Irish eyes were certainly smiling in Scotland on Saturday evening after Motorsport Ireland Rally licence holders dominated the results of the Jim Clark Rally.
The famous closed-road rally in the Scottish borders was the third round of the 2024 British Rally Championship.
For the third time this year, Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy members William Creighton and Liam Regan finished second in a BRC rally. Their result in Duns on Saturday propelled them into the lead of the championship ahead of the summer break.
Keith Cronin and Mikie Galvin won outright in what is a significant boost to their hopes of lifting both the British and Irish titles in the same year. Thus, making it an impressive Irish one-two at the legendary Duns-based rally.
Both crews were supported by the well-known Limerick Motor dealer, the Lyons Motor Group. Indeed, dealer Principal Keith Lyons was on location in Scotland to witness the important event.
Creighton and Regan were always in contention over the course of the two-day 14-stage rally in their Ford Fiesta Rally2. Backed by Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy and M-Sport.
Their second place overall is enough to launch them firmly into the lead of the championship. The only crew to have claimed a podium on every round so far. Creighton heads into the summer break with a 15-point advantage.
“It was a tricky weekend” explained a delighted Creighton. “The stages and road surface here is quite unique. In the wet on Friday it was really difficult, but we got through it, Saturday was nice, it was still tricky with a lot of dirt on the road”.
Cronin's fifth BRC title bid alive
Cronin ensured his bid for a fifth BRC title is firmly alive, by taking a critical victory on the rally.
After a difficult start to this year's BRC campaign, Cronin and Galvin took their Pirelli shod Ford Fiesta Rally2 to their first victory of the season.
More importantly, edged themselves back into contention for the coveted crown. “It has been a long time coming” said Cronin at the finish.
“The first two rounds did not go our way, but the championships are long. This result gives us a fighting chance, again” declared Cronin. “We needed this win”.
In the junior category; Irish crews took all three podium positions with Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy drivers taking the top two spots.
Kyle McBride, last year’s runner-up added to his second place on April’s Severn Valley Rally by taking a solid Junior category win. McBride and co-driver Darragh Mullen finished an impressive 14th overall in their Peugeot 208 Rally4.
Less than 10 seconds separated McBride and his fellow Donegal man Ryan MacHugh after an epic battle between two of the rising stars of Irish rallying.
MacHugh was more than happy to secure a podium finish on his first event outside of Ireland.
With the promise of further trips in the future, second spot is a positive result for MacHugh and co-driver Arthur Kierans.
Kallum Graffin with Mark McGeehan on the notes in their Peugeot 208, ensured it was an all-Irish podium in the junior category.
The British Rally Championship now enters a two-month summer break ahead of August’s Grampian Rally.
