BY MARTIN WALSH
BEGINNING this Friday, the next nine days will have a major bearing on Keith Cronin’s dual championship ambitions in a season where he is dovetailing his bid to win a record-equalling fifth British Rally Championship title and a second Irish Tarmac Championship crown.
In normal circumstances, it’s a pretty hectic schedule but with this weekend’s Grampian Rally in Scotland – round three of the British Rally Championship – followed by the Ulster Rally, the penultimate round of the ITRC on Saturday week next, it really highlights the demands of his dual task.
But first things first, and that’s the Grampian Rally in Banchory in Scotland where the four-time British Rally champion renews battle with his rivals headed by Manchester-born Chris Ingram in his Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, series leader Down’s William Creighton (Ford Fiesta Rally2) and Welsh ace Osian Pryce (Ford Fiesta Rally2).
In terms of championship points, Creighton leads the way with 57 points followed by Ingram (43 points) with Cronin (36 points) and second-round winner and former champion Pryce with 28 points.
With a poor start to his BRC season Cronin only collected nine championship points from the opening Legend Fires North West Rally where he was hampered by a puncture, driveshaft failure, handbrake troubles and some incorrect tyre choice. The second round Severn Valley only yielded a solitary championship point, having been in the hunt for a podium spot, a spin and a time-consuming puncture on the longest stage of the rally scuppered his chances.
However, his trip to the Jim Clark Rally in Scotland paid dividends as he secured a much-needed win to get back into championship contention.
On the Grampian Rally and his BRC bid Cronin said, ‘They're all hard won, It won't be easy, for sure.’
He doesn’t view the Grampian Rally as a must-win event.
‘With the way the championship is structured, I wouldn't say so. There are points and a half from the last round and then we have the Joker round where you can get an additional five points if you win. Realistically, I need a good result (in the Grampian), a top-two finish probably,’ he explained.
There was a time when gravel rallies were his favoured surface.
‘I seem to have more tarmac experience of late and that is why I competed in the Nicky Grist Rally in Wales a few weeks ago to get a bit of seat time on gravel. The result (second) wasn’t that important as we used the rally to try out different things, some worked, others didn’t but that was the time to find out,’ Cronin added.
Cronin is certainly travelling to the Scottish event in a positive frame of mind, boosted by the fact that he has previously won the event.
‘I like the Grampian Rally,’ he said, ‘We won there a couple of years ago, so hopefully we can repeat that result this time around. After so many quiet weeks, it's not really ideal for us that the two rallies are falling so close. It's a lot of time away from work and home, but that's just the way it is. They're part of two separate championships and there wouldn't normally be too many crews doing both events.
‘After Ulster there will be a couple of weeks to regroup before Rali Ceredigion, that will be two and a bit days on Welsh tarmac, I'm expecting that to be the hardest BRC round of the year.’
The Grampian, which is extended to a two-day format this year, will feature two stages this Friday evening (6.09pm and 6.20pm). There are a further seven stages on Saturday prior to the ceremonial finish in Banchory shortly after 5pm.
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Meanwhile, on the home front, the Jim Walsh Memorial Cork Forest Rally on Sunday marks the halfway point of the Sligo Pallets Irish National Forest Rally Championship.
Ballyvourney’s Gerard Lucey (Ford Fiesta Rally2) and his Kilnamartyra co-driver JJ Cremin are the top local entry. Lucey, who has a top-three Irish Forest Championship finish under his belt, hasn’t enjoyed the best of luck in the current series where he has recorded non-finishes in the opening two rounds in Castleisland and Waterford.
Championship leader Derry’s Jordan Hone (Ford Fiesta R5) is eager to extend his lead in a series that he has finished runner-up in recent seasons. Monaghan’s Derek Mackarel (Ford Fiesta R5) is one of his main rivals and on Sunday’s eight stage event he will be co-driven by Inchigeelagh’s Eamonn Creedon.
West Cork co-driver, the Pike’s Peter Keohane co-drives for Youghal’s Ross Ryan (Peugeot 107) in the J1000 category while Bantry’s Vincent Goggin sits with Coachford’s Damien O'Donovan in what is their first outing in a Ford Fiesta R2.
Organised by the Cork Motor Club, the event will be based at the Cork Autograss Centre and will incorporate eight stages in the Ballyhoura complex. The first stage (Ballynaboola) begins at 9.16am and the final stage SS8, Glenanaar at 5.24pm with the finish at the Cork Autograss Centre at 5.54pm.
