Class J16 is dead and Class 2 is now where it is at for career aspirational drivers

Class J16 is dead and Class 2 is now where it is at for career aspirational drivers

Big opening statement but judging by the Clare Rally entry list it is not too far off the mark at all.

 The National Junior Rally title has already been decided in favour of Jack McKenna who cannot be overhauled, even with two rounds to go.

Only four J16 class cars have entered, but the Clare entry includes nearly 20 Class Two cars – the majority driven by career aspirational drivers.

 Ryan McHugh, the leader of the Class 2 category in the Triton Showers National Rally Champion was a winner in Kerry and on the Raven’s Rock earlier this year in his Ford Fiesta Rally4.

Second-placed driver Cian Caldwell, the Sligo Rally winner, has also entered Clare but all eyes will be on Keelan Grogan who has won three of the five rallies he has contested this year including last time out in the ALMC Rally in County Meath in August.

KEELAN GROGAN IN ACTION AT THIS YEAR’S RALLY OF THE LAKES. PIC BY CIAN DONNELLAN.

Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy member Aoife Raftery will contest her first Irish National Rally Championship event of the year and will compete in Class 2 in her Ford Fiesta R2 this weekend.

The Galway driver has spent most of the year competing in the FIA Junior European Rally Championship in a Peugeot 208 Rally4 and is looking forward to putting her new international experience to the test on relatively home ground.

The class also features some newcomers, Craig Rahill for example has recently made the switch from a Class 12 Ford Escort and Kerry driver Mossie Costello will make his class tarmac debut having already contested a few gravel rallies in his newly acquired Fiesta Rally4.

Casey Jay Coleman and Rally Academy co-driver Lorcan Moore hope to give their Peugeot 208 Rally4 its tarmac debut in Banner County.

Rally Academy driver Dylan Eves is also on the Clare entry list as is his fellow Donegal man Mathew Boyle who is in fourth place in the championship standings.

One interesting entry comes in the shape of Max Smart and his co-driver Cameron Fair who is best known for his work alongside Jon Armstrong.

South African, Smart, is a member of the FIA Rally Star Programme, like Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy co-driver Ronan Comerford. Although entered class 11F in his Peugeot 208 it is anticipated he will switch to Class 2 ahead of the rally.

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