KEITH Cronin is back on the trail of his ‘Drive for Five’ on Saturday's Carlisle Rally.
This is the first gravel event and second counting round of the British Rally Championship, a series where Cronin is trying to equal the legendary Jimmy McRae who has won five titles.
The Ballylickey driver faces into one of the busiest schedules in his motorsport career with three events within a four-week period that also includes the Circuit of Ireland and the Rally of the Lakes.
Indeed, just six days after the Carlisle event, Cronin/Galvin will be in action on the Circuit of Ireland, the second round of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship. To use an old cliche, it's one event at a time, with the five-stage rally in the famous Kielder Forest first on Cronin's rally radar this Saturday. The event in Northumberland is a familiar battle ground with some of the stages previously used during RallyGB's time in the World Rally Championship.
Following his second place in the East Riding Rally in Yorkshire where Cronin had his first competitive outing in his new Citroen C3 Rally2, he faces his now familiar rival, William Creighton (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2) who is the top seed.
‘He went very well in Yorkshire, and it was also his first rally in the Yaris,’ said Cronin, who added, ‘If we are to make a fight of it we can't afford to let William (Creighton) and his co-driver Liam Regan get too far ahead early in the season. If they win again on Saturday, it will be hard to pull that (championship lead) back over the rest of the year.’
Cronin warmed up for this event with a start-to-finish victory in the Carlow Forestry Rally, the first round of the Motorsport Ireland Forest Championship.
‘We hadn't been out on a gravel rally since October, so it was important to get familiar with rallying on gravel again. Competing in a rally is always of greater value in that regard than a day's testing,’ Cronin said, as he explained the reason behind that outing.
‘We were able to try a few things with the car which we hope to benefit from in the BRC. Even though what works in Irish forests doesn't always transfer perfectly to England, Scotland or Wales, there was actually no other forestry rally taking place in the UK that we could enter in the few weeks between the West Cork Rally and the Carlisle event.'
Saturday's event features just five stages that account for around 50 miles of action, four of which are longer than ten miles.
‘Tyre wear could be an issue, especially early in the day with three stages (26 miles) before the first service. It could be a balancing act between pace and preservation. There is a service halt before the last two stages so it shouldn't be an issue on those stages,’ he added.
Highlighting the proximity of the Circuit of Ireland, Cronin concluded, 'It will be a quick turnaround after Carlisle to get the car sorted for the Circuit. Hopefully we won't give the Tom Gahan Motorsport lads anything extra to do except to convert it from gravel to tarmac spec (specification).’
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The Munster Car Club hosts the Moonraker Rally on Saturday that switches its location from Ballyvourney (last run in 2023) to Dungarvan for what is the second round of the Irish Forest Rally Championship. Reigning champions Monaghan's Derek Mackarel (Ford Fiesta R5) and his Inchigeelagh co-driver Eamonn Creedon are the top seeds in the 120-plus entry list.
Ballyvourney's Gerard Lucey (Ford Fiesta R5) failed to finish the opening round (Carlow Forest Rally) due to an issue with a rear wheel hub and will be keen to get amongst the championship points.
‘My plan is to contest the championship and having that non-finish in Carlow, the aim on Saturday is to get as many championship points as possible,’ said Lucey. Kilnamartyra's JJ Cremin will co-drive.
Clonakilty's David Guest (Ford Fiesta Rally2), who will be co-driven by Millstreet born Liam Moynihan, is looking forward to a foray in the forests. He said: ‘I have no expectations, no pressure, I just want to enjoy it and have a good day out.’ Elsewhere, Dunmanway's Conor McCarthy will campaign a Ford Fiesta Rally4 car.
Also this weekend, Clonakilty's Cal McCarthy and Rosscarbery's Eric Calnan take their Carbery Plastics/Clonakilty Park Hotel liveried Citroen C3 Rally2 to the Proflex Manx Rally that has ten stages on Friday and eight on Saturday.
