Can Cronin be stopped on Circuit of Ireland?
The Irish Tarmac Rally Championship heads north this weekend to the Tyrone-based Circuit of Ireland Rally.
A new eight-stage route will challenge and test crews on Saturday – we give you the latest on the four tricky tests at the end of this preview.
Keith Cronin and Mikie Galvin have been the class act so far in Irish Tarmac’s opening two rounds. The Ballylickey driver mastered difficult weather conditions in Galway and West Cork to take dominant victories on both rounds.
The Circuit of Ireland will be an altogether different task, however, as the single-day event will be a nip-and-tuck race from the very first stage.
Defending Circuit of Ireland winners Callum Devine and Noel O’Sullivan will be focused on recording their first win of the year to reignite their championship challenge.
The Circuit was Devine’s first win of the season 12 months ago and the Circuit of Ireland, Killarney Rally of the Lakes, and Donegal International Rally are arguably Devine’s three strongest events. If he can assert his power from now until June it could very well flip the title script on its head.
Matt Edwards and David Moynihan are seeded third for the Circuit of Ireland after a crucial runner-up finish in West Cork. The three-time British Rally Champion utilised the three-day rally to get back up to speed after his Galway retirement and his second-place result was just reward for a faultless display of driving. Now Edwards will hope to show he can match Ireland’s top drivers over a single day of high-paced rallying.
Running fourth on the road, Josh Moffett and Andy Hayes are still hunting for their first victory in the Citroen C3 Rally2. The Monaghan driver struggled in Galway and West Cork’s wet conditions but showed his stage-winning speed when the roads dried out. If the sun is out over Easter weekend, perhaps it will entice Moffett to push for that maiden win aboard his Citroen.
Ryan Loughran, Jonny Greer, Desi Henry, and Cathan McCourt will be familiar with the Tyrone terrain and on their day more than capable of challenging ITRC’s frontrunners. With Garry Jennings completing the top ten, the 2024 Circuit of Ireland is set to be a fascinating day of rally action.
Circuit of Ireland spectators will be treated to a stellar line-up of two-wheel-drive stars. The Irish Tarmac Championship, next month’s Monaghan Stages, and the Circuit of Ireland’s Northern Ireland base have created the perfect storm to attract a cracking entry of modified hopefuls.
Kevin Kelleher leads the modified standings but will come under threat from fellow campaigners Conor Murphy, Frank Kelly, and Damian Toner on the Circuit.
David Moffett, Mark Alcorn, Johno Doogan, Damien Tourish, and Dessie Keenan are out in their Class Seven machines as they look to get up to speed ahead of the National Championship’s Monaghan Stages Rally which takes place a week later.
Local drivers Jason Black, Camillus Bradley, and Barry Morris will mix it up in a Toyota Starlet, Ford Escort Mk2, and Darrian T90 respectively.
Drummond (13.0 km) – SS1/5
This is going to be a really difficult stage for the Irish Tarmac crews to start round three on.
Drummond will demand a lot of driver and co-driver from start to finish. The Circuit’s opener includes some very narrow and twisty country roads as well.
The Hollow (14.5 km) – SS2/6
The Hollow is another tricky test. It once again features narrow roads but this time on a more gravelly surface.
There are a few fast sections but the theme is mainly tight, tricky corners with a few bends that tighten quite late.
This is a classic stage for the region with a couple of humpback bridges for good measure.
Sweathouse (15.0 km) – SS3/7
After two tough opening tests, crews can enjoy Sweathouse which has a more natural flow over its 15 kilometres.
The road surface is a bit better and there are wider sections to the stage. Still, Sweathouse features some tricky, narrow sections with a few corners that come after blind crests.
Ivy Hill (11.8 km) – SS4/8
The shortest stage of the day is an absolutely epic one. From the second crews launch off the start-line there will be pacenotes a-flying.
There might be a few muddy sections depending on the weather but one thing is for sure – Ivy Hill is going to be another intense stage to wrap up this year’s Circuit of Ireland Rally.
Photos by D Harrigan Images
