Moffett focusing on National Rally Championship in 2024
Sam Moffett looks set to focus on the 2024 National Rally Championship after starting his rallying year on last weekend’s Galway International Rally.
The Hyundai i20 Rally2 driver finished seventh on the two-day Irish Tarmac opener. A kiss with a Galway wall cost Moffett and co-driver James O’Reilly vital seconds on Saturday afternoon but they could take plenty of positives from a result that was only 6.1 seconds off a fourth-place finish.
“I haven’t registered to do the Irish Tarmac Championship,” said Moffett. “I am just planning to do the National Championship, that will be our priority this year.”
The 2017 Irish National Rally Champion was using Galway to get back up to speed after a gap of seven months since his last rally.
“We changed over to Michelin this year so we have been trying a few things out. It is all good, we are just trying to get to grips with everything.
“I was happy with my pace on Saturday morning but we made a few mistakes with our tyre choice after that.
“I am happy with the stage times that we punched in when everything felt good.”
Moffett couldn’t commit to which car he would be using for the rest of the year. He is waiting to see the results of an upgrade package expected on his current i20 Rally2.
The 34-year-old’s National Championship schedule will include his home Monaghan Stages Rally, an event he has won three times before. Moffett laughed that there would be another boy [Josh] looking to win his family’s local rally this year too.
Sam’s younger brother Josh equalled his three Monaghan wins two years ago, bettering him by 12 seconds.
The National Rally Championship starts with the Ballina-based Mayo Stages Rally on 3 March.
Photos by Fergus McAnallen
