The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Nagle and Breen sign deal to contest Italian championship
PAUL Nagle and Craig Breen have secured a deal to contest the Italian Rally Championship at the wheel of a Metior Sport run Skoda Fabia R5.
The Kerry / Waterford pairing are actively seeking a return to the World Rally Championships after being left out on the cold during last year’s end of season musical chairs that resulted in Citroen just fielding two cars and Kris Meeke, Nagle’s former driver opting for a new co-driver as part of his move to Toyota.
Breen and Nagle started the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship with a victory on the opening Galway International Rally earlier this month but they did not register for points.
The eight-round Italian series will allow them to compete i at a very high-level as it includes the World Championship counting Rallye Sardinia and the European level Rallye Roma Capitale.
Breen signed a deal with the Swiss team last week and posted on social media that this move, like his recent Irish events, was all part of the bigger plan to return to the top level but, in the meantime, allowing the pair to contest interesting international rallies that were otherwise off their radar.
Breen said: “I am very happy to announce that I will take part in the Italian Rally Championship this season with the Metior Sport team. Again, as happened in the events I took part in in Ireland, it’s something I’m interested in. This is not a sign of intent, the WRC is where I want to be, but in the meantime I want to enjoy the Italian roads.”
Their season will be begin with in the Rallye del Ciocco, based about 100kms southwest of Modena, the home of Ferrari, and end with the Tuscan Rewind Rally on November 24.
Circuit of Kerry
KERRY Motor Club will launch its flagship Rose Hotel Circuit of Kerry on March 9 at the popular Tralee venue.
Set for April 7, the 43rd edition of the rally will feature roads in the North Kerry area made famous by the old Circuit of Ireland Rally when that event visited the county up to the early 1980s.
Stages that featured on the Easter Monday run, from Killarney back to Belfast will form the backbone of this year’s route.
As a counting round of two popular regional championships, the Top Part West Coast Rally Championship and The Moriarty’s Centra Kingdom of Kerry Rally Championship the club hopes to attract entries from all over Ireland and further afield offering Tralee and its environs and welcome early boost to the tourist season.
At Saturday’s event, which is open to the public, members of the club will reveal further details on the route and announce a new town-centre rally festival which will take place on Saturday, April 6 in The Square.
Rally of the Lakes
PLANS for the 40th anniversary Cartelll.ie Rally of the Lakes are moving along with Killarney and District Motor Club now considering a new start location in the East Avenue car park as club officials have concerns that the usual town centre location won’t hold the crowds expected.
Abbeyleix Manor Hotel Rally
MIKE Quinn and Tony Healy were the top Kerry crew on the Abbeyleix Manor Hotel Rally on Sunday, the opening round of both the Top Part West Coast Rally Championship and the Triton Showers National Rally Championship.
They had to overcome brake issues in their Ford Escort Mk2 on their way to 29th overall and sixth on class 14.
Vincent O’Shea and Eoin O’Donoghue gave their new BMW M1 a successful debut on their way to a top 40 finish.