PURCELL USES WEXFORD WIN AS IOM PLATFORM
Fresh from victory on the Wexford Rally, Irishman Andrew Purcell will make his Isle of Man debut on this weekend’s Chris Kelly Memorial Rally.
Purcell will field his Skoda
Fabia R5 on the Isle of Man in a rare foray outside Ireland and will go up against the leading UK Asphalt Championship contenders. Purcell says that winning in Wexford was unfinished business after he crashed out of the lead of the event in 2019
Purcell said: “I have ticked that box now,” after he and co-driver Andy Hayes took their right-handdrive Skoda Fabia R5 to a 30-second victory on the recent rally. On the dry first day, Purcell could not match local hero James Stafford (Darrian T90 GTR) but took advantage of a soaking second day to move ahead. “I hadn’t done a wet rally in fifteen years,” he said.
However, a scintillating run through two wet stages allowed Purcell to reel Stafford in and move ahead. “After that it was a case of keeping it on the road,” he said. “The mistake I made in 2019 was a thorn in my side ever since. It is my first major tarmac event win.”