rally2) are also on the entry list along with Cork duo Owen Murphy (Citroen C3 Rally2) and David Guest (Ford Fiesta Rally2) and Armagh's Darren Gass (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2). Armagh's Jason Black (Toyota Starlet) and Killarney's Conor Murphy (Ford Escort) are the top-seeded drivers in the modified category. The first stage is at 9.51am.

Meanwhile, Irish drivers Josh McErlean and Jon Armstrong will be aiming for solid performances in this weekend's Forum 8 Rally Japan, round seven of the World Rally Championship, they were sixth and eighth respectively in the shakedown. Friday's opening leg is due to finish shortly after 8am.

The entry list for the Donegal International Rally (June 19-21) will be announced on Friday evening. Derry's Callum (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2) is the top seed with entries including Kris Meeke (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2) and Josh McErlean (Ford Fiesta Rally2). William Creighton is pencilled in to drive a Lancia Ypsilon Rally2.