One of the most popular rounds of the Clonakilty Blackpudding Irish Tarmac Championship takes place this weekend, starting today and the Joule Donegal International Rally, the fourth round of the series, promises the usual tough but entertaining competition, headed by championship leader, Sam Moffett from Monaghan.
Moffett and his co-driver Karl Atkinson, come to Donegal having won the previous round in Killarney in the Combilift Fiesta R5.
The pair has also been dominating the national championship with a clean sweep in all the rounds so far.
Now with 43 points in the Tarmac series, they have an 11.5 point advantage over Fermanagh’s Alastair Fisher in another Fiesta R5.
However, with three long days and 20 stages to complete, former Irish Tarmac champion and Donegal winner Andrew Nesbitt said: “Donegal can be the most satisfying to get right and also the toughest, as when you least expect it, it’s always ready to bite you back.”
Moffett has mastered Donegal once before in 2013, then driving a Subaru S12 WRC, and the in-form driver would relish taking his second victory in the new generation rally car.
Fisher, meanwhile, will be looking for a happier hunting ground than Killarney where he crashed out and lost the championship lead.
He and co-driver Gordon Noble will be aiming to make amends with the top step of the podium.
Local Donegal driver, Joe McGonigle has been gathering pace in his fast-improving new koda Fabia R5 and is settled in third place just a single point ahead of Dublin’s Robert Barrable in his Hyundai i20 R5, which is supported by Divers Hyundai of Letterkenny.
Barrable will be eager to improve on his runner-up position last time out in Killarney and give his new backer something to cheer about.
Completing the top five is the younger of the Moffett brothers, Josh in his Fiesta R5, and he is just one further adrift from Barrable, so it really is a tight contest. Josh won in West Cork but then damaged his car in Monaghan and didn’t make it to Killarney, so he really will want to be top dog in Donegal.
Kildare’s Aaron MacHale in his Citroën DS3 R5 needs to find some consistency this weekend, having lost out with an accident and puncture Galway and West Cork respectively and in the absence of Stephen Wright, Brendan Cumiskey and Tomas Davies, could grab some much-needed points. Paraic Duffy (Monaghan) in his Fiesta R5, Joe Connolly and John Mulholland, in new a gold-liveried koda Fabia R5 could also benefit with a strong result.
If you’re looking for an overall winner but which won’t count for championship points, there are a handful of WRCs to choose from.
And you can never discount 2015 Donegal winner, Kesh’s Garry Jennings in his Subaru Impreza, last year’s surprise overall winner, Manus Kelly from Letterkenny in his Subaru, Donegal’s Declan Boyle (Fiesta WRC) and Donagh Kelly from Frosses (Ford Focus).
In Group N, Mitsubishi Evo 9 driver Fermanagh’s William Mavitty leads the category and will be aiming to maximise his lead, but he’ll be watching in his mirrors for Gavin Kelly from Ranafast, who scored maximum points in Killarney and could pose a big threat.
The action gets underway at lunchtime today with six stages and the Trentagh stage opening the event. Saturday is the longest day with eight stages and there are six more stages on Sunday which include such classics as Fanad, Atlantic Drive and Glen.
The first car is due back at the finish ramp at 6pm on Sunday evening.
