Galway: Interviews with Cronin, Donnelly, McGarrity, Kelly & Jennings

This year’s Safety Direct Galway International Rally was a huge success. According to event organisers, an estimated 70,000 spectators lined the stages, while the rally attracted a host of top line machinery in both the international and national categories.

It bodes well for a strong season ahead and after such an exciting rally, which saw Keith Cronin claim his maiden Tarmac series victory, RallyForums.com grabbed the opportunity to speak with a number of drivers…

Keith Cronin: “We had a lot of learning to do. We had an overshoot on the first stage and we probably didn’t have the right tyres on until the last few stages. Once they were changed, it transformed the car.”

“It was a last minute deal. We only had around 30kms of testing before the event so it was a huge learning curve. There was a big difference in the car compared to anything I’ve driven before. ”

“I honestly don’t know if I’ll be out in the WRC again,” he added. “Galway is all we have planned at the moment.”

Eugene Donnelly: “I was very happy with the way it was going at the start but I made a mistake with tyre choice towards the end. After that, I struggled with a lot of understeer for the final four stages of the rally. That’s where Keith got me.”

“Overall I’m delighted with the performance, bearing in mind we only did 30km of testing, I’d never used Michelin tyres with the Mini, I had a new navigator and I hadn’t competed since last year!”

“We’re working on trying to get out for the Circuit of Ireland but I’m not going to hold my breath. I’d be over the moon if it all came together but I don’t want to set my heart on it and put things into place, only for it all to fall apart.”

Derek McGarrity: “I was happy enough at the start. Apart from a launch control problem that we had from the first stage, everything was good. Then I went on to a cut slick about three stages before everyone else and unfortunately that didn’t work for us.”

“It was completely my own fault. We were a lot slower and had a couple of spins – it just gave the back of the car a very loose feel. We put the other tyres back on for the last loop of stages and we were doing the times again.”

“But compared to last year, when we used another S14, the car is working a lot better. On last year’s event, we had no grip. Since then, we’ve done a lot of development work. Now it’s going to be completely stripped and rebuilt for the Circuit of Ireland. We also have another modification to make to the Reiger suspension which should help.”

Donagh Kelly: “The notes were fine and the car was fine, I jut wasn’t on my usual form. I wasn’t expecting to race Keith Cronin or Eugene Donnelly but thought we would be trading times with Derek McGarrity or Declan Boyle. So it was an average enough rally for us.”

“I’m going to do the Irish Tarmac Championship this year. I was also going to do parts of the National as well but it looks like work is going to interfere with that. I’ll do the Tarmac series and as many National events as I can. I’d like to give the Tour of the Sperrins a rattle as well – I believe they have a road closing order this year.”

Garry Jennings: “We had a lot of niggly issues. The gearbox kept selecting its own gear, and I had to come off the brake to go down the ‘box. At service, we just decided to drive it home and get some points.”

“The car has been lying up for a couple of years but we’ll get it working. The main thing is we did no damage and we got some points on the board.”