Champions line up for tantilising Circuit of Ireland Rally
The Irish Tarmac Rally Championship heads north for its second round of the season with a mix of in-form, defending winners, and champion crews set to take on the 11-stage event.
The Dungannon-based event keeps its testing itinerary of four unique stages but shifts to a two-day format with three loops of three stages providing the bulk of the action on Saturday.
Check out our stage preview with Onthepacenote’s Killian Duffy at the end of the article, unsettled weather could make this one even more interesting.
Matt Edwards and David Moynihan lead the Circuit’s entry list after pipping Keith Cronin and Mikie Galvin to the much sought-after trophy 12 months ago.
The Hyundai i20 Rally2 crew had been second in West Cork on their first event since switching from Ford power, but an off on day two dampened the debut. The Welshman showed he is as quick as they come on Northern Ireland’s asphalt terrain and will be hoping a successful Circuit of Ireland defence renews his Irish Tarmac title hopes.
West Cork winner Cronin will be the benchmark for round two. Despite showing signs that he is still adapting to his new Citroen C3 Rally2 towards the end of the West Cork Rally, Cronin will be match fit after additional outings in the British Rally Championship.
Match fitness is something Callum Devine will have to make up for this weekend as he returns from a six-month layoff. The newly-wed showcased supreme speed after a mid-season to a Skoda Fabia Rally2 in 2024. The 2023 Irish Tarmac Champion will be hoping to rekindle that form as soon as possible this weekend.
With past champions Josh Moffett and Andy Hayes joined by recent Circuit of Kerry pacesetters Eddie Doherty and Tom Murphy, the list of potential winners is ongoing.
Garry Jennings and Rory Kennedy are going for a hat-trick of rally wins in three weeks after memorable victories in the Sperrins and the Manx. Circuit of Ireland spectators would love to see him back in the front-end Irish Tarmac mix this weekend.
Cathan McCourt, Ryan Loughran, Declan Boyle, and David Kelly complete a strong list of Rally2 hopefuls inside the Circuit of Ireland’s top ten.
Frank and Lauren Kelly top the Circuit of Ireland’s two-wheel-drive entry with Conor Harvey and in-form Barry Morris set to keep Baby Blue on its toes.
National Rally Championship regulars David Moffett and Michael Cahill make the trip to Dungannon, while local pilots Adrian Hetherington and Gareth Black will be looking to make an impact on modified proceedings.
Hugh McQuaid and Declan Casey lead the Historic entry list, seeded 40th. John O’Donnell and Paddy Robinson have not only been impressive on the timesheets but entertaining on the stages as they bring their BMW M3 to the Circuit of Ireland.
Meirion Evans and Anthony O’Sullivan have been a formidable force in their Ford Escort RS1800 in recent years and will be pushing for another Historic victory together.
Local driver Trevor Wilson makes a welcome return to Historic action in another beautifully prepared BMW M3.
Ivy Hill (11.6 km) – SS1/2
The shortest stage of the rally is an absolutely epic one, a great way to start this year’s Circuit of Ireland. 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 an intense stage to kick off proceedings.
Ivy Hill is Friday’s sole stage, its first running starts at 15:30 with a service halt before its second start-time of 18:23.
Drummond (13.0 km) – SS3/6/9
This is going to be a really difficult stage for the Irish Tarmac crews to start day two.
Drummond will demand a lot of driver and co-driver from start to finish. Saturday’s opener includes some very narrow and twisty country roads as well.
The Hollow (14.6 km) – SS4/7/10
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) – SS5/8/11
After two tough opening tests, crews can enjoy Sweathouse which has a more natural flow to it.
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.
Photo by D Harrigan Images
