WRC cars aplenty in revitalised ALMC
This weekend’s ALMC Stages boasts 15 WRC cars in a huge entry list as the MSA Asphalt Championship and Irish National Championship fields combine.
The Irish frontrunners Declan Boyle, Roy White (Ford Fiesta RS WRCS) and the Impreza of Niall Maguire form the top three entries, while a string of MSA Asphalt competitors also make the top 10.
Hugh Hunter has a Melvyn Evans-prepared Subaru Impreza S12B for the event after missing the last two rounds of the British championship in his Fiesta R5. He won the event two years ago in an S11B, but has never driven the later version of the car.
“I won that rally two years ago and I did it the year before that,” he said. “It’s the first time in the S12B and the first time with Aled [Davies]. It’s just a one-off thing for us.”
Just behind is Steve Simpson and Melvyn Evans (both in Impreza S12BS) and championship leader Damian Cole in his ex-m-sport test car, a Fiesta WRC. Evans campaigns the Subaru Impreza Manus Kelly used to win Donegal two weekends previous.
Among the travelling English contingent is the 2.5-litre Millington-powered Fiesta S2000 of John Stone and British championship co-driver Jack Morton. The car has competed on select events including the Motorsport News Circuit Rally Championship. Ashley Field – winner in the MN series – will also compete in his Darrian T90+ while his son Fred is also on the entry piloting an Opel Adam Cup car on his third event, his first on closed roads. Janice Moore and Tom Wood co-drive respectively.