Krunching Gears - The Rally Podcast

🎤Krunching Gears - The Rally Podcast. 2026 Season, episode 41 🎤   The Escort Rally Special, held in Belgium on September 12th and 13th, delivered a fantastic weekend of action, with a huge contingent of competitors from the island of Ireland making their presence felt on the stages. Christopher O’Callaghan continued to demonstrate the impressive pace he’s shown throughout the season, further cementing his reputation as one of Ireland’s quickest Class 14 Escort MKII drivers. Conor Murphy also had plenty to celebrate, securing a strong finish after a frustrating run of bad luck. His speed has never been in doubt, and it was great to see the results finally come his way. However, the star of the weekend was undoubtedly Cathal Mulcaire. Driving a car generously lent to him by the O’Callaghan family, and more accustomed to Pinto power, Cathal produced a sensational performance to claim third overall. The result made it an all-Irish podium lockout, with Frank Kelly also in the thick of the action before slipping off the road when he was just outside the podium positions. Join us as we look back on an unforgettable Belgian adventure and celebrate the incredible pace of the Irish Escort crews!

🎤Krunching Gears - The Rally Podcast2026 Season, episode 41🎤   This week on the podcast, we catch up with Eddie Doherty and Tom Murphy, fresh from their impressive win on the Cork 20 Rally. They tell us about their season and plans for 2027.   We also chat to Max Freeman about his Cork 20 experience, where he took on the co-driving duties alongside Sam Touzel and his love for the sport.   Plus, we’re joined by Pat O’Connor, Clerk of the Course for this weekend’s Laois Forestry Rally, as he gives us the lowdown on what’s in store for competitors and fans.   Chapters  Start 00:00:00 Eddie Doherty & Tom Murphy 00:04:13 Max Freeman 00:25:40 Patrick O'Connor 00:39:28 End 00:57:14

🎤Krunching Gears - The Rally Podcast. 2026 Season, episode 40🎤   This week’s episode pays tribute to legendary rallying figure Terry Harryman, who sadly passed away this week, as we chat with Ian Beasant about his remarkable career and legacy.   Fresh from his Bushwhacker Rally victory, co-driver Andy Hayes joins us to discuss his win alongside Josh Moffett and looks ahead to this weekend's Cork 20 Rally.   Staying with the Bushwhacker theme, Richard O’Lone and Stephen Conn join us to talk about Richard’s first gravel rally and the challenges of switching from tarmac.   Looking ahead, we catch up with Kevin O’Riordan, Clerk of the Course for the Cork 20 Rally, the final round of this year’s Irish Tarmac Championship. Chapters Start 00:00:00 Ian Beasant talks about Terry Harryman 00:02:02 Andy Hayes on the Bushwhacker Rally win 00:19:45 Richard O'Lone & Stephen Conn 00:37:55 Cork 20 COC Kevin O'Riordan 01:03:56 End 01:19:31  

🎤 Krunching Gears - The Rally Podcast, 2026 Season, Episode 39 🎤   This week on the podcast, we catch up with Meirion Evans to discuss his 2026 season so far, including his performance on Rali Ceredigion and his progress in the British Rally Championship. We also chat with Aoife Raftery about her busy year competing in both the American Rally Association Championship and the British Rally Championship, looking back at her experiences and achievements on both sides of the Atlantic. Jack Breenan joins us after his impressive fourth-place finish in a Rally3 car at Wexford, as we look back on his season to date. Finally, we look ahead to the Bushwhacker Rally with Clerk of the Course Lewis Boyd and Deputy Clerk of the Course Ronnie McAleer, who give us the inside track on what competitors and spectators can expect from this year’s event. Chapters Meirion Evans 00:03:50 Aoife Raftery 00:23:10 Jack Brennan 00:40:04 Lewis Boyd & Ronnie McAleer 00:47:40 End 01:05:50

🎤Krunching Gears - The Rally Podcast, 2026 Season, episode 38.🎤   This week on the podcast, we catch up with Paddy McToal, the two-wheel-drive victor on the Lakeland Stages Rally, and Declan Casey, the second-place co-driver in the two-wheel-drive category, as they reflect on their performances in Fermanagh and look ahead to upcoming forestry rounds.   We’re also joined by Andy Hayes, who talks us through his Lakeland Stages Rally and brings us up to speed on the upcoming Wexford Stages Rally, including preparations, the entry, and how the event is shaping up.   Finally, we look back at the recent Rali Ceredigion, which hosted joint rounds of the European Rally Championship and British Rally Championship. Casey Jay Coleman, Kalum Graffin, and Kyle McBride join us to discuss their experiences on the challenging Welsh stages and the battles throughout the event.   Chapters Start 00:00:00 Lakeland Chat with Paddy McToal & Declan Casey 00:04:30 Andy Hayes talks about Lakeland & previews Wexford 00:28:30 Casey Jay, Kalum & Kyle discuss Rali Ceredigion 00:48:04 End 01:12:53