Capacity entry for weekend’s Galway International Rally

Date Published: 30-Jan-2013

Galway Motor Club this week confirmed that there is a capacity entry of 115 teams for this year’s Safety Direct Galway International Rally, which takes place this weekend.

The event is the first in Galway to support The Gathering 2013 initiative bringing a welcome early season boost to visitor numbers to Galway City and County, with organisers saying the event is expected to generate more than 2,000 bed nights.

“Galway Motor Club is indebted to the staff of Galway County and City Councils, An Garda Siochána, Fáilte Ireland, the Road Safety Authority, the Directors and staff of Safety Direct, the 300 volunteer marshals from all over Ireland, and most of all the residents of the route in the east of the county for their assistance with temporary road closures to ensure the safe running of the event,” said Victor Farrell, Clerk of the Course.

The event will have a Ceremonial Start in Eyre Square on Saturday at 8pm, following afternoon scrutinising of cars at MotorPark, Terryland, from 2pm. These are ideal opportunities to see the rally cars and drivers prior to the start of the competition.

Top seeds are last year’s winners and 2012 Tarmac Rally Champions, Darren Gass from Armagh, and co –driver Enda Sherry. He will be followed off the start ramp by Derek McGarrity from Belfast, triple British Rally Champion Keith Cronin from Cork and Garry Jennings from Enniskillen.

The highest seeded local crews are JJ Fleming from Salthill in his Ford Focus World Rally Car, co-driven by Robbie Ward from Loughrea at number 8; Tom Flaherty from Circular Road at 12 in his Escort Mk2; and Eamon Dervan from Loughrea at 18 also in an Escort; and Neil Pierce from Loughrea in a Honda at number 22.

Galway Entries in the Historic Car section include Ray Cunningham from Carnmore in a Mini Cooper, James Power from Loughrea in an Escort Mk1 and Pat Neville from Taylors Hill in a Volvo 142. The Galway competitors will be competing for the prestigious Brian Thornton Memorial Cup.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.