New rules for historic car rallying in Ireland means that the Killarney Historic Rally is now open to a wider range of cars. Since its inception in 1996, cars that qualified for participation in the Killarney Historic Rally had to be manufactured before December 1981.
Motorsport Ireland will grant historic rally car status to cars produced from January 1 , 1986 to the end of December 1985 from the beginning of next year. But as the Killarney Historic Rally is a round of the 2014 Irish Tarmac Rally Championship it has been made possible that owners of such cars can enter this year’s event on December 7.
Car like Opel Corsas, Peugeot 205s and Vauxhall Novas as well as Toyota Twin Cam Corollas are now eligible for Ireland’s only dedicated historic rally.
Clerk of the course Kevin Flannery said: “This is great news as it opens the rally to many new potential entrants that were not eligible to compete before. However there are strict rules concerning the cars that qualify and they must be presented at the rally as they were in the early 1980s [with modern safety equipment] and a Toyota Corolla Twin Cam fitted with a modern sequential gearbox, for example, would not be allowed. Still, it opens up the rally to a huge number of clubman cars and drivers and we look forward to welcoming new faces to join our regulars in Killarney in December.”
One of those regulars confirmed for the Gleneagle Hotel based rally is Ford Escort Mk2 legend Phil Collins. The Hereford-based engineering contractor made his first visit to Killarney in 1980 (when the Rally of the Lakes was a winter rally) and has been a regular visitor to the Kingdom ever since for both the modern May bank holiday weekend and the historic events.
He said: “It is just Killarney in December. There is no better place to be. The welcome we get from the townsfolk, the fantastic stages run in ever-so-beautiful surroundings and the buzz in the town make it a worthwhile trip at any time of the year. The first rally I ever entered outside of England was the Rally of the Lakes in 1980 [the second edition of that event] and there can’t be too many who competed 33 years ago and who are again competing this year..
Regulations for the event are now available and can be obtained from rally secretary Martin Flannery onmgflannery@yahoo.co.uk
Hi Darren, Does this mean that a Toyota Corolla twin cam with a sequential box can enter class 17?
:
QUOTE=darrenmccormick;395874]New classes and massive overseas interest
PRESS RELEASE 2013/01
New rules for historic car rallying in Ireland means that the Killarney Historic Rally is now open to a wider range of cars. Since its inception in 1996, cars that qualified for participation in the Killarney Historic Rally had to be manufactured before December 1981.
Motorsport Ireland will grant historic rally car status to cars produced from January 1 , 1986 to the end of December 1985 from the beginning of next year. But as the Killarney Historic Rally is a round of the 2014 Irish Tarmac Rally Championship it has been made possible that owners of such cars can enter this year’s event on December 7.
Car like Opel Corsas, Peugeot 205s and Vauxhall Novas as well as Toyota Twin Can Corollas are now eligible for Ireland’s only dedicated historic rally.
Clerk of the course Kevin Flannery said: “This is great news as it opens the rally to many new potential entrants that were not eligible to compete before. However there are strict rules concerning the cars that qualify and they must be presented at the rally as they were in the early 1980s [with modern safety equipment] and a Toyota Corolla Twin Cam fitted with a modern sequential gearbox, for example, would not be allowed. Still, it opens up the rally to a huge number of clubman cars and drivers and we look forward to welcoming new faces to join our regulars in Killarney in December.”
One of those regulars confirmed for the Gleneagle Hotel based rally is Ford Escort Mk2 legend Phil Collins. The Hereford-based engineering contractor made his first visit to Killarney in 1980 (when the Rally of the Lakes was a winter rally) and has been a regular visitor to the Kingdom ever since for both the modern May bank holiday weekend and the historic events.
He said: “It is just Killarney in December. There is no better place to be. The welcome we get from the townsfolk, the fantastic stages run in ever-so-beautiful surroundings and the buzz in the town make it a worthwhile trip at any time of the year. The first rally I ever entered outside of England was the Rally of the Lakes in 1980 [the second edition of that event] and there can’t be too many who competed 33 years ago and who are again competing this year..
Regulations for the event are now available and can be obtained from rally secretary Cathy Healey on cathy.rally@gmail.com[/QUOTE]
The new historic category within our regs allows cars from 1/1/82 to 31/12/85 to compete as but must hold a current HRVIF form.
Our Modified section has also been opened up from 31/12/81 to 31/12/85, this means we will have a wider range of cars competing for overall honors for this section of the rally, Cars such as Twin cam corollas, G3 escorts, Bmw m3's asconas, mantas, chevettes, 205 wide track 6R4's, novas, 205's and more are allowed enter.
The launch of the Rentokil Initial Killarney Historic Stages Rally 2013 is on this Sunday evening at 6pm at the Gleneagle Hotel in the Mangerton Suite. Finger food speakers and a fun evening in store all invited to come along. There will also be an unseeded list of entries recieved to date on show on the night. See ye all there.
The Rentokil Initial Killarney Historic Rally was officially launched at rally headquarters, The Gleneagle Hotel.
So far nearly 100 crews have committed to the December 7th event which is Ireland's only rally run entirely for historic specification rally cars.
At the Launch event Clerk of the Course Kevin Flannery and entries secretary Cathy Healy revealed some of the big names who have already signed up for the event - the opening round of the 2014 Clonakilty Black Pudding Irish Tarmac Historic Rally Championship and the final round of the Plasticbags.ie Southern Four Rally Championship.
Top Class Entry
Among the leading Irish drivers to place an entry for the rally is newly crowned ITRC Historic Champion James O Mahony in his Volvo 144s. Northern Ireland's Wesley Patterson was one of his main rivals for the title and the Ford Escort Mk2 driver has also confirmed his entry, albeit in his modified car opposed to his full Historic spec machine.
Irish Tarmac Rally Championship front-runner, and former Rally of the Lakes winner Daragh O Riordan makes his historic Rally debut driving another Escort. The Middleton-based driver is usually found at the wheel of a Ford Fiesta World Rally Car on International events up and down the country. He has been promising for years to enter the Killarney Historic event and finally has managed to put a deal together to allow him compete this year.
Leading Locals
Leading local crews include Fergus O Meara, and a brace of father and son teams like Charlie and Johnny Hickey and Noel Sr and Noel Jr O Sullivan who will field Ford Escorts. Cork's Donagh McGrath is one of the first drivers to take advantage of the new class rules announced last month. Pre-1986 cars will be eligible for Historic Rallying in 2014, and with the Killarney event forming the opening round of the 2014 ITRC historic division the new rules will come into effect one month early allowing McGrath to enter his Toyota Corolla Twin Cam. Roger Albert Clark Rally sensation Owen Murphy is close to finalising a deal to drive on the event although he has admitted that it is very unlikely the Ex-Works Talbot Sunbeam he used in the RAC earlier this month will be available and is currently trying to source another car for the Killarney Rally.
Overseas Interest
Kevin Flannery announced at the Launch the the rally is attracting huge overseas interest and already some of the biggest names in British Historic Rallying have pledged entries for the rally.
Among them is former Dunlop Irish National Rally Champion Melvyn Evans. The Welsh man, who was competing on the national element of Wales Rally GB in his Subaru Impreza Wrc where he finished second will make a rare appearance behind the wheel of his ford Escort.
One of those regulars confirmed for The Gleneagle Hotel based rally is Ford Escort Mk2 legend Phil Collins. The Hereford-based engineering contractor made his first visit to Killarney in 1980 (when the Rally of the Lakes was a winter rally) and has been a regular visitor to the Kingdom ever since for both the modern May bank holiday weekend and the Historic events.
He said: "It is just Killarney in December. There is no better place to be. The welcome we get from the townsfolk, the fantastic stages run in ever-so-beautiful surroundings and the buzz in the town make it a worthwhile trip at any time of the year. The first rally I ever entered outside of England was the Rally of the Lakes in 1980 (the second edition of that event) and there can't be too many who competed 33 years ago and who are again competing this year."
Support for this year's rally comes from Rentokil Initial , The Gleneagle Hotel and Great Stuff Caterers and Ace Signs.
Entries are still open and regulations for the event are now available and can be obtained from rally secretary Martin Flannery on mgflannery@yahoo.co.uk
Made notes for Killarney Historic Rally yesterday, what an awesome event! Classic stages, classic cars, quiet time of the year, what more would you want?!
Recce of the 4 stages will take a full day, as 2 of the stages are difficult to loop, I will have notes & dvd available to order on-line over this weekend on my new revised website(www.onthepacenote.com), & I will have notes at both recce days(sunday 1st Dec & Friday 6th), see you down there!Anyone needing to book notes can alternatively call or text me 087 6355088
The Rentokil Initial Killarney Historic Stages rally 2013 is not to be missed.
Reminder that the rally is on Sat 7th Dec.
The Stages are the most famous classic route of stages available, starts with the iconic Molls Gap, followed by Beallaghbeama, Kilgobnet and into service at the Gleneagle Hotel. This Loop is repeated and then it is up to the Coolick stage (Kilcummin) Which is repeated back to back in daylight and Darkness with a trip to service in-between.
Why is Killarney Historic Rally the place to be?
THE BEST MODIFIED & HISTORIC BATTLE OF THE YEAR
1 HOUR OF TV COVERAGE - Mick Bracken
MOLLS GAP ON A DRY, COLD, FROSTY DECEMBER MORNING WITH THE ROAR OF THIS LINE UP OF CARS:
Denis Cronin BMW M3 (doing 00 duty)
Darragh O’Riordan
Declan Gallagher
Andy Johnston
Mike Quinn
Liam Howlett
Wesley Patterson
Mervyn Johnston
Charlie Hickey
Fergus O’Meara
Melvyn Evans
Martin Magee
Ed Murphy
Ray Cunningham
Barry Meade
Chris Armstrong
Barry Ryan
Pat Donegan
David & George Condell
Drew Wylie
Gary Keirnan
Mark Falvey
Rodney White
Cyril Warton
Tom Flaherty
Phil Collins
Rob Smith
Vincent O’Shea
LIyod Hutchinson
Ernie Graham
Kevin O’Donoghue
Ray Hillard
Trevor Culbert
Fintan McGrady
Gareth LIoyd
and the list goes on............
We now have over 120 Entries.
"Come on down to Killarney for the final showdown of the year"
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