The Bluebird Care Galway Summer Rally Entry List has just been released and it contains a stunning line up of machinery ready to tackle nine special stages to the east of Athenry on Sunday next. Robert Barrable & Paddy Robinson lead the way in a Ford Fiesta R5 and will be one of the favourites to win the event in the absence of newly crowned national champion Josh Moffett.
Number two seed Peadar Hurson who was national champion as far back as 1992 has won this event three times in the past will be hoping for another top result and he has Damien Connolly on the notes. Gareth MacHale has made a long-awaited return to rallying this year and is third seed in a VW Polo and will fancy his chances of a good result.
Two Fiestas are at numbers four and five in the hands of David Guest & Joe McGonigle with 2007 & 2011 winner Tim McNulty next up looking to give a debut to a newly acquired VW Polo R5. Brendan Cumiskey, Derek McGarrity, Andrew Purcell, and Niall Maguire round off the top ten seeds.
The Group 4 Fabrications King of the Mk2 challenge looks like it will be hotly contested this year. Gary Kiernan, Ed O’Callaghan, Padraig Egan, Adrian Hetherington & Dessie Keenan are just some of the top Escort drivers entered. Its not all about the Escorts though, as Jason Black, Johnny Jordan, Sam Moffett, Richard Moffett, and John Warren are all in competitive Toyotas, be they Starlet or Corolla. There is a healthy entry right down through the clubmen classes and expect each of this classes to be hard fought.
The full entry of 150 crews is backed up by over fifty reserves who will be hoping to get a call up in the coming week. The Rally is based in Athenry Mart for the weekend with three stages at Tiaquin, Greenhills & Knockroe to be attempted three times.
The action gets underway just after 9:30am Sunday with the first car due back at the finish ramp shortly after 5pm. With the rally being a counting round of the Triton National Rally Championship, The Top Part West Coast Championship and the Border Championship expect some superb action on the Bluebird Care Galway Summer Rally.
