Donegal Rally: Kevin Gallagher holds advantage in dramatic national battle
There have already been some high-profile fallers in the national rally with Rathmullan man Kevin Gallagher, the defending champion, leading the way after day one
The Darrian T9 GTR of Kevin Gallagher sits ominously at the head of the national leader board after day one of the 2023 Donegal International Rally.
The Rathmullan man, who took victory in 2022, is back to defend the title – and he's already looking a good bet.
Gallagher holds a 10.3 second lead to the Corolla Twin Cam of Kevin Eves after a dramatic day.
Gallagher will have the open road comforts and also the home terrain on Saturday.
“Happy out,” Gallagher said.
“We kept it steady and clean and we're happy to go to the home stages with a bit of a lead.
“It'll suit us better. If we get away clean and the weather behaves itself, we should be able to get a bit more time.
“There were parts of those stages that didn't suit the car, narrow with jumps and bumps. The times are better than I thought they'd be, but there's a long way to go yet.”
Eves was fastest on the opening two stages, but he hit trouble on Copany, SS3.
“We had a good start, but I made a stupid mistake,” the Pettigo man said.
“I didn't put on a bonnet clip and the bonnet was rising on three and I just wasn't concentrating right. I broke a wheel and pushed the crossmember back; I did a right bit of damage.”
Eves' crew got the problem sorted in service and he managed to close the gap again.
However, Eves says Gallagher is the man to beat now.
He said: “We got away well on stages four and five. They were a bit wider so there was some mercy when the car was moving. Come tomorrow, he was always probably going to get away anyway.
“It's a long weekend to go yet. We're a wee bit disappointed with the accident to lose that amount of time, but there's a ball of men gone already.”
Declan Gallagher was flying in the early exchanges, but the 'Milkman' lost time on SS3 and was out by the end of SS5, the second loop of Rockhill.
Richard Moffett, another of the Monaghan Moffets, was into second at a stage, but he too left the action. Daniel McKenna was another high profile man to exit on a unforgiving first day.
Gary Kiernan is third in the two-wheel drive section overnight with Cloghan man Damien Tourish on his coat tails, just 0.9 of a second adrift.
The McGettigan brothers, Kyle and Dale, are eighth overall with Patrick McHugh and Pauric O'Donnell another all-Donegal crew going well.