Aiming for success on the tarmac of IrelandGareth MacHale and Paul Nagle seized the opportunity to compete in the M-Sport prepared 2006 Ford Focus WRC that gave former World Rally Champion
Marcus Gronholm four winning Championship rounds last year.
“We're delighted
to be the first private team to receive one of these cars from Ford M-Sport,” said MacHale. “We know what it's capable of and what we have the potential to achieve with it, and are thrilled to be having our first competitive drive with the new car here at The Galway International Rally.”
The team see the event as an opportunity to come to grips with the left-hand drive car in which they will contest eleven rounds of the World Rally Championships, the next event being Mexico on 9th March. It was here in 2006 that MacHale scored his first ever WRC points, the first Irish competitor in over 20 years to do so.
Despite being seeded second behind hot favourite Gronholm, expectations of a podium finish this weekend are a minor consideration.
“We only plan on doing two round of the Irish tarmac championships this year, so we'll be putting our energies into getting the feel right, testing the car's responses, and having the crew get to grips with the step up from the previous vehicle," said Paul Nagle.
MacHale has also scored a coup in sponsorship for Irish rallying, securing a deal with American outfit White Oak Premier Resort in North Carolina. An indication, he says, of growing international interest in Ireland's entry into the WRC which will see the world's top rally drivers compete in Rally Ireland in November this year.
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