Saturday’s Samsonas Fivemiletown Rally will decide the Brown & Brown Northern Ireland Forest Rally Challenge with a father and son battle between Ashley and Stephen Dickson at the fore, writes William Neill.
The Drumquin Dickson’s will go up against fellow Ford Fiesta crew Jordan and Paul Hone – another father and son team, the difference though the latter going for glory together.
As it stands Stephen, co-driven by Ben Teggart, has a nine-point advantage over Ashley and Hone is another six points back following just a single point at the previous round thanks to mechanical trouble.
Derek Mackarel, a winner of the series, still has a mathematical chance despite being in sixth thanks to the dropped score round. A podium result at the 2024 version of the rally the Clones’ man has experience on the stages ahead.
Owen Mallon has had strong scores so far this season and with Dogleap winning Niall Devine absent from the entry list, could see an improvement from seventh in the overall standings.
Alan Smyth, currently tenth in the Brown & Brown points, has impressed on his switch to a Rally2-spec Ford Fiesta and, a good result this weekend, would likely see a boost up the leaderboard.
Also from the IN-Sport stable Niall McGonigle is to start in car one following a 2014 win at the Omagh Motor Club event but will have plenty of competition from the likes of Mark Donnelly, Josh Moffett and David Kelly.
Sam Stewart leads the two-wheel-drive race in fourth overall with his Ford Escort Mk2 but with each driver dropping their worst score of the season come the finish, Pomeroy’s Raymond Doyle remains a threat.
Cars will leave the Tempo start at 9am with the opening Jenkin stage at 9.46am and Crocknagrally following before a regroup at Fivemiletown High School from 10.43am.
The Doon stage will be introduced in the second loop alongside an altered Jenkin test and another visit to Crocknagrally before a half-hour service with the first car expected shortly after 12.30pm. A final pass of the three stages will conclude the action with the Tempo finish at 3.22pm.
