JUNIOR BRC CHAMPION KELLY TO STEP UP TO BRC
Title winner ready to make the leap into the top flight
Newly crowned Junior British Rally champion Eamonn Kelly wants to step up to the main class next season, driving a Volkswagen Polo GTI R5.
Kelly has done three events in what was originally his father Donagh’s car, peaking with a third on the Circuit of Munster.
But the 23-year-old will make the switch permanently in
2023, picking the BRC as his preferred battleground.
Kelly told MN: “The next step is four-wheel drive. I’ve been out in the Polo this year for that reason so it will be a matter of stepping into that car next year. We are looking at options, primarily a British Rally Championship campaign mainly because it’s a really good multi-surface championship but mainly the top-end pace is just really, really hot.
“The likes of Osian Pryce, Keith Cronin, Ruairi Bell, James Williams – all those guys are really, really quick and it’s such tight racing, so in order to go and challenge ourselves and improve our speed in an R5 car that’s the kind of guys you want to be benchmarking yourself against.”
Kelly’s season plan is yet to be confirmed but it’s likely to also include a handful of Irish events, including Donegal, while he could potentially squeeze in some European rallies too.
He is guaranteed at least one as a prize for winning this year’s JBRC, competing for Hyundai Customer Racing in a WRC2 event.