This weekend’s Kerry Winter Rally will be a special occasion for several Kerry-based motorsport families.
There at least four fathers and their daughters taking part in the Banna Beach Resort-based rally.
Jason and Megan Costello from Tarbert will share a rally car for the first time since a serious crash on the 2018 Circuit of Munter Rally on the Kerry Winter Rally.
Meagan has competed with several drivers since the crash but apart from a charity track day at Mondello Park in July this year he has not driven a rally car since.
Killarney bothers Charlie and John will drive their Ford Escorts at the rally.
They will be navigated by their daughters, Charlene and Michelle.
While both Charlene and Michelle have competed before, this is the first time all four members of the family will compete in the same event.
Both Charlie and John are no strangers to local rallying. This year marks Killarney-based garage man Charlie’s 40th year in the sport while John, who runs an engineering business in Headford, has been involved in motorsport for 38 years.
Charlene navigated for Charlie on a rallysprint event in Tralee around 10 years ago but she has never contested a stage rally.
Her cousin Michelle made her debut on the Rally of the Lakes, back in 2019.
“Two brothers with their two daughters having a day out in a great rally, this has to be good for motorsport. This is Charlie’s 40th year competing and my 38th year, add this together and it’s probably hard to beat anywhere in this world,” said John.
Meanwhile, former winner Mike Quinn will start the rally as one of its top ten seeds. His daughter Katie will also compete in the event driving a Honda Civic.
The six-stage rally will feature classic roads near Kilflynn and Abbeydorney and will have a central service halt in Tralee town centre.
The after-rally awards ceremony will take place in the Banna Beach Resort on Sunday night
Kerry Motorsport News 