BY MARTIN WALSH
KEITH Cronin is targeting a podium spot in Saturday's Severn Valley Stages Rally, the second round of the British Rally Championship and the first of three gravel events in the six-round series.
A succession of problems in last month’s opening round, the Legend Fires North-West Rally, saw the Irish tarmac series leader Cronin, and his Killarney co-driver Mikie Galvin, finish seventh overall.
They are seeded at number four for the seven-stage encounter that features classic stages in the Welsh forests, like Myherin and Hafren. Road position is certainly favourable for the four-time BRC champion Cronin as he lines up behind fellow title contenders; it’s a cocktail of drivers who have won European, World and British championship titles.
Chris Ingram (VW Polo GTi R5), who won the opening tarmac round, is the top seed. He will be followed by Moira’s William Creighton, the Motorsport Ireland Academy-backed driver in the M-Sport run Ford Fiesta Rally2. Welsh ace and former British rally champion Osian Pryce in another Ford Fiesta Rally2 is a familiar foe for Cronin and will be a strong contender.
‘I think Osian will be very quick. It’s not exactly his local event but he has great experience of the stages from events such as the Roger Clark Rally,’ Cronin said. ‘It’s not so much that it’s been over ten years since I have been on some of the stages, it’s more to do with me getting up to speed with the Fiesta Rally2 on gravel; that may take a bit of time.’
‘I think if Pryce were to win, it wouldn’t be the end of the world for my championship bid, but if Chris (Ingram) starts to go on a winning streak, then that’s not ideal. We will take it rally by rally and see how it goes.
Cronin added: ‘A podium finish would be great. It’s a long championship, there’s Joker points to think about and also points and half for the final round. Once we can get points on the board is the main thing at the moment.’
The first of the day’s seven stages (Sarnau1) is a 6.71km stage that begins at 8.39am that will be followed by Tarennig (6.02km), Myherin (15.85km) and Hafren. Following an hour-long service at Builth Wells (12.13) the afternoon stages are a Sarnau2 along with Myherin and Hafren (Sweet Lamb). The event finishes in Llandrindod Wells at 5.35pm.
