Kerry Motor Club’s Rose Hotel Circuit of Kerry rally shows significant route changes for the April 8 event.

As a counting round of the Triton Showers National Rally Championship and the Top Part West Coast Championship the Tralee-based club wanted to showcase some of the county’s best mountain and coastal roads – including using sections of the fabled Wild Atlantic Way – for its flagship event.

A unique rolling loop system means some of the stages will be visited two or three times, as a result competitors will face 11 special stages, a record number of tests for national rallies in recent years.

Clerk of course Ricard Talbot said:
“A warm welcome awaits competitors and rally fans in Tralee on the weekend of April 7 and 8. We are offering 11 stages, yes 11 stages of classic west Kerry roads in a compact route that will be easy for competitors to recce. We pride ourselves in having the best headquarters in the country with accommodation packages to suit all budgets.”

The rally is round two of the Triton Showers National Rally championship under the directorship of Kerry Motor Club member Kevin Barret who will contest the rally in his Subaru Impreza World Rally Car.

It is also round two of the Top Part West Coast Rally Championship, an agreement that goes back to 1993, the longest running motorsport championship sponsorship agreement in Ireland. Top Part is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year after opening its first store in Tralee in 1978. Company founder Donie Dillane is a long-time supporter of Kerry Motor Club and is a former Circuit of Kerry competitor.