Donegal Rally Results Still Unresolved: Motorsport Ireland Awaits Donegal Motor Club Response
The results of the 2024 Wilton Recycling Donegal International Rally remain unresolved more than sixty days after the event’s conclusion. Despite Derry’s Callum Devine securing a debut win in his Skoda Fabia RS Rally2, the official results have yet to be finalized by Motorsport Ireland.
The delay, shrouded in mystery, has left the motorsport community speculating about the reasons behind the holdup. Motorsport Ireland has not issued an official comment, but it appears they are waiting for a response from the Donegal Motor Club regarding certain undisclosed matters.
The event, held from June 21 to June 23, was the fifth round of the Samdec Securities Irish Tarmac Rally Championship (ITRC) and one of two three-day events in the series. The championship is set to conclude with a title-deciding round at the Cork ‘20’ Rally on Sunday, September 29th.
Initially, it seemed the delay was related to the Historic category, where competitor Tommy O’Connell and his Ford Escort were excluded from the event after a Vehicle Scrutineering Reject Report revealed that the car was equipped with rear dampers not available and used in the period, as required. The report, supported by an expert confirmation, led to O’Connell’s exclusion, which was documented in a “Stewards Decision No. 1” and signed by event stewards on the evening of June 23rd. Motorsport Ireland later confirmed that the matter was resolved, as the competitor did not lodge a protest.
However, attention later shifted to a potential issue with a gearbox in one of the Rally2 cars that competed in the event. The component was sealed and sent to Wales for inspection, where it was reportedly found to comply with the regulations. Despite this, confusion persists, as it remains unclear whether all involved parties were informed of the inspection and whether a meeting to discuss the findings has taken place.
With the season’s finale approaching, the delay in finalizing the Donegal Rally results adds an unexpected layer of uncertainty to the championship. The motorsport community eagerly awaits a resolution, but for now, the results remain in limbo as Motorsport Ireland and the Donegal Motor Club work behind the scenes to address the outstanding issues.