Circuit of Kerry gets April 2 date as calendar is finalised

NEXT year’s Kerry motoring events calendar has been published by Motorsport Ireland and local fans can look forward to an action packed season with several events organised by the county’s two motor clubs.

Kerry Motor Club’s Circuit of Kerry is set for April 2, the second round of the locally sponsored Top Part West Coast Rally Championship.

A new event has been added to the schedule this year with the Sligo Stages gaining West Coastr championship status for the first time on Sunday July 9 and joining traditional events in Limerick, Birr, Clare and Galway.

The following Saturday (July 16) the Tralee-based club will host its annual rallysprint at Tralee Race Course.

Four weeks after the Circuit of Kerry, Killarney and District Motor Club will rum the International Rally of the Lakes over the May Bank Holiday weekend, the third round of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship.

The ever-popular Kerry Winter Rally will take place on November 12 and three weeks later KDMC will promote its unique Killarney Historic Rally – the only event in Ireland that caters solely for historic and modified rally cars.

Historic motorsport fans are in for a double treat next season, with the second running of the Circuit De Ja Va.

Founded last year by wellknown Irish rally man Dr Beatty Crawford, the demonstration event tries to recreate the glory days of the Circuit of Ireland Rally when it was a full lap of the country and when Killarney hosted the notoriously difficult Easter Sunday Run. The second running of the retro event, scheduled for Easter Weekend (April 16 and 17), will celebrate the iconic Group B era of rallying.

“The Group B era was one of the most exciting periods in the sport’s history in this country. All historic rally cars and supercars will be welcome, however, we hope that we will see a large gathering of the cherished Group B machines in Killarney next Easter,” said Beatty.

As well as the main rally events, both clubs will host a series of club and entry level motoring events with KMC continuing its popular AutoSolo series, starting in March and KDMC maintaining its tradition for running Autocross events, the highlight being the Jimmy Devane Memorial event on August 2.

Kerry Motor Club’s Richard Talbot has been appointed the chairman of Motorsport Ireland’s rallies committee. The Tralee was the long-serving chairman of the Triton Showers National Rally Championship and brings a wealth of experience, both as an organiser and competitor into his new role.