Rahill secures Billy Coleman Award nomination with MIJRS championship victory

Rahill secures Billy Coleman Award nomination with MIJRS championship victory

Craig Rahill’s third-place finish in Class 2 on Saturday’s Clare Forestry Rally secured the Motorsport  Ireland Junior Rally Series title for the Cavan-based driver.

The championship win means he has also secured a nomination for the Billy Coleman Young Driver of the Tear Award for 2024.

Rahill and co-driver Conor Smith knew ahead of the Scariff-based event that a finish would be enough to secure the MIJRS title.

Despite a pre-event promise to take a conservative approach to the rally, Rahill was surprised to find himself as the category leader after the opening loop.

Not only did the Ford Fiesta Rally4 driver lead Class 2, but he was also the fastest competitor in a two-wheel drive car – ahead of Ford Escort Mk2 drivers who usually dominate the two-wheel drive category in Irish forest events.

Rahill promised to stick with the plan ahead of time in the afternoon loop.

“We just need to keep our noses clean,” he said at the day’s first service halt. “The championship is in the forefront of our minds and we are trying not to get sucked into any battles.”

Nevertheless, he picked up the Drive of the Day Award for setting the fastest overall two-wheel time on the event’s fifth stage and on his way to an eventual tenth-place overall finish.

“Going into the final stage we found ourselves leading the class and, in a position, to potentially push for the two-wheel drive win but we kept a level head as we knew what was at stake,” he added.

“Our focus now turns to the Donegal Harvest Rally next weekend for the final round of Triton Showers Motorsport Ireland National Rally Championship where we need a win to secure that championship.”

Keelan Grogan’s prime reason for entering the Clare Forestry Rally was to get some gravel rally mileage under his belt ahead of a Stellantis Cup showdown in Wales in two weeks.

The Peugeot 208 Rally4 driver is one of three drivers that can win the one-make series and with it, an all-expenses paid drive in the 2025 Junior FIA European Rally Championship.

Grogan and co-driver Ayrton Sherlock finished second in Class2 and eighth overall but their chief Stellantis Cup rivals Ioan Lloyd and Sion Williams won the class.

“It was great day’s racing with Ioan and Craig where it could have gone anyone’s way,” said Grogan. “It was to see an all Rally4 two-wheel-drive podium as well.”

Saturday’s results mean Motorsport Ireland Academy drivers Grogan and Kyle McBride (who was competing in Clare) and Welsh driver Lloyd will all face a fascinating duel on the Cambrian Rally at the end of October.

“The Clare Forest Rally sets us up nicely for the last round of the Stellantis Cup later this month where we are in for a big push,” he added.

Ryan Caldwell and co-driver Stephen O’Hanlon won the first forest rally in the Banner County in 34 years.

After a dry Bushwhacker Rally last month, the Skoda Fabia R5 crew admitted it took a few stages to get accustomed to the wet conditions and arrived at the first service halt in second place.

Once they hit the front on stage three, they never looked back and recorded a 5.8-second victory over Andrew Purcell and Liam Brennan (Ford Fiesta Rally2).

Their next event is the Dogleap Rally on October 19.

Cian Caldwell and co-driver Mark McGeehan were fifth in the Rally4 class and 15th overall. A puncture and a visit to a dyke hindered the progress of the Ford Fiesta Rally4 crew.

Jack Brennan and Eoghan Doherty were sixth in the class and like Caldwell, they too suffered a puncture in their Peugeot 208 Rally4 depriving them of a better result.

Jack Harris, who will join the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy in 2025, won class 2A in his older Ford Fiesta R2. He and co-driver Aaron O’Regan endured a puncture, brake issues and a spin on their way to the class win.

---

---