The stage was set once again at Galway for the season opener of the 2023 ITRC. Josh Moffett with an amazing achievement in 2022. 4 wins from last win including victory at the infamous Donegal International Rally is no mean feat. Can anyone topple pair this year? We were about to find out.
Day 1
In the opening stages it was Josh’s brother Sam who led at Galway. Showing off in his brand new Hyundai I20 Sam set the pace after Stage 5. However, after Stage 6 we had a new leader. Welshman Meirion Evans returning back to compete in another season took the lead after and overall just 6 seconds separate the top 5 which included the likes of Josh Moffett and Cathan McCourt!
Everything was all to play for going into the 2nd half of the day and it was the defending champion Josh Moffett who really stepped it up a gear. Despite suffering a spin on SS5, he would go on to win stages 7, 8, and 9 to open up a 7.8 second gap between himself and Cathan McCourt.
In 3rd is Sam Moffett a further 11 seconds further from McCourt with Meirion Evans & Garry Jennings rounding off the Top 5 at the end of Day 1.
In the other classes, Meirion Evans and Dale Furniss hold a 31 second overnight lead in the Historics while Mark Alcorn lead the modified’s overnight respectfully.
Day 2
At the start of the morning Stage 10 had to be cancelled due to black ice on the surface so it was on to stage 11 and drama occurred! 2nd place contender Cathan McCourt slid off the road early on Stage 11. The Tyrone pilot had been Josh Moffett’s nearest challenger.
That responsibility now lies in Meirion Evans and Jonathan Jackson’s hands after a brilliant time through Ballydoogan.
Four more stages to go on Sunday, it was all to play for in frosty conditions. A storming stage 12 win for Meirion Evans and Jonathan Jackson Gave them a 4.8 second lead with three Galway stages to go. Both Josh and Sam Moffett hit obstacles and lost time on Black Road. Evans continued his consistent run and going into the final stage, he had an 11+ second gap over Josh.
This was enough for Meirion and Jonathan Jackson as he cruised home to take the opening round of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship. Josh Moffett & Andy Hayes finished 2nd with Sam Moffett & Keith Moriarty rounding off the podium positions.
Elsewhere Mark Alcorn and John O’Donnell claimed victory in the modified section of the Galway International Rally. The pair finished one minute and seven seconds ahead of Jason Black and Karl Egan in their Toyota Starlet RWD while Meirion Evans and Dale Furniss claimed the historics class respectfully.
