NAPA Auto Parts Irish Tarmac Rally Championship
The 2026 NAPA Auto Parts Irish Tarmac Rally Championship heads to Ireland’s southwest this weekend for the West Cork Rally, where a high-quality entry will tackle three days of action beginning with two night-time stages on Friday, 13 March.
New for 2026, a five-kilometre Clonakilty town stage gets the action underway, promising a spectacular curtain-raiser for enthusiastic rally fans before crews venture into the challenging countryside stages that have made West Cork a favourite among Ireland’s rally elite.
Reigning champion and Galway International Rally winner Callum Devine leads the entry list alongside stand-in co-driver Niall Burns in their Skoda Fabia Rally2. Devine is still searching for an elusive West Cork victory – the only ITRC event he has yet to win.
2025 National Rally Champions Eddie Doherty and Tom Murphy are second seeds after getting up to speed quickly with their new Skoda Fabia Rally2. Two runner-up finishes in Galway and Mayo are proof of the Kilkenny crew’s impressive form.
Double Irish Tarmac Champion Josh Moffett starts alongside Andy Hayes in his new Toyota Yaris Rally2. The Monaghan driver has been building confidence in the Japanese marque throughout the early season, and as a double West Cork Rally victor, he will be eyeing another victory to step up his ITRC challenge.
Michael Boyle closed out 2025 in spectacular fashion with an epic hat-trick of victories. His 2026 ITRC campaign started with an unfortunate mechanical retirement while holding third in Galway and will be eager to bounce back in West Cork.
The top five is completed by David Kelly, who arrives in Clonakilty less than two weeks after sealing his first overall rally victory on a wet Mayo Stages Rally.
Declan Boyle, Cathan McCourt, and Shane Quinn continue the strong list of Rally2 drivers, while Ballylickey’s Daniel Cronin brings a home advantage to the battle, taking his new Toyota Yaris Rally2 to local terrain.
Matthew Boyle makes it three Boyles inside the top ten and is fast becoming a front-end challenger on Irish rallies.
McEvoy Motorsport and Flat 2 The Hat Modified ITRC
Killarney’s Conor Murphy leads the modified entry in a Ford Escort Mk2, heading a competitive two-wheel-drive field that promises spectacular entertainment.
Wales’s John Dalton returns as a West Cork favourite in his Darrian T90, the unique machine taking the challenge to the mass entry of Mk2 Escorts.
Michael Carbin, Adrian Hetherington, and Cian Walsh continue the strong entry of Escorts. As does international drift star Conor Shanahan, who makes his first ITRC start of the year.
Wales Motorsport Historic ITRC
Galway Historic winners Jason McSweeney and Liam Brennan are top seeds in their Ford Escort WRC after their impressive debut.
Just one point behind them in the Historic ITRC standings, Ray Breen and Damien Morrissey start second in West Cork aboard their four-wheel-drive Subaru Legacy. The tight championship battle promises compelling action across the three-day event.
Fergus O’Meara’s BMW M3 is joined by Robert Barrable’s similar rear-wheel-drive monster. Barrable has been a regular Rally2 frontrunner in recent years, and his switch to the historic category adds even more quality to the field.
Wayne Evans and Tommy McDonagh’s Ford Escorts complete the top five in what promises to be a fierce battle starting on Saturday morning.
An impressive 19 Historic crews are set to take on the West Cork Rally, including Barbados visitor Greg Cozier. The variety of machinery features everything from a Volvo 144S and an Austin Mini to a Hillman Imp.
Paul Browne Plant Hire and Civil Engineering Junior ITRC
Defending West Cork Junior winners Darragh Walsh and Gary Lombard lead an entry of eight Junior crews as they look to repeat their 2025 success.
Junior ITRC leaders Graham and Trevor Roche line up just behind in another Honda Civic, eager to extend their championship advantage after their Galway victory.
Glanmire’s Kyle Browne starts third on the road ahead of rivals James O’Riordan and Catherine Walsh.
Photos by D Harrigan Images