IT’S ALL SYSTEMS go for this Saturday’s Martin Howley Memorial Bayview Hotel Harvest Stages Rally, based in Killybegs.
Crews, around 180 of them, will tackle eight special stages around the Killybegs, Kilcar and Glencolmcille areas on Saturday with four stages done twice and service taking place on the new pier in Killybegs.
The rally contains the unique inclusion of two ‘town stages’ with runs through both Kilcar and Glencolmcille.
Manus Kelly is back in action in the Impreza in which he won the Donegal International Rally back in June, while Garry Jennings and Declan Boyle – the Harvest Rally winner last year – are also at the head of the entry list.
“There are some great drivers and crews who have entered,” said Clerk of the Course Karl Reid.
“We have eight or nine WRC cars up front and we have the likes of Joe McGonigle in the Skoda and then, of course, the modified men.
“The reaction locally here has been great. The Killybegs people can’t do enough for us. It’s great for the area and great for Donegal in general.”
The event is in memory of the late Martin Howley and there has been a real sense of anticipation in Killybegs ahead of the event.
[adrotate group=”85″]Ardara’s Declan Gallagher will be taking to the stages in the famous Starlet and ‘The Milkman’ can’t wait to get around the local tar.
He said: “It’s good to see a local rally coming about. The boys have put in a huge effort and it’s great to see a big turnout. It’s a special event for us.”
The Rally, one of the hottest tickets on the Irish motorsport calendar, is the final round of the Triton Showers National Rally championship and also the final round of the Sligo Pallets Border Rally series, which consists mainly of the rallies ringed around the border with Northern Ireland.
[adrotate group=”53″]The Donegal Motor Club’s own internal championship, supported by Donegal Commercials in Letterkenny, will also be fought out in Killybegs.
We also spoke to competitors Trevor Bustard and John Bonner.
Listen to the full podcast below….
https://soundcloud.com/donegalsporthub-club-notes/donegal-sport-hub-podcast-41-martin-howley-memorial-bayview-hotel-harvest-stages-rally
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