ERC
Kelly gets ERC3 revenge with dominant Welsh victory
Eamonn Kelly made up for his JDS Machinery Rali Ceredigion heartache 12 months ago by winning the penultimate round of the FIA ERC3 Championship.
Kelly was on course to claim the Rally3 category victory in Wales in 2024 only to crash out on the final morning.
A damaged front-left tyre on stage six aside, there were no such problems this year as the Irishman banked a dominant win aboard his Hankook-equipped Ford Fiesta Rally3, having led from Saturday’s opening stage.
“We went through that stage and I knew that it was where we ended up off the road [last year], and I was actually a little bit nervous because it’s a tricky stage,” said Kelly, who was co-driven by Lorcan Moore. “So I was probably a bit tentative. And then of course we were on slicks and it rained, so it didn't help. I feel like I kind of threw it away last year. I didn't need to go off the road, and I did. I was pushing and trying to prove my speed, but I think we proved our speed this weekend.”
As well as bidding to become the fifth different ERC3 winner of the year, Kelly travelled to Wales intent on gaining experience of driving on asphalt in his Hankook-equipped Ford Fiesta Rally3, the same package he uses in the Junior WRC, which concludes on the sealed-surface Central European Rally next month.
“We’ve picked up some great information across the weekend, which is great when you're trying to learn,” Kelly said. “You see what works and what doesn’t work. I’ve had to adapt my driving to the tyre and the tyre works. But you have to make it work and I definitely have much more confidence now than I did on Thursday in my ability to work the tyres.”
Kowalczyk recovered to finish second on Ceredigion debut
© T8 Creative
Behind Kelly, Hubert Kowalczyk restarted after stopping on SS6 when the alternator failed on his Renault Clio Rally3 to finish second with his fellow Pole, Tymek Abramowski, completing the podium in third.
Like Kowalczyk, Abramowski was unable to go the distance on leg one following fuel pressure sensor failure although the teenage talent continues to top the ERC3 standings ahead of the Croatia Rally season decider from 3 - 5 October.
“Yesterday was an unfortunate situation, today we are back to get some knowledge and finish the rally,” Abramowski said. “There was a lot of kilometres to do yesterday, I miss that but today is more changing weather and it’s still some good knowledge. That issue yesterday made some problems for us for the championship but in rally this can happen.”
The ERC3 title advantage is still with Abramowski
© ERC
Kowalczyk added: “Our alternator just went, we don’t have power so we must stay on the road section. It was a little bit frustrating because it happened on the longest stage and Kelly had a puncture and we can go back to fight but, unfortunately, we could not. We just wanted to pass today’s stages and get some points for the championship.”
