What to expect from mammoth West Cork Rally challenge

March 13, 2024 Rallyinsight

It is a big week for Irish Tarmac Rally Championship’s protagonists. The 2024 West Cork Rally offers a big route, a big entry list, and will give a big indication as to who is serious about becoming this year’s Irish Tarmac Rally Champion.

255 stage kilometres, 176 crews, and nine unique West Cork stages. Let’s not understate it, the second round of the Irish Tarmac Championship is going to be a huge challenge. What other way would we want it?

The hugely popular event will take place over three days for the first time as crews take on extra stages on Friday including a loop in darkness.

Two-time West Cork Rally victors Josh Moffett and Andy Hayes line up first on the road as they look to win their third Clonakilty crown in as many years.

Moffett scored a positive podium finish on ITRC’s Galway International Rally opener as he made a solid start to his season on his Citroen C3 Rally2 debut.

The Monaghan-based driver had hoped to get more accustomed to his Citroen on the Mayo Stages Rally but an impact with a round bale on stage one spoiled those plans. With a vast array of rivals heading to West Cork, if Moffett can grab his hat-trick of West Cork wins this weekend, it would be one of his greatest achievements to date.

Galway International Rally winners and championship leaders Keith Cronin and Mikie Galvin are seeded third for the West Cork Rally.

Cronin showed his everlasting class in Galway’s slippery stages and will be many people’s favourite as the seven-round series heads to his home county.

The Ford Fiesta Rally2 crew’s dominant 38.1-second victory on a tough championship opener has thrown the cat amongst the pigeons in the early fight for Irish Tarmac honours.

Reigning Irish Tarmac Champions Callum Devine and Noel O’Sullivan quietly went about their business on round one to secure their best result in Galway. Devine’s runner-up finish was a solid start to his title defence, however, he will be hoping to go one better in West Cork aboard his Volkswagen Polo R5.

Seeded fourth for West Cork, Matt Edwards had a Saturday morning to forget in Galway as he crashed out in his Fiesta. The Welshman returned to action on Sunday with stage times that showed his capability of claiming Irish Tarmac wins in 2024.

Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy’s Junior World Rally Champions, William Creighton and Liam Regan are no strangers to West Cork, adding a nice WRC2 benchmark for the crews this weekend.

A host of young chargers kickstart their Stellantis Motorsport Rally Cup campaigns. Keelan Grogan, Ioan Lloyd, and Kyle McBride are amongst the top challengers while Ryan MacHigh and Craig Rahill will fight for Rally4 honours in their Ford Fiestas.

James Stafford leads the modified pack in his Darrian T90. John Dalton will keep him honest along with two-wheel-drive regulars Kevin Eves, Frank Kelly, and Conor Murphy.

Jonathan Pringle, Gary McPhillips, and Damian Toner will make the trip south, adding extra names into the hat for modified honours.

2022 West Cork Historic Rally winners Neil Williams and Anthony O’Sullivan are seeded first in this year’s star-studded historic section. Williams will lead the way in the category whose rally gets underway on Saturday morning.

Winner in Galway, Meirion Evans will follow Williams up the road in his Ford Escort RS1800 as leading historic navigator Declan Casey partners the Welshman for the first time.

Ray Breen completes the top three in his pacey Subaru Legacy.

Tomas Davies’ consistency in the top three this season has given him an early 12.5-point lead over round one winner Thomas Clark. Clark’s mechanical failure in Galway cost him dear but once again impressed up to then. The two rivals are seeded fourth and fifth respectively for West Cork.

Wayne Evans, Tommy McDonagh, Duncan Williams, John O’Donnell, and Adrian Evans extend the theme of top-class historic entries.

Onthepacenote’s Killian Duffy gives us his take on an epic itinerary of West Cork Rally classics.

Friday

Ballinascarthy (11.85 km) – SS1/3

West Cork’s opener starts off quite twisty before entering a much more committed section.

It will be crucial for crews to get their lines nailed through the corners especially in the darkness of Friday night’s second loop.

Rossmore (11.45 km) – SS2/4

Another good stage to kick things off on Friday. It has a lot to it so crews will be kept busy through Rossmore’s 11 kilometres.

Saturday

Clogagh (14.02 km) – SS5/7

This is a typical West Cork test with plenty of work in it.

It will be a tough enough start on Saturday morning and marks the first stage of the weekend for West Cork’s historic contingent.

Castletown (16.00 km) – SS6/8

There are no easy stages on this year’s West Cork Rally and this is no exception.

Castletown has plenty of corners throughout its 16 kilometres of traditional West Cork terrain.

Ring (12.88 km) – SS9/11

The famous West Cork stage is slightly shorter than normal this year but it is still going to be a fantastic test.

The classic coastal start is hard to beat and crews can enjoy a good grippy surface throughout Ring’s committed bends.

Dunworley (14.55 km) – SS10/12

Dunworley is a really difficult stage with so many changes in rhythm and road surface.

The second half is quite gravelly and about a third of the stage is the same as last year.

Again it’s another West Cork test that offers no rest for its competitors.

Sunday

Ardfield (13.10 km) – SS13/16

Another brilliant West Cork classic that is a mismatch of the traditional route.

The stage starts out quite narrow before opening out into fast, flowing sections with tight bits in between.

Ardfield will definitely be a nice challenge with a few long corners nipping in at the end as well.

Glandore (17.50 km) – SS14/17

The longest stage of the rally and one of the best in my opinion.

Glandore was last used 10 years ago so it will be new ground for most people.

It is just a brilliant stage but has plenty of corners that can catch out the unwary. High-speed sections come into tight junctions that can be really deceptive if there is a lack of concentration inside the cockpit.

West Cork’s penultimate test will be unforgiving so it is definitely one to be in tune with the pacenotes, especially through the fast, committed sections.