Irish Tarmac all to play for on Rally of the Lakes
The Irish Tarmac Rally Championship heads to Killarney this weekend for what is set to be a hotly contested Rally of the Lakes.
The two-day showcase of Kerry’s sublime scenery is the ultimate backdrop to what has become an intriguing start to this year’s Irish Tarmac series.
Keith Cronin and Mikie Galvin lead the series after their West Cork Rally win but will know their three-point lead over David Kelly could be much greater had it not been for penultimate stage drama on April’s Circuit of Ireland Rally.
Callum Devine and Noel O’Sullivan capitalised on Cronin’s demise to make a winning return to rallying after a six-month layoff. The Skoda Fabia Rally2 crew is Killarney’s top seed as they look to seal an incredible fourth Rally of the Lakes victory in a row.
An out-of-luck Matt Edwards is seeded third and will be desperate to bounce back from non-finishes in West Cork and the Circuit. The Welshman’s pace since switching to a Hyundai i20 Rally2 has been good but a couple of moments have cost him dear.
Meirion Evans’ Toyota Yaris Rally2 is a welcome addition to the Rally of the Lakes entry list as the former ITRC frontrunner will rekindle some rivalries from across the Irish Sea.
Strong results on both of ITRC’s opening rounds have earned David Kelly his runner-up spot on the series’ leaderboard. Kelly kept his cool on tough Circuit of Ireland conditions to leap up to a podium finish on Saturday afternoon. The 29-year-old finished sixth in Killarney 12 months ago and has the quality to go a few places better this time around.
Local modified legends Colin O’Donoghue and Rob Duggan will treat spectators to a thrilling two-wheel-drive race through the heartland of Kerry’s rallying heritage. The pair of Ford Escort Mk2 men will be kept honest by National Rally Championship contender Johno Doogan and Irish Tarmac leader Damian Toner. World-renowned drifter Conor Shanahan is an interesting entry aboard a Class 14 Toyota Starlet with Andy Hayes alongside.
And as if that wasn’t enough, a stellar Historic line-up is set to take on Killarney’s iconic tests. A fleet of BMW M3s is topped by Alan Ring, John O’Donnell, and Fergus O’Meara, while Meirion Evans and Duncan Williams feature amongst the Ford Escort entrants.
Tomas Davies holds an eight-point lead at the top of the Historic ITRC standings but that could well disappear as he misses round four. O’Meara and O’Donnell are tied in second on 34 points, with Alan Watkins fourth on 26 points, and Circuit of Ireland Historic winner Meirion Evans fifth on 21 points.
Check out our stage previews kindly prepared by Onthepacenote’s Killian Duffy, it is going to be a good one.
Saturday
Headford (11.04 km) – SS1/4/7
Traditionally, this stage would have been known as Gortnagane as we head out to Millstreet, but the start of Headford hasn’t been used for a number of years.
It is going to be a bit bumpy and gravelly for the first couple of kilometres, with some roadworks taking place before the event.
Headford is a nice stage but it will be a committed opener for the crews with the corners coming at them fast.
Lisbabe (10.66 km) – SS2/5/8
Lisbabe is going to be a busy ten kilometres apart from a few straightforward blasts between some of the junctions.
But where there are corners, it is very busy with sequences of slow-speed corners and tight, short bends.
Pacenotes will be crucial here as there is time to be gained by pushing through though short corners.
Red Bog (19.31 km) – SS3/6/9
Red Bog is an awesome stage that will be almost 20 kilometres of pure enjoyment. Crews will be able to carry plenty of speed through the corners even though they come into sight quite quickly.
A smooth driving style will be rewarded, and the bog section is really committed.
Sunday
Moll’s Gap (17.47 km) – SS10/13
Sunday starts on the iconic Moll’s Gap stage. The bucket list test turns left at the Avoca cafe this year as crews blast over the awesome pass in a bid to see where their time sits on the race over the Gap.
Ballaghbeama (14.42 km) – SS11/14
Starting with the traditional narrow section, heading onto the main road and its hairpin, before making its way through the one-of-a-kind valley.
An awesome stage that ends with a tricky downhill and bumpy section. You have to keep your wits about you here.
Shanara (13.17 km) – SS12/15
Shanara will provide an epic race to the finish with its fast-paced route. The last 1.5 kilometres are the trickiest where a few sudden corners can catch you out.
It is a lovely stage with a nice surface and a few chicanes for good measure.
Photos by D Harrigan Images
