Meeke eyes top three finish in Wales

Dungannon native Kris Meeke (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2) will compete in this weekend's Rali Ceredigion, the penultimate round of the European Rally Championship, he will be co-driven by Killarney's Noel O'Sullivan. Picture: Martin Walsh.

Five times World Rally Championship event winner Kris Meeke contests this weekend's Machinery Rali Ceredigion in Wales that dovetails as the penultimate round of the European Rally Championship (ERC) and the British Rally Championship (BRC) series.

The Dungannon native will steer a Melvyn Evans Motorsport run Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 as he did in Donegal a few months ago. “It’s a big thanks to all my sponsors who’ve helped me out again, especially KES and the local sponsors and, of course, thanks to everyone for supporting me, it’s very exciting. 

"I know how tricky it’s going to be but if I’m in the top three it would be pretty nice. You always keep that little sparkle that’s still there to try to win, but I don't underestimate Teemu Suninen and all these (ERC) guys are super-fast, so I’m under no illusions how tough the competition will be.” 

Meeke will be co-driven by Killarney's Noel O'Sullivan. Another Tyrone driver Philip Allen, also in a Toyota, occupies the number seven berth, Meeke has the number ten decals on his car.

Rali Ceredigion is the final tarmac outing of the year for the ERC series where a number of titles could be decided. Teemu Suninen (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2) is aiming to become Finland's first ERC champion since Esapekka Lappi won the title in 2014, he's taking a pragmatic approach. 

"I have proven to be fast on Tarmac so maybe soon it’s time to be clever and think about the championship. I need to study the conditions, and understand the rally before I push absolutely on the limit.” 

His rivals Andrea Mabellini (Lancia Ypsilon Rally2) and Miko Marczyk (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2) have contested Ceredigion previously unlike rookie Suninen, who may not be at a such a disadvantage given the organisers have made significant changes to the route and also added two night stages.

Meanwhile, Clonmel's Casey Jay Coleman still has an opportunity of landing the ERC3 title but must out-perform Finland's Ville Vatanen, who has already clinched the M-Sport Ford Fiesta Rally3 Trophy. Billy Coleman award winner Donegal's Kyle McBride (Peugeot 208 Rally4) competes in the ERC4 category.

Elsewhere, former double Ceredigion winner Welsh ace Osian Pryce (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2) could wrap up the British title as the event has two point-scoring opportunities. Scotland's Max McRae (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2) and Meirion Evans (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2) are his main rivals. Four of the event's 16 stages take place this evening.

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Meanwhile, Josh Moffett's quest to bag all three Irish Rally Championships in the same season takes the Monaghan driver to Enniskillen for tomorrow's (Saturday) Trailer Parts & Spares Lakeland Rally, round four of the Irish Forest series and also a counter for the Brown & Brown Northern Ireland Forest Rally Challenge.

Based at the former Grosvenor Barracks, the action is over a double run of Big Dog, Lough Navar and Ballintempo where Moffett will steer his Hyundai i20 R5.

Omagh native and top seed Patrick O’Brien (Skoda Fabia), who returns from Australia, is favourite to notch up a fourth win. In terms of the Irish series, Moffett, who has won the last two rounds (Munster and Cork) is two points ahead of Cookstown's Mark Donnelly (VW Polo GTi R5), who has taken podium finishes on all three rounds to date. Although Derry's Jordan Hone (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2) retired from the Munster Moonraker Rally, he's still very much in the title equation as the series counts the best six scores from seven events.

Omagh's Gareth Mimnagh (Ford Fiesta Rally2) is another contender.

It should be interesting as to how tarmac regulars Carryduff's Jonny Greer (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2) and Donegal's David Kelly (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2) will fare as they switch to gravel surface, the latter was fifth on last year's event. The entry also features the Skoda Fabia duo of Ballygawley's Vivian Hamill and Strabane's Ryan Caldwell and Cashel's Pat O'Connell (Ford Fiesta R5). The first stage begins at 11.09am.

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In circuit racing, returnee Clonakilty's Michael Keohane (Century Motorsport) competes in the Carwow Porsche Carrera GB series double header at Croft in northern Yorkshire.

Although his outing in Donington Park two weeks had a disappointing end, his qualifying performances, that included a P4 overall, will stand him in good stead as he races in Croft for the first time since his British F3 days over twenty years ago. Sunday's races are at 1.30pm and 5.50pm.