A supreme line-up of Rally2 cars is set to take on the O’Connell Group Cork 20 Rally, the final round of this year’s Irish Tarmac Rally Championship.
Defending Irish Tarmac Champions and last year’s Cork 20 winners, Callum Devine and Noel O’Sullivan will open the road on stage one knowing another win in Cork is imperative for their title hopes.
A brace of victories in Killarney and Donegal reignited Devine’s season, putting the pressure on year-long championship leaders Keith Cronin and Mikie Galvin. Cronin stalled Devine’s Skoda attack on August’s Ulster Rally, however, to extend his championship advantage to 15 points.
That margin is cut to five when the series’ two dropped points are considered. A second-place finish in Cork would be enough for Cronin and Galvin to claim the title but finish any lower, and the title will go to their friendly rivals Devine and O’Sullivan should their Skoda Fabia Rally2 top Cork’s timesheets.
Entries from Josh Moffett, Matt Edwards, Eddie Doherty, and James Ford mean plenty of registered Irish Tarmac drivers could influence the title outcome.
World Rally Championship aces Josh McErlean and James Fulton make a welcome visit home to compete in the Cork 20 Rally. McErlean hasn’t competed at an Irish Tarmac event since his class-winning performance behind the wheel of a Peugeot 208 R2 at 2019’s Ulster Rally.
Rally fans will be intrigued to see if he can bring the fight to the ITRC regulars on Cork’s eight-stage event.
Meirion Evans is another welcome addition. Evans knows how to compete at Cork 20’s sharp end and will be hoping for another tight battle aboard his Toyota Yaris Rally2.
In ITRC 4, Keelan Grogan leads a healthy line-up of Rally4 cars. Ioan Lloyd, Kyle McBride, Cian Caldwell, and Matthew Boyle continue the French front-wheel-drive theme, all driving Peugeot 208 Rally4 cars.
Damian Toner and Frank Kelly’s thrilling duel for the McEvoy Motorsport Modified ITRC title will culminate over Cork’s single-day showdown. Four points separate the two Ford Escort Mk2 pilots with Toner’s Ulster Rally victory ensuring he holds the slender advantage.
