HAVING finished third overall in the Triton Showers National Rally Championship for the past two seasons, Ballylickey's Daniel Cronin will debut his new Citroen C3 Rally2 on Sunday's Midland Rally that marks the beginning of another national rally championship season.
With the postponement of the Galway International Rally, the Longford-based event has received a very strong and over-subscribed entry (with some 70 reserves) that includes many of the Irish Tarmac Championship regulars that will use the nine-stage event as a shakedown for the forthcoming Clonakilty Park Hotel West Cork Rally.
Clonakilty's David Guest (Ford Fiesta Rally2) is also competing in Longford where Ireland's World Championship crew of Derry's Josh McErlean and Killeagh's Eoin Treacy will campaign a Ford Fiesta Rally2 bearing their WRC #55 decals and will run first on the road.
Monaghan's Josh Moffett (Citroen C3 Rally2), who is seeded at number one, begins his quest for a fifth national title with Welsh ace Matt Edwards set to debut a Hyundai i20 N Rally2 as a shakedown for the tarmac championship opener in Clonakilty. Kilkenny's Eddie Doherty (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2) and Monaghan's Sam Moffett (Hyundai i20 N Rally2) are seeded at three and four respectively, in front of Daniel Cronin and his Dunmanway co-driver Donnchadh Burke (Citroen C3 Rally2).
‘It's exciting with the new car but it could be a bit tough too as I am slow to adapt to a new car,’ said Cronin, who added, ‘I take time to bed into a new car and get accustomed to everything. I guess it will be a case of seeing how it goes and take it from there. It will be about learning the car. I had a brief test and I am hoping to have a better test before next Sunday.'
On his plans for the season, Cronin commented, ‘I will have a crack at the national again this year, possibly the West Cork Rally as well and maybe the Wexford Rally later in the year. The West Cork is close to us and the seat time over the three days would be great; it's always an exciting event. I'm hungry for strong results in the national series. My car will be the same as Keith's in terms of sponsors, the livery will be a bit different.'
Meanwhile, David Guest, who competed in the Midland Rally two years ago and finished 14th, will campaign his Acesigns/Clonakilty Engineering Ford Fiesta Rally2.
‘I haven't seen the car since I drove it on the Boggeragh Rallysprint over Christmas. I need seat time in order to build up my speed. While I would still like to do well on Sunday, the aim is to get seat time. Donegal's Paddy Robinson will co-drive on Sunday while Monaghan's Emmet Sherry will call the pacenotes for the West Cork,' Guest explained.
Elsewhere, Barryroe's Dylan Doonan will co-drive for Northern Ireland's Barry Morris (Darian T90 GTR) in the event.
