‘This win gives us a fighting chance,’ insists Keith Cronin as BRC title bid is back on track

BY MARTIN WALSH

BALLYLICKEY’S Keith Cronin has bounced back into contention for the British Rally Championship after he powered his Cronin’s Centra liveried Ford Fiesta Rally2 to an important victory in the Jim Clark Rally in Scotland last weekend.

Cronin and his Killarney co-driver Mikie Galvin finished the third round of the series 19.1 seconds ahead of another Irish crew, Ulster’s William Creighton/Liam Regan, also in a Ford Fiesta Rally2.

With a return of just ten points from the opening two rounds, victory was imperative on the 14-stage event that was based in Duns on the Scottish borders.

Cronin took the lead on Saturday’s second stage (SS8 Edrom1) after championship and event leader Chris Ingram crashed his VW Polo GTi R5 against a tree, the impact resulting in suspension damage and subsequent retirement.

Victory has promoted Cronin from seventh place into third spot in the series that resumes in August with the Grampian Rally, a gravel event also in Scotland.

Ingram took command on Friday’s opening loop of three stages and after the second run over the Langton stage that incorporated the famous watersplash, the former European rally champion was 23.1 seconds ahead of Cronin, who along with several others had opted for cut slick tyres.

Creighton was 10.8 seconds behind Cronin while another championship contender, Welsh driver Osian Pryce, who had won the previous round, retired when his Ford Fiesta Rally2 drowned out in the water splash.

Having changed to a wet compound tyre, Cronin charged through the fifth stage, the 12.72-mile Abbey St Bathan’s, the longest stage of the rally. A heroic performance saw him reduce Ingram’s lead to nine seconds. It was certainly ‘game on’.

He punched in another fastest time on Friday night’s final stage, this time the gain was a mere 0.4 of a second but the psychological effect proved telling. Creighton was some 31.8 seconds further behind Cronin as the opening leg drew to a close over 90 minutes behind schedule.

‘We went out on the wet tyres for the last two stages and made some real good time back. It didn’t feel like we were doing anything extra special, but everything was working really well in the car,’ Cronin remarked.

The 1.97-mile Langton stage opened proceedings on Saturday’s second and final leg of eight stages and Cronin was only 0.2 of a second shy of Ingram’s stage time. Then, the dynamic of the event took a dramatic turn on SS8 (Edrom1) when Ingram, almost within sight of the finish, slid off and hit a tree that damaged the suspension of his VW Polo GTi R5. Cronin, who was set to claw further time off the Mancunian, was the new rally leader. From thereon and with a lead of 37.3 seconds over Creighton, it was all about management of his lead role.

Cronin completed the stage as rally leader with a commanding 37.3 seconds advantage over Creighton. The four-time BRC champion was quickest on SS10 and measured his performances on the closing stages to win by 19.1 seconds.

‘It's (a win) been a long time coming. The first two rounds didn’t go our way unfortunately, but championships are long. This win gives us a fighting chance again,’ Cronin said.

‘The time we gained on the final two stages on Friday night when we pushed was good for the confidence. It was unfortunate to lose Chris (Ingram) which left us in the lead which we managed. I backed right off and took no risks. It was important to get the win but there's still a long way to go.’

For the third time in as many events Creighton took second spot and that was enough to propel him into the lead of the series. Cronin’s victory moved him from seventh to third in the series.

Beatson’s Supplies Jim Clark Rally (Round 3, Probite British Rally Championship) Duns, Scotland: 1. K. Cronin/M. Galvin (Ford Fiesta Rally2) 1h. 14m. 59.8s; 2. W. Creighton/L. Regan (Ford Fiesta Rally2)+19.1s; 3. E. Thorburn/P. Beaton (VW Polo GTi R5)+28.1s; 4. J. Ford/N. Shanks (Citroen C3 Rally2)+30.2s; 5. C. Black/J. Morton(Ford Fiesta Rally2)+48.0s; 6. G. Pearson/D. Barritt (Ford Fiesta Rally2)+1m. 35.0s.