Donegal Rally: South Donegal drivers braced for home roads
For the first time since 1984, the Donegal International Rally is heading south of Barnesmore Gap – and the local drivers can't wait for the loops of home tar.
On Friday, the crews will take on 77.3km of stages in south Donegal. Two loops each of Donegal Bay, Rockhill and Copany will set the tone for the 2023 event.
Pettigo's Kevin Eves takes the Twin Cam out hoping for a change of luck this weekend.
While the 31-year-old has showed top pace this year, Lady Luck hasn't been on side so far.
“We've had the speed this year, just maybe not the luck,” Eves said. “We had a couple of big battles and we're as confident as we can be.”
Eves, who again has Chris Melly on the notes, was a nominee for Young Driver of the Year in 2017.
The roads are familiar on day one and the rest of the famous old rally is well known by now.
Eves is hoping that a change in his own approach will help this time.
“It's coming down our part of the world so it's nice,” he said.
“It's as close to home as we can get in rally. We know the terrain anyway. We normally get a bit wound up for this event and we haven't had a good result, so we'll try and be a wee bit chillaxed this weekend and plod along.”
Gary McElhinney is back at the wheel of the Mk2 Escort. Since 2005, McElhinney has been a regular competitor and this year's location for the opening chapters give an extra bit of meaning for one of the great entertainers on the Donegal tar.
“It's home territory but it'll make no difference to me - I'm just out for a bit of craic and to steer about,” the Laghy man said.
“It's good for the competitors that everyone is starting with a clean sheet.”
McElhinney is also a talented co-driver and has been around the world from Spain to Morocco to Tanzania and the United States in recent years.
He said: “It's great to be here. Everyone is looking forward to being out and the craic will be good.
Irish rallying is very competitive at the minute with huge entries and reserve lists all the time. Donegal is where every everyone wants to be. I've been around the world and it's great, but it's good to get the home rally too.”
McElhinney has predicted a 'mega pace' in the modified rally with the likes of Kevin Gallagher, Declan Gallagher and Kevin Eves among the front runners.
Donegal Town's David Kelly takes the Citroen C3 to the start line on Friday after an exciting rise through the ranks.
In 2021, he competed in the Junior British Rally Championship in a two-wheel Fiesta before upgrading to an R5 Fiesta.
A Billy Coleman Award finalist in 2019, Kelly – who has Dean O'Sullivan as co-pilot, said: “It's a big step up from the Fiesta. It's a good machine. It's a lot more powerful.
“You can go to the BRC, the Irish Tarmac or wherever, but this is the one. You can see the atmosphere already; this is the big one.
“It's nearly a marathon at a sprint pace. There'll be nobody hanging around, it'll be flat out from the world go.”
Kelly's car is at number 14, a measure of his standing. Declan Boyle and Joe McGonigle are the only two Donegal drivers seeded ahead of him in a stacked field.
He said: “We have a bit of experience from last year so we'll try to push on as best we can. The names ahead of us there are the quickest drivers in Europe. We'll keep pushing and see how far up the leader board we can go. It won't be easy.”
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