O’Sullivan launches British championship title bid
Sean Moriarty
KILLARNEY-BASED co-driver Noel O’Sullivan will contest the British Rally Championship beginning with Saturday’s Cambrian Rally in North Wales. He is on pacenote duty for Welsh driver Osian Pryce who is making a return to the series after a two-year absence.
They will field a Hyundai i30 R5 in the sixround series that visits England, the Republic of Ireland, Belgium, Northern Ireland and Scotland between now and next September.
“It is my first time sitting with Osian,” said O’Sullivan. “I am really looking forward to shakedown on Thursday morning with a new driver, team and rally.”
They will be amongst championship favourites and up against defending champion Matt Edwards, Junior World Rally Championship driver Rhys Yates and last year’s runner-up Tom Cave.
A few outright victories is a fair target for the Kerry/Welsh team. O’Sullivan will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of fellow Killarney man Mikie Galvin who won the British title in 2017.
O’Sullivan faces a dash from North Wales on Sunday morning as he is due to contest the Junior World Rally Championship element of Rally Sweden the following weekend alongside Jon Armstrong.
The recce gets underway on Monday morning from its Karlstad base – if the rally goes ahead at all. As of Monday, this week there was very little snow in the Varmland Region and there were talks of a shortened rally or complete cancelation. It is understood that the proposed Saturday leg is not suitable for a snow rally.
“It will make a busy two weeks…if Sweden runs,” added O’Sullivan.
RALLY LEGEND BOUCLES DE BASTOGNE
KILLARNEY’S Paul Nagle is due to start Rally Sweden alongside Craig Breen as part of the Hyundai Motorsport World Rally Team effort.
The Kerry/Waterford pairing forfeited their chance to contest last weekend’s Rally Legend Boucles de Bastogne in Belgium to allow themselves more time to prepare for their surprise return to the WRC.
GALWAY INTERNATIONAL
THERE were several Kerry-based co-drivers in action on the opening round of the Irish Tarmac Championship – The Galway International Rally – which took place on Sunday.
Elaine Ní-Shé took a well-deserved second place in the historic section. She was co-driving for Welshman Berian Richards in a Ford Escort Mk2.
Tommy Commane was fourth in the same category alongside Phillip McKibbin in his Mk1 Escort.
Keith McCarthy guided Cork-based driver Neil Phelan to seventh overall and a class win the national section of the rally.
Shane Buckley and Daniel Cronin were running as high as seventh overall in the international section but their Ford Fiesta R5 broke a drive-shaft on the start-line of stage six, The Black Road, and their rally ended on the spot.
LONDON IRISH MOTOR CLUB
THREE Kerry men were elected to the committee of the London Irish Motor Club at its AGM last week.
Killarney men Mick Smith and John F O’Mahony retained their positions as club chairman and secretary while Shane Buckley was named as the club’s new membership officer.
PORSCHE CARRERA CUP
LORCAN Hanafin will join the Porsche Carrera Cup GB grid for 2020 with Joe Tandy Racing.
The Leeds-based-driver raced in the Junior Clio Cup in 2017 before moving in to Ginetta Junior Championship for the 2018 and 2019 seasons. The 17-year-old has strong Tralee ties, his father Dermot was raised in Ballinorig where his grandfather Dermot Sr and other family still live.
HOT ROD RACING
HOT Rod Racing will make a return to Kilflynn Track on Sunday after several year’s absence. East Cork Hot Road Club has taken over the running of the long-idle track. The first race is set for 12 noon.