In what is set to be a race to the finish at this weekend’s Premier Car Parts Dogleap Rally, ten drivers are within a mathematical chance of winning the Brown & Brown Northern Ireland Forest Rally Challenge, writes William Neill.
Carlow’s David Condell and Michael Coady are best placed heading to the Maiden City Motor Club final with a 15-point advantage, scoring consistently across the series so far.
Currently second, in another Skoda Fabia Rally2, Mark Donnelly and Martin Brady are in great form with top points scored last month at both the Lakeland and Bushwhacker rallies to be a real threat to Condell.
Owen Mallon and Keith Hall have been coming up through the leaderboard table in recent Brown & Brown seasons and now the Cookstown businessman sits third, four points behind Donnelly.
Despite going off the road at the Lakeland Vivian Hamill is fourth with good scores at the Fivemiletown opener and again at the last outing. The Ballygawley driver is just a single point from Mallon with the next three drivers on equal points, just a further two points behind.
And it is no less than Premier Car Parts-backed Jordan Hone, the already 2026 NI Championship crowned Jonathan Greer and Subaru Impreza driver Paul Maguire in joint fifth.
Last year’s Dogleap winner, Niall Devine is eighth in the standings with top two-wheel-drive runner Shane McGirr ahead of Alan Smyth. All ten drivers will compete on Saturday as part of a 60-plus field.
2024 Dogleap winner Jason Mitchell will join the Brown & Brown regulars to add to the high-level of competition that will play across Cam, Springwell and two Loughermore tests.
The rally, totalling eight stages, will be based in Anaghloo, Limavady with a 10am start ramp followed by the first stage at 10.30am.
