Killarney co-driver Paul Nagle described his inaugural victory in a round of the World Rally Championship as “a dream come true.”
On Sunday Fossa native Nagle and his Dungannon driver Kris Meeke in their Citroen Total Abu Dhabi Citroen DS3 WRC were emotional as they celebrated their Rally Argentina victory.
Nagle said: “To win Rally Argentina and in the second full year with Citroen, it really hasn’t sunk in yet and probably not until I get home. When it does (sink in) it will be a phenomenal feat.”
Nagle, who began rallying in 1997, bridged a 26-year gap since Ronan McNamee was the last Irish co-driver to win a round of the WRC (Lombard RAC Rally/ Pentti Airikkala).
“It’s a hard road, full of ups and downs and you have to dig deep. This past weekend I learned a lot about myself as a co-driver, controlling a lead, controlling my emotions and my belief inside the car. You can’t train to learn that, there is no book, it’s just gut instinct and that’s the way it works.”
Pleased with his welcoming party at Cork Airport, he added, “The support from home all weekend was incredible, there was a time difference of four hours but social media and text messages have been incredible and I’m delighted to bring home this result for all Irish rallying people.”
With the www.Cartell.ie Rally of the Lakes taking place this weekend, he added, “I will help out my local event and put something back into the sport which is very important to me as well.”
Rally Portugal is next on the cards for Meeke and Nagle, who has a strict training regime. For now — as he headed home, he chuckled, “There might not be too much of that this weekend.”