Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy members made a significant impact at the Visit Conwy Cambrian Rally.
As they secured top positions in both the Junior British Rally Championship (JBRC) and the Stellantis Motorsport Rally Cup Ireland & UK.
Craig Rahill and Conor Smith claimed the Junior BRC class win with a dominant performance in their Ford Fiesta Rally4.
“We got into a good rhythm this morning and a good pace and kept on it” explained Rahill. “The last few stages were about keeping it clean and tidy”.
Indeed, their impressive pace and consistency earned them a 48-second victory over fellow Academy teammates Ryan MacHugh and Arthur Kierans.
MacHugh’s performance was impressive too, just his fourth BRC start. The result ensured him the runner-up position in the junior championship.
“I am happy with the result” said Donegal-based MacHugh. “I feel there is a lot more to come but we only decided to enter (the championship) later in the season and with a bit more seat time we could have been closer.
Impressive Irish performances
Aoife Raftery and Hannah McKillop completed the all-Irish podium sweep in third place. Raftery delivered a strong performance in her Peugeot 208 Rally4; setting a string of top three times during the day.
“We really enjoyed the battle” said the Galway-based driver. “The stages were lovely, and it is great to be back in the British Rally Championship where it all started for me”.
This was one of Raftery’s best performances to date and she gave her Academy teammates Rahill and MacHugh a good run for their money.
In the Stellantis Motorsport Rally Cup Ireland and UK, Kyle MacBride and Darragh Mullen secured the event win with a fifth-place finish in the junior class.
The result ensured he claimed second in the final championship standings. While Keelan Grogan and Ayrton Sherlock were unable to challenge for the Stellantis Motorsport Rally Cup title due to a late-stage mechanical issue. Their strong early performance, having led the category highlighted their potential.
