Rally Preview: Capacity entry for PRM & RPM Motorsport Loughgall Stages Rally
Aaron McLaughlin will start as favourite at the PRM & RPM Motorsport Loughgall Stages Rally on Saturday July 6, with both the spectator-friendly Loughgall Country Park and nearby closed road test on the agenda, writes William Neill.
The number one seed will be looking for his third Loughgall win in a row following a switch to a Volkswagen Polo Rally2.
Victory, with Darren Curran, has come this year already at St Angelo Stages back in May and the pair arrive in County Armagh following their three-day home rally – the Donegal International. Seat time has been a plenty and will stand the crew well.
Regular visitors to North Armagh Motor Club events will recall a fourth place finish at the Echlinville Distillery Stages Rally that got the McGrady Insurance Northern Ireland Rally Championship underway – a series in which McLaughlin remains in contention of for a podium finish.
Aidan Wray was close to winning last year despite only one fastest stage mid-event. Returning in an IN Sport Volkswagen Polo Rally2, the Strabane driver is joined, on this occasion, by Niall Burns.
In car three, a Skoda Fabia Rally2, Eddie Doherty and Tom Murphy cemented their place as front-running contenders with second at this year’s Circuit of Munster – Callum Devine the only man ahead – after the eight-stage event and now lead the Triton Showers National Rally Championship.
Damian Toner first won Loughgall in 2015 and quickly became the man to beat within the technical but fast park stages. After a taste of a Ford Fiesta R5 last year, the Armagh driver is weighing up options of either the same again or returning to his trusty Ford Escort Mk2 that would see him as top two-wheel-drive runner in car four.
Jason Black, on his local rally, starts at five with Karl Egan alongside in a Toyota Starlet, ahead of Marty Toner and Ben Teggart with a Proton Millington adding to the variety.
Camillus and John Bradley will keep the Escort fans happy before Ben McFall, who leads the Junior category in the Northern Ireland championship, in a Mitsubishi Lancer E9.
Other entries include former winner Norman Armstrong, while Adrian Hetherington debuts a Rallysport Development Ltd Fiat 131 and Graeme Nesbitt, son of two-time Irish champion Andrew Nesbitt, continues his opening year at the wheel.
Action starts with the first of seven stages at 10am within the park where there will also be a static show, service area for the 80 competitors and the champagne finish at 4.45pm, followed by prize giving.
Admission is £10 per adult with under 16 free and includes a free programme at the entrance. Car parking within the park is also included.
ENTRY LIST:
Full list will be available at www.rallyscore.net
1 Aaron McLaughlin/Darren Curran (Volkswagen Polo Rally2);
2 Aidan Wray/Niall Burns (Volkswagen Polo Rally2);
3 Eddie Doherty/Tom murphy (Skoda Fabia Rally2);
4 Damian Toner/TBA (Ford Escort Mk2);
5 Jason Black/Karl Egan (Toyota Starlet);
6 Marty Toner/Ben Teggart (Proton Millington);
7 Camillus Bradley/Crawford Henderson (Ford Escort Mk2);
8 John Bradley/Ryan Crozier (Ford Escort Mk2);
9 Ben McFall/TBA (Mitsubishi Lancer E9);
10 Gareth Black/Conor Dunlop (Toyota Starlet).
Cover photo credit: William Neill @ Neill Pics