County Derry duo hoping to claim 2023 Sligo Pallets Forest Rally Championship title

The 2023 Sligo Pallets Forest Rally Championship is set to be contested over seven exhilarating days of high-speed loose surface action, with each of the events bringing a unique element and style which combined make this season one very much worth looking forward to.

The action kicks off this weekend with Sunday’s Killarney Forest Rally, where a field of 75 crews are set to tackle six special stages to the East of Castleisland, the base for the event once more this year.

Heading up the entry is 2022 Championship Runners-Up Jordan and Paul Hone from County Derry.

The father and son team, from Foreglen, are aiming to push on from their final day anguish last year and go one better to claim the title in their Ford Fiesta R5.

Behind them on the road, Keith Power/Seamus O’Grady will aim to improve on a remarkable third place finish in their debut campaign in a similar Fiesta R5 to the Hones, Niall McCullagh/Ryan McCloskey compete in a newer Fiesta Rally2, while Vivian Hamill/Andrew Grennan will compete in a Volkswagen Polo Gti R5.

Other notable entries amongst the 4WD contingent include David Condell/Greg Shinnors swapping a Class 14 Ford Escort Mk2 for a Fiesta R5, fellow regular MK2 competitor Gary Kiernan taking the wheel of a Mitsibushi Evo iX and youngster Ryan Caldwell making his 4WD Championship debut in his new Skoda Fabia R5 following a remarkable run to the Class 2 title last season.

In the 2WD section, top seeding is given to last year's winners Mickey Conlon/Paul McPhillips, the Ford Escort Mk2 pairing will have their hands full on the day competing with long term rivals Hugh McQuaid/Declan Casey & Steven Corey/Ella Ryan in similar Fords, while Mike O’Connor Jnr/Barry Attridge will add some variety to the battle with their Opel Manta.

While the 2WD section has long been dominated by the rear-wheel-drive crews, 2023 is set to be a mouthwatering opportunity for a strong roster of rising stars to make a splash with their performances in the Sligo Pallets Forest Rally Championship. Kyle McBride/Liam McIntyre will be catching plenty of looks with their Motorsport Ireland Academy liveried Ford Fiesta Rally4, while Casey Jay Coleman/Shane Buckley and Dylan Eves/Ryan Farrell also compete in similar machines.

As in previous years, the Sligo Pallets Forest Rally Championship remains a strong supporter of the development of the next generation of talent in the sport, and the prizes on offer for the Junior 1000 championship has been boosted with the addition of a remarkable Tuition Day being offered.

The Winning Junior Driver will receive a place within the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy as well a sizeable package of Training and Coaching. The J1000 Tuition Day, taking place April 11 in Tynagh, Co. Galway, will allow all registered drivers to get one-on-one training in their own cars from leading driving talent, as well as discussions on car setup, fitness and event preparation.

Title sponsor Sligo Pallets owner Andrew Mullen is a passionate supporter of Irish Rallying, having become the title sponsor of the tarmac-based Border Rally Championship in 2011, and this relationship remains as strong as ever as the Sligo Pallets branding will be seen on both sealed and loose surface events in 2023.

Speaking at the announcement of the partnership, Andrew Mullen said “This is an exciting opportunity to get involved with a really exciting Championship, with a great calendar of events right across Ireland. The Sligo Pallets team are delighted to get involved and increase our support of the series.”