After an enforced extended break, the Stellantis Rally Cup Ireland returns to action this weekend as the Galway Summer Rally marks the third round of the inaugural Irish-only championship season.
The series was originally scheduled to return at the Stonethrowers Rally, but the postponement of that event created an unexpected gap in the calendar, leaving crews with a longer-than-planned wait to get back behind the wheel. Now, with the Galway Summer Rally next on the schedule, the championship resumes with plenty still to play for.
Oran England and Darragh Mullen arrive in Galway as the crews to beat after producing a perfect start to their campaign. The Peugeot 208 Rally4 pairing claimed victory on the opening round before mastering the treacherous conditions on the Carlow Stages Rally to make it two wins from two.
Their Carlow victory was anything but straightforward. Robert Cronin and Paddy Heffernan initially set the pace in their Opel Corsa Rally4, building a healthy lead before driveshaft failure forced their retirement. England then found himself locked in a fierce battle with Jack Byrne and Eurig Davies as heavy rain transformed the stages.
A decisive drive on the opening test of the final loop saw England pull clear, before he and Mullen completed their second consecutive victory.
That result has given the reigning round winners a significant advantage in the early championship standings, but Danny Brady and Liam Callaghan are already emerging as their closest challengers.
Brady produced another strong performance in Carlow to finish third and, crucially, claimed his maiden Stellantis Rally Cup Ireland stage win on the eighth test. That growing pace will make the Peugeot 208 Rally4 crew one to watch when the championship resumes in Galway.
Byrne and Davies will also be looking to convert their Carlow pace into victory this time around. The pair finished second in Carlow after pushing England throughout the wet middle loop, securing their best result of the season and demonstrating that they have the speed to challenge for the top step.
With the extended break giving crews additional time to prepare, Galway could provide a very different contest. The opening two rounds have already demonstrated just how quickly the momentum can change, while the competitive nature of the Stellantis Rally Cup Ireland field means reliability will be just as important as outright pace.
For the likes of Ross Hunter, John O’Rourke and the other Cup contenders, Galway represents an opportunity to close the gap and put themselves firmly into the championship picture.
After the unexpected wait for round three, the Stellantis Rally Cup Ireland is finally back in business – and with the inaugural title still very much up for grabs, the Galway Summer Rally promises another important chapter in the championship battle.
