Conor Harvey doesn’t think his local knowledge will be a big advantage when he takes on the Ardrumman stage in Saturday’s Harvest Rally.
The Letterkenny native is living in Ramelton but he says it will be a new experience for all drivers.
“I’m living in Ramelton for the last seven years.
“My house is actually on this Ardrumman stage.
“It will be a pleasure to take part in it. I think it’s over twenty years since there was a rally on it and there’s so much talk about it.
“Some people are trying to add the pressure to me saying I have the local knowledge but while I’m living there, you have some roads that I’ve never been on before so I don’t think it will be a big advantage to me.”
Harvey put in a decent performance in the Donegal International Rally in June, and he is one of the leading contenders to win the modified section on Saturday.
He is the 22nd ranked car and will be joined by Eamonn Doherty in a Ford Escort Mk2.
“I haven’t done that much rallying in the last few years.
“I took part in Donegal and we won our class, and finished fifth overall in the two-wheel drive which was good.
“We will be in class 14 for the Harvest. My friend James is giving me a lend of his 2.5 escort and it should be fairly competitive.
“I wouldn’t usually do the Harvest but when it’s so local with good stages, I thought I better give it a go.”
Harvey’s confidence will be high heading into the weekend after a super showing in the Knockalla Hillclimb last month.
Harvey won the Danny Gormley Memorial trophy after he edged out Kevin Gallagher by 0.5 seconds in what proved to be a ding-dong contest.
“We had a good weekend at the Hillclimb.
“Kevin rang me up a few weeks beforehand and asked did I want to share his Darrian for it and I said I’d give it a go.
“We went hammer and tongs at it over the two days and we got faster with every run and I just shaded him in the end.
Harvey works for Letterkenny Skip Hire, and his colleague Paddy McDaid will also participate in the rally.
“Paddy is in it as well, and he’s in a new car too for the first time.
“So there’s bragging rights on the line.”
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