After seven wonderful events across both the Gravel lanes of the Sligo Pallets Forest Rally Championship and the twisting tarmac roads of the Triton Showers National Rally Championship, the fate of the 2024 MIJRS is set to play out to a conclusion this weekend with the season ending Clare Forest Rally, the eight and final round of the 2024 series.
While Duggan & Kennedy had been nip and tuck all year, the true star of the Class 2A battle was Jack Harris, the Donegal youngster wrapped up the title with a dominant victory last time out on Gravel in Cork, with it claiming a fourth victory of the season, support up to the value of €10,000 as part of the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy the following year and a nomination for the Billy Coleman Award shortlist.
A similar prize is up for grabs in Class 2, and headed to Clare to fight for victory is now a two horse race. Capitalizing on the absence of his rivals in Galway, 2023’s J1000 champion Tommy Moffett has put himself right into the mix, with the destination of the crown now firmly between the Ford Fiesta Rally4 pairing of himself and Craig Rahill.
With a four-point advantage on calculated scores, the series counted on the three best Gravel scores and three best Tarmac scores, its all in Rahill’s hands in Clare, where he know a strong finish will guarantee him the title. While first and second in the standings are destined to be between Rahill and Moffett, there is also a real battle on for third position and the last of the prize packages.
Dylan Eves had a strong start to the season scoring strongly including wins in Mayo & Carrick-on-Suir, but his season has faltered since and this has opened the door for Mossie Costello to potentially grab a dramatic final day prize, but anything less than a MIJRS class victory may see him fall short.
The busies class of all without doubt this year has been in J1000. Competing over a different calendar to the rest of the MIJRS field, their MIJRS battle closes on October 19th with the Laois Gravel Rallysprint.
Open to drivers between 14-17 years of age, this year saw the field tackle all four rounds of the Sligo Pallets Forest Rally Championship, a pair of Gravel Rallysprints which included Imokilly and the aforementioned Laois, and a duo of tarmac Rallysprints in Wexford & Carrick-on-Suir.
With two rounds to go, there are now four drivers still in with a shot of taking the title, but plenty more can still grab the massively rewarding podium spots.
Of those in the title race, David Travers & Tommy Cronin may not have tasted victory so far this year, but their experience and strong scoring throughout sees them firmly in contention as we head towards the seasons end.
