This weekend’s O’Connell Group Cork ’20’ Rally, the concluding round of the NAPA Auto Parts Irish Tarmac Rally Championship, will definitely herald a new winner.
For top seed Donegal’s Declan Boyle, the 15-stage event offers a great opportunity to end a barren period of some 11 years since he last won a round (Donegal International Rally) of the ITRC as he bids for his first Cork ’20’ victory.
Further to his 2011 ITRC success in a Subaru WRC, the Lettermacaward driver moved to a Ford Fiesta WRC and didn’t transition to the R5 category (introduced in 2016) until 2019.
Variants of the Fiesta and Polo GTi were tried before he switched to a Citroen C3 Rally2 and subsequently a defining change to a Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 where victory in last year’s Wexford Rally provided him with his first Rally2 victory.
On ending his Tarmac drought “It would be class to do it but with Derry’s Desi Henry (Ford Fiesta Rally2) and Michael (his own son, who also drives a Skoda) it will be hard work” Indeed, competing against his sons Michael (25) and Matthew (21), who steers a Ford Fiesta Rally2, bring an enjoyable element where family banter not to mention bragging rights are fun.
The local challenge has Ballylickey’s Daniel Cronin, Ovens’ Owen Murphy and Clonakilty’s Cal McCarthy in Citroen C3 Rally2’s and Clonakilty’s David Guest (Ford Fiesta Rally2) while others in the top 10 are Tyrone’s Ryan Loughran (Ford Fiesta Rally2) and British driver Mark Kelly (VW Polo GTi R5).
Based at the Cork Marts Centre outside Rathcormac, there are nine stages (3×3) tomorrow and six (3×2) on Sunday.
