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Armstrong and Treacy record their best
FIA European Rally Championship result
Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy crew Jon Armstrong and Eoin Treacy recorded their best-ever FIA European Rally Championship result during an action- packed Rally Silesia in Poland. With two stage wins on Friday and five on Sunday, including the Power Stage, Armstrong claimed his first ERC podium by finishing second. At the wheel of a Pirelli-shod Ford Fiesta Rally2, he fought his way through from seventh position starting day two. “To win five out of six stages on Sunday is crazy and the one stage we didn't win we were probably on the wrong tyres. It was an unbelievable day. To be able to show this pace is very good and I always enjoy rallying in Poland because I work so much with M-Sport Poland.” Armstrong finished 1.5 seconds ahead of newly crowned FIA European Rally Champion Hayden Paddon (Hyundai i20 Rally2) and just 18.3 seconds adrift of rally winner Andrea Mabellini (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2). The M-Sport driver could have been even closer to the front had it not been for a time-consuming technical issue on SS2. “This is right up there with some of my best achievements. I would say this is one of my best events I have ever done.”. Photo Red Bull Content Pool.
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FIA European Rally Championship result
Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy crew Jon Armstrong and Eoin Treacy recorded their best-ever FIA European Rally Championship result during an action- packed Rally Silesia in Poland. With two stage wins on Friday and five on Sunday, including the Power Stage, Armstrong claimed his first ERC podium by finishing second. At the wheel of a Pirelli-shod Ford Fiesta Rally2, he fought his way through from seventh position starting day two. “To win five out of six stages on Sunday is crazy and the one stage we didn't win we were probably on the wrong tyres. It was an unbelievable day. To be able to show this pace is very good and I always enjoy rallying in Poland because I work so much with M-Sport Poland.” Armstrong finished 1.5 seconds ahead of newly crowned FIA European Rally Champion Hayden Paddon (Hyundai i20 Rally2) and just 18.3 seconds adrift of rally winner Andrea Mabellini (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2). The M-Sport driver could have been even closer to the front had it not been for a time-consuming technical issue on SS2. “This is right up there with some of my best achievements. I would say this is one of my best events I have ever done.”. Photo Red Bull Content Pool.
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KEITH CRONIN AND MIKIE GALVIN ARE TARMAC CHAMPIONS 2024
Keith Cronin and Mikie Galvin have secured the 2024 Irish Tarmac Rally Championship, after finishing second on the Cork '20' Rally, the final round of the series, in their Ford Fiesta Rally 2. Victory in Cork went to Callum Devine and Noel O'Sullivan and the result left both crews tied on 100 points each. Cronin and Galvin took the title on a tie-breaker.
The Cork '20' was held in treacherously wet conditions,and the organisers, the Munster Car Club, took the decision to declare the event results after the end of the fifth of a planned eight stages, due to the adverse weather. "Those were some of the wettest conditions I have ever experienced on a rally,’’ said Keith. The amount of water on the roads in places was unbelievable, - we really have to thank the marshals, timekeepers and officials for standing out in that weather.
I want to thank Mikie for his work on the notes all year, and I also want to acknowledge the support of all our various sponsors, it's not an easy task to put on a full-season challenge for any championship - without them we wouldn't be here. Tom Gahan and his crew have done a top job on the car all year as well - it hasn't missed a beat all year''
The 2024 Irish Tarmac Rally Champions, Keith Cronin (right) and Mikie Galvin, in the company of family members and support crew, are presented with the Bertie Fisher Perpetual Cup by Colman Hegarty, Chairman of the Tarmac Rally Organisers Association, and Sean Hayde, Championship Manager. Photo: ElaineNí Shé.
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Keith Cronin and Mikie Galvin have secured the 2024 Irish Tarmac Rally Championship, after finishing second on the Cork '20' Rally, the final round of the series, in their Ford Fiesta Rally 2. Victory in Cork went to Callum Devine and Noel O'Sullivan and the result left both crews tied on 100 points each. Cronin and Galvin took the title on a tie-breaker.
The Cork '20' was held in treacherously wet conditions,and the organisers, the Munster Car Club, took the decision to declare the event results after the end of the fifth of a planned eight stages, due to the adverse weather. "Those were some of the wettest conditions I have ever experienced on a rally,’’ said Keith. The amount of water on the roads in places was unbelievable, - we really have to thank the marshals, timekeepers and officials for standing out in that weather.
I want to thank Mikie for his work on the notes all year, and I also want to acknowledge the support of all our various sponsors, it's not an easy task to put on a full-season challenge for any championship - without them we wouldn't be here. Tom Gahan and his crew have done a top job on the car all year as well - it hasn't missed a beat all year''
The 2024 Irish Tarmac Rally Champions, Keith Cronin (right) and Mikie Galvin, in the company of family members and support crew, are presented with the Bertie Fisher Perpetual Cup by Colman Hegarty, Chairman of the Tarmac Rally Organisers Association, and Sean Hayde, Championship Manager. Photo: ElaineNí Shé.
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Bangor rally legend Terry Harryman receives home town recognition
Rally co-driving legend Terry Harryman has been officially inducted into Ards and North Down Borough Council’s Sporting Wall of Fame. The former rally co-driver, who won several World Championship events including the Monte Carlo Rally, Safari Rally and Finland’s 1000 Lakes Rally, plus many more across the UK and Ireland, has joined the Borough’s other sporting greats on the prestigious Wall of Fame displayed in Bangor Leisure Complex as well as Ards Blair Mayne Wellbeing Complex. Harryman has now been officially inducted after a ceremony in his hometown’s leisure centre where his plaque was unveiled. The Mayor of Ards and North Down, Alistair Cathcart, said: “Terry Harryman enjoyed a motorsport career that spanned more than 50 years. During his illustrious career that stemmed from his interest in maps, he became one of the most sought-after rally co-drivers in the world and navigated for the world's leading drivers at the sport's highest level. He was one of rallying’s pace note-making pioneers and I am pleased he has been honoured in this way.” Pictured, from left, is Terry Harryman, Mayor Alistair Cathcart and Pat Burns, Editor of CarSport Yearbook, presenting the plaque.
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Rally co-driving legend Terry Harryman has been officially inducted into Ards and North Down Borough Council’s Sporting Wall of Fame. The former rally co-driver, who won several World Championship events including the Monte Carlo Rally, Safari Rally and Finland’s 1000 Lakes Rally, plus many more across the UK and Ireland, has joined the Borough’s other sporting greats on the prestigious Wall of Fame displayed in Bangor Leisure Complex as well as Ards Blair Mayne Wellbeing Complex. Harryman has now been officially inducted after a ceremony in his hometown’s leisure centre where his plaque was unveiled. The Mayor of Ards and North Down, Alistair Cathcart, said: “Terry Harryman enjoyed a motorsport career that spanned more than 50 years. During his illustrious career that stemmed from his interest in maps, he became one of the most sought-after rally co-drivers in the world and navigated for the world's leading drivers at the sport's highest level. He was one of rallying’s pace note-making pioneers and I am pleased he has been honoured in this way.” Pictured, from left, is Terry Harryman, Mayor Alistair Cathcart and Pat Burns, Editor of CarSport Yearbook, presenting the plaque.
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Cronin Takes Critical Ulster win in Tarmac Chase
A hard earned victory for Keith Cronin and Mikie Galvin on the Modern TYres Ulster Rally in their Ford Fiesta Rally 2, sees them extend their lead in the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship to fifteen points ahead of the final round in Cronin's home county of Cork. Having taken the advantage on the second of the Newry-based event's ten stages, they remained ahead thereafter and finished the Ulster with a margin of 15.4 seconds over the Skoda Fabia crew of Callum Devine and Noel O'Sullivan, who are now second in the Tarmac Championship standings following the retirement of early rally leaders, Matt Edwards and David Moynihan, who crashed out on stage three. "It's good to get the win, we had a good start to the championship but the last two rounds didn't go great for us, it's great to get the win here today," said Cronin. "They were really tough stages, conditions were mixed, and on that last loop I didn't think I'd have to push, but Callum started to push so we had to up it a bit again. I'm delighted with the result, they were some of the toughest stages you'd come across."
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A hard earned victory for Keith Cronin and Mikie Galvin on the Modern TYres Ulster Rally in their Ford Fiesta Rally 2, sees them extend their lead in the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship to fifteen points ahead of the final round in Cronin's home county of Cork. Having taken the advantage on the second of the Newry-based event's ten stages, they remained ahead thereafter and finished the Ulster with a margin of 15.4 seconds over the Skoda Fabia crew of Callum Devine and Noel O'Sullivan, who are now second in the Tarmac Championship standings following the retirement of early rally leaders, Matt Edwards and David Moynihan, who crashed out on stage three. "It's good to get the win, we had a good start to the championship but the last two rounds didn't go great for us, it's great to get the win here today," said Cronin. "They were really tough stages, conditions were mixed, and on that last loop I didn't think I'd have to push, but Callum started to push so we had to up it a bit again. I'm delighted with the result, they were some of the toughest stages you'd come across."
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Sherwood Engines Historic Irish Tarmac Rally Championship
A perfect drive of nine stage wins secured a two-minute and four-second Ulster Historic Rally victory for Ray Breen and Damien Morrissey. Their stunning Subaru Legacy graced the Ulster stages in style to fend off threats through the day from Ford Escort pilots Hugh McQuaid and Tomas Davies.
Breen’s second historic win of the year wasn’t enough to stop Wales’ Davies from claiming the Sherwood Engines Historic ITRC Drivers’ title with a round to spare. Davies’ top scores in West Cork and the Circuit combine with Saturday’s runner-up finish and podiums in Galway and Donegal to create an unassailable tally of Irish Tarmac results. Davies’ Ulster Rally co-driver Anthony O’Sullivan now holds a 15-point lead in the co-drivers championship over Morrissey. Hugh McQuaid and Martin Byrne had held second in the historic category before dropping out with fuel issues ahead of the rally’s third loop of stages. That handed second to Davies with Jimmy Mills and Ashley Trimble grabbing a last-ditch podium. Mills had been fifth ahead of the Ulster’s final loop but set three second-fastest times in a row to snatch third from David Armstrong and Ivor Ferguson on the final test.
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A perfect drive of nine stage wins secured a two-minute and four-second Ulster Historic Rally victory for Ray Breen and Damien Morrissey. Their stunning Subaru Legacy graced the Ulster stages in style to fend off threats through the day from Ford Escort pilots Hugh McQuaid and Tomas Davies.
Breen’s second historic win of the year wasn’t enough to stop Wales’ Davies from claiming the Sherwood Engines Historic ITRC Drivers’ title with a round to spare. Davies’ top scores in West Cork and the Circuit combine with Saturday’s runner-up finish and podiums in Galway and Donegal to create an unassailable tally of Irish Tarmac results. Davies’ Ulster Rally co-driver Anthony O’Sullivan now holds a 15-point lead in the co-drivers championship over Morrissey. Hugh McQuaid and Martin Byrne had held second in the historic category before dropping out with fuel issues ahead of the rally’s third loop of stages. That handed second to Davies with Jimmy Mills and Ashley Trimble grabbing a last-ditch podium. Mills had been fifth ahead of the Ulster’s final loop but set three second-fastest times in a row to snatch third from David Armstrong and Ivor Ferguson on the final test.
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GT WORLD CHALLENGE WIN FOR HARPER IN GERMANY
Dan Harper and his Century Motorsport team-mate Darren Leung moved to the top of the Bronze Cup standings in the GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup after two breathless wins in Germany. The pair secured a maiden victory in style around Hockenheim, taking their BMW M4 GT3 car from 13th in the support series to first. Harper laid the groundwork as he stormed up through the field to third, clawing back 11 spots within the space of 25 minutes. At the driver switchover, Leung exited the pits and extended the gap to the Lamborghini of Rob Collard and Sandy Mitchell to take maximum points by 10.884 secs. Harper and Leung completed a Bronze Cup double thanks to another gritty display. A mechanical issue during Sunday’s qualifying session meant the best the latter could muster was the 16th row of the grid. However, within the space of one lap, Leung was up to second in class and completed his stint within touching distance of the Rutronik Porsche 911 GT3 R. However, a cleaner mid-race handover ensured Harper emerged from the pit lane in the lead – a position the Hillsborough native maintained to win by 3.681 secs from Collard and Mitchell. “It has been a brilliant weekend, picking up two Bronze victories,” said Harper. “We had to really fight in both races, which just made the wins even sweeter.
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Dan Harper and his Century Motorsport team-mate Darren Leung moved to the top of the Bronze Cup standings in the GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup after two breathless wins in Germany. The pair secured a maiden victory in style around Hockenheim, taking their BMW M4 GT3 car from 13th in the support series to first. Harper laid the groundwork as he stormed up through the field to third, clawing back 11 spots within the space of 25 minutes. At the driver switchover, Leung exited the pits and extended the gap to the Lamborghini of Rob Collard and Sandy Mitchell to take maximum points by 10.884 secs. Harper and Leung completed a Bronze Cup double thanks to another gritty display. A mechanical issue during Sunday’s qualifying session meant the best the latter could muster was the 16th row of the grid. However, within the space of one lap, Leung was up to second in class and completed his stint within touching distance of the Rutronik Porsche 911 GT3 R. However, a cleaner mid-race handover ensured Harper emerged from the pit lane in the lead – a position the Hillsborough native maintained to win by 3.681 secs from Collard and Mitchell. “It has been a brilliant weekend, picking up two Bronze victories,” said Harper. “We had to really fight in both races, which just made the wins even sweeter.
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WILLIAM CREIGHTON SECURES CAREER-BEST RESULT IN LATVIA
Moira’s William Creighton secured a career-best result on Rally Latvia – Round Eight of the FIA World Rally Championship’s WRC2 series – alongside co-driver Liam Regan, ending the blisteringly quick Tet Rally Latvia fifth overall in the Championship’s main support category. “I am really happy to get a strong result and solid finish under our belt on our first fast gravel rally in the Ford Fiesta Rally2,” said Creighton. “The sensation on the stages was so enjoyable – really fast and flowing – and the enthusiasm from all the fans in Latvia also ensured it was incredible. “It has been a really positive weekend. Liam has done a good job, so massive thanks to him and the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy and M-Sport for all their hard work this week.”
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Moira’s William Creighton secured a career-best result on Rally Latvia – Round Eight of the FIA World Rally Championship’s WRC2 series – alongside co-driver Liam Regan, ending the blisteringly quick Tet Rally Latvia fifth overall in the Championship’s main support category. “I am really happy to get a strong result and solid finish under our belt on our first fast gravel rally in the Ford Fiesta Rally2,” said Creighton. “The sensation on the stages was so enjoyable – really fast and flowing – and the enthusiasm from all the fans in Latvia also ensured it was incredible. “It has been a really positive weekend. Liam has done a good job, so massive thanks to him and the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy and M-Sport for all their hard work this week.”
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Old Cars Spice Up Meeting With Links To Past Years.
There was a tangible feel-good vibe at Kirkistown Race Circuit on Saturday 27th July. Good weather contributed but it was the presence of seventeen cars for the pre-1955 races that was capturing the praise of the spectators. In fact, all bar one of the cars were pre-1939! The standard of preparation was excellent. There was a full programme of racing, with all the regular classes and others but the 500 Motor Racing Club of Ireland were making a feature of older cars on the day. Prior to the first pre-1955 race, a parade of vintage cars which had turned out took to the track. When that was over the pre-1955 cars took up their positions on the starting grid and shut down their engines. The gates were opened and spectator were permitted on track to photograph the machines and talk with the drivers. After fifteen minutes, the sirens blew, the track was cleared and the drivers got back in their cars, ready for their first race. Andy Johnson, from Killinchy, (pictured) was on pole by 5 seconds in his 1932 Alfa Monza, from Holywood’s Simon Brien, in a 1933 MG K3. He, in turn, had just pipped Ken McEvoy’s 1934 Riley TT Sprite by 0.003 seconds! In the race Andy Johnson cleared off, lapping all but four of the field and finishing with a winning margin of 74 seconds.
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There was a tangible feel-good vibe at Kirkistown Race Circuit on Saturday 27th July. Good weather contributed but it was the presence of seventeen cars for the pre-1955 races that was capturing the praise of the spectators. In fact, all bar one of the cars were pre-1939! The standard of preparation was excellent. There was a full programme of racing, with all the regular classes and others but the 500 Motor Racing Club of Ireland were making a feature of older cars on the day. Prior to the first pre-1955 race, a parade of vintage cars which had turned out took to the track. When that was over the pre-1955 cars took up their positions on the starting grid and shut down their engines. The gates were opened and spectator were permitted on track to photograph the machines and talk with the drivers. After fifteen minutes, the sirens blew, the track was cleared and the drivers got back in their cars, ready for their first race. Andy Johnson, from Killinchy, (pictured) was on pole by 5 seconds in his 1932 Alfa Monza, from Holywood’s Simon Brien, in a 1933 MG K3. He, in turn, had just pipped Ken McEvoy’s 1934 Riley TT Sprite by 0.003 seconds! In the race Andy Johnson cleared off, lapping all but four of the field and finishing with a winning margin of 74 seconds.
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Simon and Juanita Brien take top honours on Carrera Bavaria
The fifth Rally the Globe’s Carrera series produced both familiar and first time winners. Simon and Juanita Brien took top honours in a fiercely contested Classic category in their exquisite 1963 Jaguar E-type while the Pre-War category was dominated by Martin and Olivia Hunt in their 1937 Frazer Nash-BMW 328. For Simon Brien it was back-to-back victories after he won last year’s Carrera Riveria but it was the first with wife Juanita on the maps. The Carrera Bavaria treated participants – all driving iconic, pre-1977 cars – to ten unforgettable days exploring the smooth asphalt roads and National Parks of southern Germany. The meticulously planned 1,355-mile route took crews through the lakes and valleys of the Black Forest and on, via the shores of Lake Constance, to the dramatic mountains spanning the Austrian border. Spicing up the journey, were nine speed tests at private venues such as the Porsche Experience Facility at the old Hockenheim Grand Prix circuit, and 25 road-based Regularity stages. “We came here with no expectations, but it has been a great event,” said the delighted Belfast Estate Agent Brien. “It’s my first Carrera event with Juanita, and she did unbelievably well. It’s been another superb Rally the Globe event with a great route and brilliant organisation.”
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The fifth Rally the Globe’s Carrera series produced both familiar and first time winners. Simon and Juanita Brien took top honours in a fiercely contested Classic category in their exquisite 1963 Jaguar E-type while the Pre-War category was dominated by Martin and Olivia Hunt in their 1937 Frazer Nash-BMW 328. For Simon Brien it was back-to-back victories after he won last year’s Carrera Riveria but it was the first with wife Juanita on the maps. The Carrera Bavaria treated participants – all driving iconic, pre-1977 cars – to ten unforgettable days exploring the smooth asphalt roads and National Parks of southern Germany. The meticulously planned 1,355-mile route took crews through the lakes and valleys of the Black Forest and on, via the shores of Lake Constance, to the dramatic mountains spanning the Austrian border. Spicing up the journey, were nine speed tests at private venues such as the Porsche Experience Facility at the old Hockenheim Grand Prix circuit, and 25 road-based Regularity stages. “We came here with no expectations, but it has been a great event,” said the delighted Belfast Estate Agent Brien. “It’s my first Carrera event with Juanita, and she did unbelievably well. It’s been another superb Rally the Globe event with a great route and brilliant organisation.”
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Callum Devine snatches Donegal Rally win by 17.4 secs
A change from the Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 to Skoda’s Fabia RS Rally2 for the fifth round of the Tarmac series gave Callum Devine a back-to-back Donegal International Rally win by 17.4 seconds from the Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 of Meirion Evans. It was helped by the retirement of closely-matched No.2 seed Keith Cronin when he got his braking wrong and hit a stone wall with the rear of his Ford Fiesta Rally2. That handed the baton to Matt Edwards, who safely navigated the remainder of Friday and Saturday’s stages to start 16 seconds clear on Sunday. However, on Sunday’s second stage, the Welshman struck a wall with the front of his Ford Fiesta Rally2. Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy-backed driver David Kelly enjoyed a career-best third place in his Volkswagen Polo GTI R5, with a handful of quickest stage times. Edwards did make it out to the road section where he carried out repairs to come home in fourth. Results: 1. Callum Devine; 2. Meirion Evans; 3. David Kelly; 4. Matt Edwards; 5. Josh Moffett; 6. Michael Boyle.
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A change from the Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 to Skoda’s Fabia RS Rally2 for the fifth round of the Tarmac series gave Callum Devine a back-to-back Donegal International Rally win by 17.4 seconds from the Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 of Meirion Evans. It was helped by the retirement of closely-matched No.2 seed Keith Cronin when he got his braking wrong and hit a stone wall with the rear of his Ford Fiesta Rally2. That handed the baton to Matt Edwards, who safely navigated the remainder of Friday and Saturday’s stages to start 16 seconds clear on Sunday. However, on Sunday’s second stage, the Welshman struck a wall with the front of his Ford Fiesta Rally2. Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy-backed driver David Kelly enjoyed a career-best third place in his Volkswagen Polo GTI R5, with a handful of quickest stage times. Edwards did make it out to the road section where he carried out repairs to come home in fourth. Results: 1. Callum Devine; 2. Meirion Evans; 3. David Kelly; 4. Matt Edwards; 5. Josh Moffett; 6. Michael Boyle.
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Tarmac battle set for Donegal showdown
Three days of jam-packed action (June 21-23) await Callum Devine and Noel O’Sullivan who will defend their maiden Donegal International Rally victory from twelve months ago. But, seeded second, it’s Keith Cronin who has been the man on form so far in the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship. Success in Donegal would go a long way in his bid for a second Irish Tarmac title, but he faces stiff competition from a string of Donegal winners. Those include Monaghan brothers Josh and Sam Moffett who are both seeded within the top five and Declan Boyle and Garry Jennings who are running either side of tenth seed Cathan McCourt. Matt Edwards and David Moynihan are hoping it will be third time lucky after an accident and mechanical issues scuppered their previous two Donegal assaults. They showed their pace in both years and victory on the Circuit of Ireland proved Edwards’ speed. ITRC 4 leaders Ryan MacHugh and Declan Boyle are the top Rally4 seeds in Donegal. They will be challenged by second-placed Keelan Grogan and Rally of the Lakes winner Ioan Lloyd who is making the trip from Wales.
Sherwood Engines Historic ITRC: Michael McDaid and Declan Casey top a 31-car-strong historic entry list as the historic rally begins on Saturday morning’s opener, Knockalla. Tomas Davies holds a strong 30.5-point lead over Craig MacWilliam in the drivers’ standings with Ray Breen just behind in third. All three will take on this year’s Donegal Rally amid a stunning historic entry.
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Three days of jam-packed action (June 21-23) await Callum Devine and Noel O’Sullivan who will defend their maiden Donegal International Rally victory from twelve months ago. But, seeded second, it’s Keith Cronin who has been the man on form so far in the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship. Success in Donegal would go a long way in his bid for a second Irish Tarmac title, but he faces stiff competition from a string of Donegal winners. Those include Monaghan brothers Josh and Sam Moffett who are both seeded within the top five and Declan Boyle and Garry Jennings who are running either side of tenth seed Cathan McCourt. Matt Edwards and David Moynihan are hoping it will be third time lucky after an accident and mechanical issues scuppered their previous two Donegal assaults. They showed their pace in both years and victory on the Circuit of Ireland proved Edwards’ speed. ITRC 4 leaders Ryan MacHugh and Declan Boyle are the top Rally4 seeds in Donegal. They will be challenged by second-placed Keelan Grogan and Rally of the Lakes winner Ioan Lloyd who is making the trip from Wales.
Sherwood Engines Historic ITRC: Michael McDaid and Declan Casey top a 31-car-strong historic entry list as the historic rally begins on Saturday morning’s opener, Knockalla. Tomas Davies holds a strong 30.5-point lead over Craig MacWilliam in the drivers’ standings with Ray Breen just behind in third. All three will take on this year’s Donegal Rally amid a stunning historic entry.
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DÉJÀ VU NORTH WEST RECORD €75,000
CHARITABLE DONATION TO RALLY FAMILIES
RPM Déjà vu Motorsport Ltd. and the Connacht Motor Club are proud to announce that the money raised at their recent Déjà vu North West ‘24 event is a record in the history of the ten Déjà vu Motorsport reunions that have been run to date. “We have been overwhelmed at the generosity of the entrants, the sponsors, and the public who came to watch them on the 26-27-28 April 2024. Their donations have enabled us and the Connacht Motor Club to gather this very significant amount for the families of Gene McDonald and Dáire Maguire. It was the outstanding co-operation and initiative of the Connacht Motor Club and the support from organisations such as the Sligo County Council, Sligo BID, Sligo Retail Park, Sligo Park Hotel, Ocean FM, Motorsport Ireland and the Garda Siochana that made the weekend so successful. The addition of ‘SF Planes, Cars & Coffee’ on the Sunday morning in co-operation with Sligo Airport where we combined their Breakfast Fly In with a display of our entrants' cars was an innovation that greatly added to the enjoyment and the charity take on the weekend. Jointly we have gathered this record-breaking sum of €75,000 for a very worthy cause.,” said Alan Tyndall and Alan Graham, the RPM Déjà vu Motorsport Directors. Photo: James Burke
Caption: Justine Hogan (Gene McDonald’s partner) & Breda Maguire (wife of Dáire Maguire) with Alan Tyndall (right) and Robert Lyttle (left) at the presentation of the €75,000 fund raised by RPM Déjà Vu Motorsport and the Connaght Motor Club at their Déjà vu North West ’24 event in April.
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CHARITABLE DONATION TO RALLY FAMILIES
RPM Déjà vu Motorsport Ltd. and the Connacht Motor Club are proud to announce that the money raised at their recent Déjà vu North West ‘24 event is a record in the history of the ten Déjà vu Motorsport reunions that have been run to date. “We have been overwhelmed at the generosity of the entrants, the sponsors, and the public who came to watch them on the 26-27-28 April 2024. Their donations have enabled us and the Connacht Motor Club to gather this very significant amount for the families of Gene McDonald and Dáire Maguire. It was the outstanding co-operation and initiative of the Connacht Motor Club and the support from organisations such as the Sligo County Council, Sligo BID, Sligo Retail Park, Sligo Park Hotel, Ocean FM, Motorsport Ireland and the Garda Siochana that made the weekend so successful. The addition of ‘SF Planes, Cars & Coffee’ on the Sunday morning in co-operation with Sligo Airport where we combined their Breakfast Fly In with a display of our entrants' cars was an innovation that greatly added to the enjoyment and the charity take on the weekend. Jointly we have gathered this record-breaking sum of €75,000 for a very worthy cause.,” said Alan Tyndall and Alan Graham, the RPM Déjà vu Motorsport Directors. Photo: James Burke
Caption: Justine Hogan (Gene McDonald’s partner) & Breda Maguire (wife of Dáire Maguire) with Alan Tyndall (right) and Robert Lyttle (left) at the presentation of the €75,000 fund raised by RPM Déjà Vu Motorsport and the Connaght Motor Club at their Déjà vu North West ’24 event in April.
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Harper Celebrates Nürburgring 24hr Podium Finish
BMW M Motorsport works driver Dan Harper has secured a brilliant first overall podium finish in the ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring after battling to a third-place result in a weather-affected 52nd running of the endurance classic (30 May – 02 June). Harper put in a sublime individual performance as part of a fantastic team effort alongside Max Hesse and Charles Weerts, with the trio topping the qualifying timesheets and fighting for the race lead in what was ultimately the shortest ever edition of Nürburgring 24 Hours after heavy fog played havoc. The Northern Irishman headed into his fifth attempt at the world-famous race with unfinished business, having seen potential podium challenges in both each of the previous two years get cruelly derailed by incidents on circuit. Daniel said: “Every year I come back here for the Nürburgring 24 Hours, I’m blown away by just how special this event is. 240,000 fans came out to enjoy the action and you feel so privileged to be in a position to be part of the race for them.’’
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BMW M Motorsport works driver Dan Harper has secured a brilliant first overall podium finish in the ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring after battling to a third-place result in a weather-affected 52nd running of the endurance classic (30 May – 02 June). Harper put in a sublime individual performance as part of a fantastic team effort alongside Max Hesse and Charles Weerts, with the trio topping the qualifying timesheets and fighting for the race lead in what was ultimately the shortest ever edition of Nürburgring 24 Hours after heavy fog played havoc. The Northern Irishman headed into his fifth attempt at the world-famous race with unfinished business, having seen potential podium challenges in both each of the previous two years get cruelly derailed by incidents on circuit. Daniel said: “Every year I come back here for the Nürburgring 24 Hours, I’m blown away by just how special this event is. 240,000 fans came out to enjoy the action and you feel so privileged to be in a position to be part of the race for them.’’
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Cronin secures a crucial Jim Clark Rally victory
Keith Cronin ensured his bid for a fifth Probite British Rally Championship title remains firmly alive, by taking a critical victory at the Beatson’s Building Supplies Jim Clark Rally. After a dismal start to this year's BRC campaign, Cronin, and co-driver Mikie Galvin took their Pirelli shod Ford Fiesta Rally2 to their first victory of the season and more importantly, edged back into contention for the coveted crown. They fended off the advances of 2019 Junior BRC champions William Creighton and Liam Regan who claimed second spot, with local hero Garry Pearson and co-driver Daniel Barritt rounding out the podium spots, making it a Fiesta Rally2 podium lock-out. “It's been a long time coming,” said a visibly delighted Cronin. “The first two rounds didn’t go our way, unfortunately, but championships are long. This win gives us a fighting chance again, but it’s still a long championship.''
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Keith Cronin ensured his bid for a fifth Probite British Rally Championship title remains firmly alive, by taking a critical victory at the Beatson’s Building Supplies Jim Clark Rally. After a dismal start to this year's BRC campaign, Cronin, and co-driver Mikie Galvin took their Pirelli shod Ford Fiesta Rally2 to their first victory of the season and more importantly, edged back into contention for the coveted crown. They fended off the advances of 2019 Junior BRC champions William Creighton and Liam Regan who claimed second spot, with local hero Garry Pearson and co-driver Daniel Barritt rounding out the podium spots, making it a Fiesta Rally2 podium lock-out. “It's been a long time coming,” said a visibly delighted Cronin. “The first two rounds didn’t go our way, unfortunately, but championships are long. This win gives us a fighting chance again, but it’s still a long championship.''
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McErlean's faultless drive misses win by three secs!
Josh McErlean recorded his best-ever WRC result at the Rally de Portugal [9-12 May], with co-driver James Fulton taking a sensational second place in the WRC2 category, missing out on the win by just 3.2 seconds! Despite being his first WRC round of the season, McErlean’s drive was faultless, and saw the Irish duo blasting into the top six on the first full day, climbing the leaderboard with a blistering pace across the rutted Portuguese gravel. “This kind of result is exactly what we have been working so hard on over the years and to finally get on the WRC2 podium is fantastic for me, the team and fantastic work of the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy. It’s been the rally of dreams this weekend”.
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Josh McErlean recorded his best-ever WRC result at the Rally de Portugal [9-12 May], with co-driver James Fulton taking a sensational second place in the WRC2 category, missing out on the win by just 3.2 seconds! Despite being his first WRC round of the season, McErlean’s drive was faultless, and saw the Irish duo blasting into the top six on the first full day, climbing the leaderboard with a blistering pace across the rutted Portuguese gravel. “This kind of result is exactly what we have been working so hard on over the years and to finally get on the WRC2 podium is fantastic for me, the team and fantastic work of the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy. It’s been the rally of dreams this weekend”.
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Aoife Raftery returns to Euro Rally series for 2024
Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy driver Aoife Raftery will return to the FIA Junior European Rally Championship this year. The Craughwell-based driver was regularly at the sharp end of last year’s European Championship where she blazed a trail for Irish women in motorsport. Following in the wheel tracks of one of her motor racing idols, the late Rosemary Smith, Raftery recorded impressive results in the Czech Republic and Italy last year. Raftery is the first, and so far, only, female driver to be selected by the Rally Academy since its inception in 2020. “I am delighted to announce that we will be competing in the European Rally Championship again this year,” she said. “It is a fantastic opportunity and a massive thank you to everyone behind me, the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy, and my sponsors for making this happen. It is going to be a really exciting year.” Raftery will visit a host of new countries including next week’s Hungarian event and the Canary Islands. Raftery will be co-driven by County Antrim’s Hannah McKillop in Hungary.
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Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy driver Aoife Raftery will return to the FIA Junior European Rally Championship this year. The Craughwell-based driver was regularly at the sharp end of last year’s European Championship where she blazed a trail for Irish women in motorsport. Following in the wheel tracks of one of her motor racing idols, the late Rosemary Smith, Raftery recorded impressive results in the Czech Republic and Italy last year. Raftery is the first, and so far, only, female driver to be selected by the Rally Academy since its inception in 2020. “I am delighted to announce that we will be competing in the European Rally Championship again this year,” she said. “It is a fantastic opportunity and a massive thank you to everyone behind me, the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy, and my sponsors for making this happen. It is going to be a really exciting year.” Raftery will visit a host of new countries including next week’s Hungarian event and the Canary Islands. Raftery will be co-driven by County Antrim’s Hannah McKillop in Hungary.
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Inspired tyre choice seals Circuit victory for Edwards
It looked as if Keith Cronin would repeat his Galway and West Cork triumphs and maintain his unbeaten start to the Irish Tarmac Championship with a win on the Circuit of Ireland. But Matt Edwards had moved to within two-tenths of a second to Cronin after the first four stages, only to see the gap increase to 4.7 seconds on the second loop’s first stage. But, with the forecast showing rain, an inspired tyre call for the afternoon stages at Easter Saturday’s event handed the Welchman, alongside David Moynihan, a breakthrough victory. Ten seconds quicker on ‘The Hollow 2’ than Cronin, Matt turned a deficit into a 5.9 second advantage and extended that to 13.4 seconds at the end of the 9.34-mile ‘Sweathouse 2’ stage to lead the field. “It was a good move to keep the wets in the back for the second run,” said Edwards. The result moves him above third-placed Josh Moffett in the standings. The retirement of Jonny Greer to a crash, and damage on stage seven for Desi Henry’s car, brought Cathan McCourt to fourth and Garry Jennings to fifth. Callum Devine’s title defence suffered a setback when damage to his Polo GTI R5 forced retirement.
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It looked as if Keith Cronin would repeat his Galway and West Cork triumphs and maintain his unbeaten start to the Irish Tarmac Championship with a win on the Circuit of Ireland. But Matt Edwards had moved to within two-tenths of a second to Cronin after the first four stages, only to see the gap increase to 4.7 seconds on the second loop’s first stage. But, with the forecast showing rain, an inspired tyre call for the afternoon stages at Easter Saturday’s event handed the Welchman, alongside David Moynihan, a breakthrough victory. Ten seconds quicker on ‘The Hollow 2’ than Cronin, Matt turned a deficit into a 5.9 second advantage and extended that to 13.4 seconds at the end of the 9.34-mile ‘Sweathouse 2’ stage to lead the field. “It was a good move to keep the wets in the back for the second run,” said Edwards. The result moves him above third-placed Josh Moffett in the standings. The retirement of Jonny Greer to a crash, and damage on stage seven for Desi Henry’s car, brought Cathan McCourt to fourth and Garry Jennings to fifth. Callum Devine’s title defence suffered a setback when damage to his Polo GTI R5 forced retirement.
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WILLIAM CREIGHTON TAKES SECOND PLACE ON BRC OPENER
Fresh from a podium at the West Cork Rally, Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy driver
William Creighton and co-driver Liam Regan took a resounding second-place finish
on the opening round of the British Rally Championship.
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Fresh from a podium at the West Cork Rally, Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy driver
William Creighton and co-driver Liam Regan took a resounding second-place finish
on the opening round of the British Rally Championship.
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Meeke’s start-to-finish victory in the second round
Kris Meeke demolished the opposition on Rallye Casinos do Algarve at the wheel of his Team Hyundai i20 N Rally2, later describing the performance as “the perfect weekend”. Meeke’s convincing start-to-finish victory in the second round of the 2024 season’s Portuguese Rally Championship, alongside co-driver James Fulton, was a repeat of the first round held in February. Fastest on the first leg’s three stages, which included a short blast through the seaside town of Lagos, he carried that momentum into day two of the loose surface event. A clean sweep on Saturday’s six stages saw him add 41 seconds to his final advantage over eventual runner-up Armindo Araujo to seal top spot by a resounding 56.1 seconds. Meeke is next in Portuguese Rally Championship action at Rali Terras d’Aboboreira in April for what will be the third consecutive gravel event.
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Kris Meeke demolished the opposition on Rallye Casinos do Algarve at the wheel of his Team Hyundai i20 N Rally2, later describing the performance as “the perfect weekend”. Meeke’s convincing start-to-finish victory in the second round of the 2024 season’s Portuguese Rally Championship, alongside co-driver James Fulton, was a repeat of the first round held in February. Fastest on the first leg’s three stages, which included a short blast through the seaside town of Lagos, he carried that momentum into day two of the loose surface event. A clean sweep on Saturday’s six stages saw him add 41 seconds to his final advantage over eventual runner-up Armindo Araujo to seal top spot by a resounding 56.1 seconds. Meeke is next in Portuguese Rally Championship action at Rali Terras d’Aboboreira in April for what will be the third consecutive gravel event.
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Cronin king of Clonakilty after mighty West Cork win
Keith Cronin and Mikie Galvin cruised home over West Cork Rally’s six Sunday stages to ensure they recorded their second Irish Tarmac win of the year. The Irish Tarmac Rally Championship leaders recorded a well-controlled 57.2-second victory over Wales’ Matt Edwards. On Saturday morning’s wet and foggy stages they gained a rally lead they would hold onto for the rest of the 18-stage event.“It was a tough rally, the conditions yesterday were really tough,” described Cronin. “We had a good lead overnight which was great. I would like to thank all the marshals and organisers - I don't know how people stood out in that weather. It is a great result for us, great for the championship, but there is still a long way to go.’’ Reigning Irish Tarmac Champion Callum Devine started quickest on Clonakilty’s Friday night stages but fell behind Cronin on the Saturday morning before getting a puncture on stage seven. The Volkswagen Polo driver was climbing back up the pack when he damaged his rear-left suspension on Saturday’s final stage, dropping out of the rally in fourth position. Matt Edwards and William Creighton made it a Ford Fiesta lock-out on the West Cork Rally podium.
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Keith Cronin and Mikie Galvin cruised home over West Cork Rally’s six Sunday stages to ensure they recorded their second Irish Tarmac win of the year. The Irish Tarmac Rally Championship leaders recorded a well-controlled 57.2-second victory over Wales’ Matt Edwards. On Saturday morning’s wet and foggy stages they gained a rally lead they would hold onto for the rest of the 18-stage event.“It was a tough rally, the conditions yesterday were really tough,” described Cronin. “We had a good lead overnight which was great. I would like to thank all the marshals and organisers - I don't know how people stood out in that weather. It is a great result for us, great for the championship, but there is still a long way to go.’’ Reigning Irish Tarmac Champion Callum Devine started quickest on Clonakilty’s Friday night stages but fell behind Cronin on the Saturday morning before getting a puncture on stage seven. The Volkswagen Polo driver was climbing back up the pack when he damaged his rear-left suspension on Saturday’s final stage, dropping out of the rally in fourth position. Matt Edwards and William Creighton made it a Ford Fiesta lock-out on the West Cork Rally podium.
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Greer continues perfect start with Bishopscourt win
Jonny Greer, alongside Niall Burns, maintained his start to this year’s McGrady Insurance Northern Ireland Rally Championship with a win at Bishopscourt. With tight margins after eight stages and 35 competitive miles, Greer overtook the leader Aaron McLaughlin (Volkswagen Polo GTI R5) on the penultimate test, covering it nearly five seconds quicker in the Rally2 version of Citroen Racing’s C3 to win by 3.7 seconds. Third place went to Junior British Rally champions Kyle White and Sean Topping in the Race and Rally-sponsored meeting in their Hyundai i20. Despite a misfire on the Darrian T90m GTR, in the two-wheel-drive battle Barry Morris finished ahead of the Escort Mk2 of nearest challenger, John Bradley. Stephen Whiteford and Jonny Hart were victorious in the Micra Challenge series from Jordan and Paul Hone. Photo by: NeillPics.com / William Neill
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Jonny Greer, alongside Niall Burns, maintained his start to this year’s McGrady Insurance Northern Ireland Rally Championship with a win at Bishopscourt. With tight margins after eight stages and 35 competitive miles, Greer overtook the leader Aaron McLaughlin (Volkswagen Polo GTI R5) on the penultimate test, covering it nearly five seconds quicker in the Rally2 version of Citroen Racing’s C3 to win by 3.7 seconds. Third place went to Junior British Rally champions Kyle White and Sean Topping in the Race and Rally-sponsored meeting in their Hyundai i20. Despite a misfire on the Darrian T90m GTR, in the two-wheel-drive battle Barry Morris finished ahead of the Escort Mk2 of nearest challenger, John Bradley. Stephen Whiteford and Jonny Hart were victorious in the Micra Challenge series from Jordan and Paul Hone. Photo by: NeillPics.com / William Neill
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Another dominant rally result for Meeke in Portugal
Kris Meeke blitzed the opening stage nearly 10 seconds faster than anyone else at Rali Serras de Fafe – the first round of the Portuguese Rally Championship. He then recorded quickest times on nine of the event’s 11 stages in the Hyundai i20 N Rally2 car to take the overall win by a minute and nine seconds with co-driver James Fulton. The pair are competing on the eight-round mixed surface Championship for a second season with Team Hyundai Portugal. They rounded off a dominant performance by winning the Power Stage to claim all three bonus points. Largely gravel-based but with tarmac sections in the Fafe, Cabeceiras de Basto, Felgueiras and Boticas areas, snow made way for rain, with Meeke likening the conditions to Rallye Monte-Carlo and Wales Rally GB. “A win is a great result and a great way to start the season – it makes me immensely happy to be able to do it for Team Hyundai Portugal,” said Kris. “I really enjoyed this rally because it had such fantastic stages – they are some of the best in the world.’’
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Kris Meeke blitzed the opening stage nearly 10 seconds faster than anyone else at Rali Serras de Fafe – the first round of the Portuguese Rally Championship. He then recorded quickest times on nine of the event’s 11 stages in the Hyundai i20 N Rally2 car to take the overall win by a minute and nine seconds with co-driver James Fulton. The pair are competing on the eight-round mixed surface Championship for a second season with Team Hyundai Portugal. They rounded off a dominant performance by winning the Power Stage to claim all three bonus points. Largely gravel-based but with tarmac sections in the Fafe, Cabeceiras de Basto, Felgueiras and Boticas areas, snow made way for rain, with Meeke likening the conditions to Rallye Monte-Carlo and Wales Rally GB. “A win is a great result and a great way to start the season – it makes me immensely happy to be able to do it for Team Hyundai Portugal,” said Kris. “I really enjoyed this rally because it had such fantastic stages – they are some of the best in the world.’’
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Niall McGonigle wins Forest Championship opener
Niall McGonigle won the Samsonas Fivemiletown Rally, the opening round of the McGrady Insurance Northern Ireland Forest Rally Championship in County Tyrone. On the 3.05-mile run over the final Crocknagrally stage McGonigle managed to overturn a 0.2 second deficit to Vivian Hamill to secure a first ever career victory by just 2.8 seconds. “I have helped to organise the rally on a number of occasions but never thought the day would come when I would say I have won this rally. I’ve a lot of people to thank for that,” said McGonigle at the finish. “My navigator, Caolan McKenna, and the entire team – they have all done such a fantastic job to make this result possible.'' Hamill, as the number one seed, was having to clear the forest tracks of loose gravel on the first pass and did well to remain in contention with co-driver Lorcan Moore, admitting he had pushed his Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 to the maximum. 1. Niall McGonigle/Caolan McKenna; 2 Vivian Hamill/Lorcan Moore; 3. Derek Mackarel/Darren Curran.
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Niall McGonigle won the Samsonas Fivemiletown Rally, the opening round of the McGrady Insurance Northern Ireland Forest Rally Championship in County Tyrone. On the 3.05-mile run over the final Crocknagrally stage McGonigle managed to overturn a 0.2 second deficit to Vivian Hamill to secure a first ever career victory by just 2.8 seconds. “I have helped to organise the rally on a number of occasions but never thought the day would come when I would say I have won this rally. I’ve a lot of people to thank for that,” said McGonigle at the finish. “My navigator, Caolan McKenna, and the entire team – they have all done such a fantastic job to make this result possible.'' Hamill, as the number one seed, was having to clear the forest tracks of loose gravel on the first pass and did well to remain in contention with co-driver Lorcan Moore, admitting he had pushed his Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 to the maximum. 1. Niall McGonigle/Caolan McKenna; 2 Vivian Hamill/Lorcan Moore; 3. Derek Mackarel/Darren Curran.
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Solid Creighton performance on M-Sport WRC2 debut
The Junior World Rally Champion William Creighton enjoyed a positive opening round of his World Rally Championship WRC2 campaign at Rally Sweden, setting a string of encouraging times on his M-Sport Ford Fiesta Rally2 debut. The Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy driver was delighted to finish the highly specialised event. The Moira driver and co-driver Liam Regan was competing against an abundance of experienced Scandinavian drivers who were much more familiar with the specialised surface. “I’m delighted to get to the end of this one,” said an elated Creighton at the finish. “It's always a joy to drive in these snow conditions and this experience has been no different. It’s another level but I can be really pleased with our performance during the weekend considering the calibre of the drivers we were up against. It’s a good start to our season. When you only drive on snow once or twice a year it's almost impossible to come here and be in the hunt for top results. But we knew that from the outset, and we had a game plan to do our own thing and take every little bit of experience and knowledge away from the rally that we could.’’
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The Junior World Rally Champion William Creighton enjoyed a positive opening round of his World Rally Championship WRC2 campaign at Rally Sweden, setting a string of encouraging times on his M-Sport Ford Fiesta Rally2 debut. The Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy driver was delighted to finish the highly specialised event. The Moira driver and co-driver Liam Regan was competing against an abundance of experienced Scandinavian drivers who were much more familiar with the specialised surface. “I’m delighted to get to the end of this one,” said an elated Creighton at the finish. “It's always a joy to drive in these snow conditions and this experience has been no different. It’s another level but I can be really pleased with our performance during the weekend considering the calibre of the drivers we were up against. It’s a good start to our season. When you only drive on snow once or twice a year it's almost impossible to come here and be in the hunt for top results. But we knew that from the outset, and we had a game plan to do our own thing and take every little bit of experience and knowledge away from the rally that we could.’’
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Jonny Greer tops the times at Championship opener
Jonny Greer was fastest on all six stages of the opening round of the McGrady Insurance NI Rally Championship. Jonny and Niall Burns were fastest from start-to-finish at what was the first opportunity to score points in the NI Rally series at Kirkistown Race Circuit – winning by 15.3 seconds in a Citroen C3 Rally2. Stuart Biggerstaff, was on form when wet conditions worsened mid-event. The Kinallen man, with Anthony Nestor alongside, moved his Ford Fiesta R5 into second after the 4.4-mile SS3 – a reverse test from the opening loop with an extra gravel section, securing the place by over 19 seconds. Derek McGarrity’s long association with the event stood the Skoda Fabia R5 driver in good stead with an early second, 2.4 seconds behind the lead time on SS1. However, the distance from both Greer and Biggerstaff increased throughout the day, McGarrity,with Paddy Robinson, settling for the final podium place. Peadar Hurson, in a ROK Motorsport converted right-hand-drive Volkswagen Polo, moved from an early tenth to sixth with a fourth fastest stage time the Newry driver’s highest placing of the day. Photo by: NeillPics.com / William Neill
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Jonny Greer was fastest on all six stages of the opening round of the McGrady Insurance NI Rally Championship. Jonny and Niall Burns were fastest from start-to-finish at what was the first opportunity to score points in the NI Rally series at Kirkistown Race Circuit – winning by 15.3 seconds in a Citroen C3 Rally2. Stuart Biggerstaff, was on form when wet conditions worsened mid-event. The Kinallen man, with Anthony Nestor alongside, moved his Ford Fiesta R5 into second after the 4.4-mile SS3 – a reverse test from the opening loop with an extra gravel section, securing the place by over 19 seconds. Derek McGarrity’s long association with the event stood the Skoda Fabia R5 driver in good stead with an early second, 2.4 seconds behind the lead time on SS1. However, the distance from both Greer and Biggerstaff increased throughout the day, McGarrity,with Paddy Robinson, settling for the final podium place. Peadar Hurson, in a ROK Motorsport converted right-hand-drive Volkswagen Polo, moved from an early tenth to sixth with a fourth fastest stage time the Newry driver’s highest placing of the day. Photo by: NeillPics.com / William Neill
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Impressive Galway win for Keith Cronin & Mikie Galvin
The 113 starters for the Galway International Rally had to face tricky road conditions, with mud, soft verges, and solid stone walls likely to catch out the unwary, It was a tough event with only seventy-three surviving the weekend, and Keith Cronin & Mikie Galvin were the impressive winners with 38.1 seconds to spare over Callum Devine & Noel O’Sullivan in their VW Polo R5. The reigning Tarmac Champions are still waiting for their first Galway win but will take comfort from that fact they were Cronin’s closest rivals - Josh Moffett & Andy Hayes took third place in a Citroen C3 having to adjust to a car unfamiliar to them, but they still set particularly good times over. the weekend. Desi Henry slid off the road on the last stage and got beached for 90 seconds, which promoted Declan Boyle into fourth place. The modified rally also went down to the wire as Conor Murphy suffered engine problems on the final pair of stages and a late charge from Frank Kelly saw him take the category by just four seconds.
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The 113 starters for the Galway International Rally had to face tricky road conditions, with mud, soft verges, and solid stone walls likely to catch out the unwary, It was a tough event with only seventy-three surviving the weekend, and Keith Cronin & Mikie Galvin were the impressive winners with 38.1 seconds to spare over Callum Devine & Noel O’Sullivan in their VW Polo R5. The reigning Tarmac Champions are still waiting for their first Galway win but will take comfort from that fact they were Cronin’s closest rivals - Josh Moffett & Andy Hayes took third place in a Citroen C3 having to adjust to a car unfamiliar to them, but they still set particularly good times over. the weekend. Desi Henry slid off the road on the last stage and got beached for 90 seconds, which promoted Declan Boyle into fourth place. The modified rally also went down to the wire as Conor Murphy suffered engine problems on the final pair of stages and a late charge from Frank Kelly saw him take the category by just four seconds.
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A NIGHT WITH ARI VATANEN - Journey to Success
Wednesday 24th January 2024 in Armagh City Hotel at 7pm
An evening hosted by Tony Jardine and Martin Walsh in discussion with Ari Vatanen, and an array of our own motor sport Champions from across the UK and Ireland, William Creighton, Marty McCormack, Eamonn Kelly, Josh McErlean, Josh Moffett, Callum Devine, Andrew Watson, Colin Turkington and Niall McShea.
Light refreshments will be served on the night. Tickets £50, table of ten £500 - Proceeds go Southern Area Hospice Services.
Contact CarSport for details on 028 9266 2311 or 07720 080806 or Kieran of Armagh Tigers Charitable Trust on 07771 654700 .
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Wednesday 24th January 2024 in Armagh City Hotel at 7pm
An evening hosted by Tony Jardine and Martin Walsh in discussion with Ari Vatanen, and an array of our own motor sport Champions from across the UK and Ireland, William Creighton, Marty McCormack, Eamonn Kelly, Josh McErlean, Josh Moffett, Callum Devine, Andrew Watson, Colin Turkington and Niall McShea.
Light refreshments will be served on the night. Tickets £50, table of ten £500 - Proceeds go Southern Area Hospice Services.
Contact CarSport for details on 028 9266 2311 or 07720 080806 or Kieran of Armagh Tigers Charitable Trust on 07771 654700 .
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ON SALE NOW Bumper 164-page Irish Motorsport Yearbook 2024 Available at all good newsagents in Ireland, or by direct mail: Contact us at (028) 9266 2311 (RoI 048 prefix) or email gladysgreer@greerpublications.com _________________________________________________________________________________ |
Four times RAC win for Marty McCormack
Marty McCormack’s margin of victory over Omagh’s Cathan McCourt was five-and-a-half minutes at the end of the Roger Albert Clark Rally which began on the Thursday morning from the Welsh town of Carmarthen. Between then and the finish line on Monday just after 3pm, the lead had changed hands no fewer than four times as mechanical woes spelt trouble for Kris Meeke, Osian Pryce and Oliver Solberg. “That was a tough one and to be honest I can’t believe we are here. The last 39-mile stage, the entire event, it has been a real fight the whole way and here we are, four-time winners of the RAC,” said the Draperstown driver, who previously won it in 2012, 2017 and 2019 in a BDA-powered Ford Escort Mk2. “Nothing is ever certain on this rally and when I ended up in a ditch on Saturday, I would not have thought that I would have been standing here today, but that’s what a rally like the RAC is all about. It is not about being fast all of the time, it is about being there at the finish and that is what we’ve managed to do. It’s an incredible result to win it a total of four times now. I really can’t believe it.” McCormack added: “Everybody in the team worked on the car to keep us going and Barney has been legendary once again. He did a truly fantastic job on the notes.”
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Marty McCormack’s margin of victory over Omagh’s Cathan McCourt was five-and-a-half minutes at the end of the Roger Albert Clark Rally which began on the Thursday morning from the Welsh town of Carmarthen. Between then and the finish line on Monday just after 3pm, the lead had changed hands no fewer than four times as mechanical woes spelt trouble for Kris Meeke, Osian Pryce and Oliver Solberg. “That was a tough one and to be honest I can’t believe we are here. The last 39-mile stage, the entire event, it has been a real fight the whole way and here we are, four-time winners of the RAC,” said the Draperstown driver, who previously won it in 2012, 2017 and 2019 in a BDA-powered Ford Escort Mk2. “Nothing is ever certain on this rally and when I ended up in a ditch on Saturday, I would not have thought that I would have been standing here today, but that’s what a rally like the RAC is all about. It is not about being fast all of the time, it is about being there at the finish and that is what we’ve managed to do. It’s an incredible result to win it a total of four times now. I really can’t believe it.” McCormack added: “Everybody in the team worked on the car to keep us going and Barney has been legendary once again. He did a truly fantastic job on the notes.”
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Greer and Kelly battle for success on Killarney Historic Rally
Jonathan Greer has made it another successive victory at the Killarney Historic Rally. The current and four-time Northern Ireland Rally Champion set the pace in the Ford Sierra Sapphire Cosworth on the first stage, only to lose the initiative on stage two to the BMW E30 M3 of Donagh Kelly as he battled to find grip and confidence. However, on stage seven of eight, Greer edged the Ford back in front of Kelly and made the result safe by setting the benchmark for everyone to beat on the day’s decider. His margin over Kelly on a day when some stages had to be shortened due to the conditions was just 3.7 seconds! Michael McDaid rounded out the podium places in third. “For the last three years it has been fantastic for us - really competitive,’’ said Jonathan. ‘’It has been so good to drive, the Sierra Cosworth, especially on these stages here in Killarney, and the guys have done such a fantastic job getting it to the point it is at now. It’s never easy with these older cars, but I must say I thoroughly enjoyed it.” He added: “It was a good race with Donagh all day.” In the Modified section of the Killarney Historic Rally, Killarney natives Rob Duggan and Ger Conway came out the right side of an equally tight battle. They, too, grabbed the lead on the penultimate stage and went on a charge over the closing miles in the darkness to defeat the Toyota Corolla Twin Cam of Kevin Eves and Chris Melly by 3.4 seconds. Declan Gallagher brought his Toyota Starlet home in third.
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Jonathan Greer has made it another successive victory at the Killarney Historic Rally. The current and four-time Northern Ireland Rally Champion set the pace in the Ford Sierra Sapphire Cosworth on the first stage, only to lose the initiative on stage two to the BMW E30 M3 of Donagh Kelly as he battled to find grip and confidence. However, on stage seven of eight, Greer edged the Ford back in front of Kelly and made the result safe by setting the benchmark for everyone to beat on the day’s decider. His margin over Kelly on a day when some stages had to be shortened due to the conditions was just 3.7 seconds! Michael McDaid rounded out the podium places in third. “For the last three years it has been fantastic for us - really competitive,’’ said Jonathan. ‘’It has been so good to drive, the Sierra Cosworth, especially on these stages here in Killarney, and the guys have done such a fantastic job getting it to the point it is at now. It’s never easy with these older cars, but I must say I thoroughly enjoyed it.” He added: “It was a good race with Donagh all day.” In the Modified section of the Killarney Historic Rally, Killarney natives Rob Duggan and Ger Conway came out the right side of an equally tight battle. They, too, grabbed the lead on the penultimate stage and went on a charge over the closing miles in the darkness to defeat the Toyota Corolla Twin Cam of Kevin Eves and Chris Melly by 3.4 seconds. Declan Gallagher brought his Toyota Starlet home in third.
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Sherwood Engines back Historic Irish Tarmac Series
The 2024 Historic Irish Tarmac Rally Championship will be sponsored by Sherwood Engines Ltd, starting with the season-opening Killarney Historic Rally on 2nd December. The popular motorsport brand joined the championship as associate sponsors for the 2023 season but is now fully affiliated with the Historic series for its latest season. Between them, Alan and Paul Sherwood have over 85 years of experience building and developing Ford-based motorsport powertrains. Alan Sherwood built his first BD engine in 1971 and his knowledge is coupled with Paul Sherwood’s extensive experience running race teams in the USA. Colman Hegarty, TROA chairman commented: “ITRC is delighted to announce Sherwood Engines Ltd. as sponsors of the Historic category for the 2024 series. “Sherwood Engines Ltd. is the perfect fit for the historic category as they supply power units for many of the top-end historic competitors. “Everyone at TROA Ltd is looking forward to working with Paul Sherwood and his team over the coming year.” Photo: ROL23_Williams_DH (by D Harrigan) _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The 2024 Historic Irish Tarmac Rally Championship will be sponsored by Sherwood Engines Ltd, starting with the season-opening Killarney Historic Rally on 2nd December. The popular motorsport brand joined the championship as associate sponsors for the 2023 season but is now fully affiliated with the Historic series for its latest season. Between them, Alan and Paul Sherwood have over 85 years of experience building and developing Ford-based motorsport powertrains. Alan Sherwood built his first BD engine in 1971 and his knowledge is coupled with Paul Sherwood’s extensive experience running race teams in the USA. Colman Hegarty, TROA chairman commented: “ITRC is delighted to announce Sherwood Engines Ltd. as sponsors of the Historic category for the 2024 series. “Sherwood Engines Ltd. is the perfect fit for the historic category as they supply power units for many of the top-end historic competitors. “Everyone at TROA Ltd is looking forward to working with Paul Sherwood and his team over the coming year.” Photo: ROL23_Williams_DH (by D Harrigan) _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Kyle White achieves Junior British Rally boyhood dream
Kyle White achieved his boyhood dream on being crowned overall winner of the Junior British Rally Championship at Saturday’s Cambrian Rally in Wales. He wrapped up the title on this third consecutive attempt, in the final round of the season alongside co-driver, Sean Topping. All the Peugeot 208 Rally4 driver had to do was finish the event, such was his points advantage over Co Donegal’s Kyle McBride, who went on to end the year on a high by securing the win. “I cannot really put what we have achieved into words, I cannot believe it,” said White, “It is an amazing feeling to win my first British Championship and to emulate one of my heroes – Kris Meeke – and add my name alongside some of the most prestigious people in this sport. What makes this extra special is that we are just a small, four-man team from Northern Ireland. It has been an incredible three years competing in the JBRC. The competition has been really strong and the pace has been absolutely mental,.”
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Kyle White achieved his boyhood dream on being crowned overall winner of the Junior British Rally Championship at Saturday’s Cambrian Rally in Wales. He wrapped up the title on this third consecutive attempt, in the final round of the season alongside co-driver, Sean Topping. All the Peugeot 208 Rally4 driver had to do was finish the event, such was his points advantage over Co Donegal’s Kyle McBride, who went on to end the year on a high by securing the win. “I cannot really put what we have achieved into words, I cannot believe it,” said White, “It is an amazing feeling to win my first British Championship and to emulate one of my heroes – Kris Meeke – and add my name alongside some of the most prestigious people in this sport. What makes this extra special is that we are just a small, four-man team from Northern Ireland. It has been an incredible three years competing in the JBRC. The competition has been really strong and the pace has been absolutely mental,.”
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Josh Moffett wins the Irish National Rally Championship for the third time
The Irish National Rally Championship title and the Vard Memorial Trophy was retained by Josh Moffett for a third season following his success on the Fastnet Rally in Bantry. The Hyundai i20 R5 pilot went on the offensive in the second half of an event where persistent rain, and standing water, added to the challenge. “The second half of the last stage was very wet and that made things extremely tough,” said Moffett, who chalked up a third victory of the 2023 campaign with Keith Moriarty by 7.4 seconds from Callum Devine, after a rain shower caught Daniel Cronin out and led to him going off the road momentarily. “I am just over the moon to get the championship after a mixed year. It is great to retain the title, and for the third year in a row, but Callum certainly did not make it easy for us this season.”
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The Irish National Rally Championship title and the Vard Memorial Trophy was retained by Josh Moffett for a third season following his success on the Fastnet Rally in Bantry. The Hyundai i20 R5 pilot went on the offensive in the second half of an event where persistent rain, and standing water, added to the challenge. “The second half of the last stage was very wet and that made things extremely tough,” said Moffett, who chalked up a third victory of the 2023 campaign with Keith Moriarty by 7.4 seconds from Callum Devine, after a rain shower caught Daniel Cronin out and led to him going off the road momentarily. “I am just over the moon to get the championship after a mixed year. It is great to retain the title, and for the third year in a row, but Callum certainly did not make it easy for us this season.”
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Jack Young maintains lead in China TRC
Jack Young further extended his lead in the TCR China Touring Car Championship race at Zhuzhou International Circuit over title rival Martin Cao. Young started the 27-minute sprint at the penultimate race weekend in tenth, but clawed back five places before the race had to be red flagged with 17 minutes remaining. A second red flag followed with little over four minutes left on the clock but, despite the second restart making it a two-lap sprint, the 22-year-old made up another place to finish just 3.944 seconds behind winner Ma Qing Hua. “I got a good start which allowed me to pull out a gap before managing it for the remainder of the race and maintaining first place. The car was set-up beautifully despite carrying the maximum 40kg success ballast, so my thanks go to the entire team for that.” Macau’s street circuit on the weekend of November 17th-19th is the deciding double-header, and Young and Hyundai Motorsport’s Cao are separated by six points. ‘’I am going to my first Macau fighting for the title so we go with all to play for next month.’’
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Jack Young further extended his lead in the TCR China Touring Car Championship race at Zhuzhou International Circuit over title rival Martin Cao. Young started the 27-minute sprint at the penultimate race weekend in tenth, but clawed back five places before the race had to be red flagged with 17 minutes remaining. A second red flag followed with little over four minutes left on the clock but, despite the second restart making it a two-lap sprint, the 22-year-old made up another place to finish just 3.944 seconds behind winner Ma Qing Hua. “I got a good start which allowed me to pull out a gap before managing it for the remainder of the race and maintaining first place. The car was set-up beautifully despite carrying the maximum 40kg success ballast, so my thanks go to the entire team for that.” Macau’s street circuit on the weekend of November 17th-19th is the deciding double-header, and Young and Hyundai Motorsport’s Cao are separated by six points. ‘’I am going to my first Macau fighting for the title so we go with all to play for next month.’’
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Dan Harper's superb comeback drive wins British GT title
Dan Harper produced arguably one of the greatest individual stints in British GT history as he scythed his way through from 13th to second in less than 45 minutes – his blistering pace and overtaking prowess capturing the attention of those watching, and drawing plaudits from far and wide. He produced a superb comeback drive to take the British GT title at Donington Park alongside team-mate Darren Leung. After Leung's lead was wiped out by a safety car just before the driver change at the pit stop, Harper was left with it all to do to overcome championship leader James Cottingham. When BMW factory driver Harper, 22. took the wheel he exited the pits in 13th, with any chance of the title looking slim, but he produced a stirring performance to move into the fifth place needed to beat Cottingham to the title, and he carried on taking three more positions to finish second on the road. "I just kept getting as many cars as I could, I knew depending on the situation I needed to get as many as possible. I can't believe it, I'm so happy."
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Dan Harper produced arguably one of the greatest individual stints in British GT history as he scythed his way through from 13th to second in less than 45 minutes – his blistering pace and overtaking prowess capturing the attention of those watching, and drawing plaudits from far and wide. He produced a superb comeback drive to take the British GT title at Donington Park alongside team-mate Darren Leung. After Leung's lead was wiped out by a safety car just before the driver change at the pit stop, Harper was left with it all to do to overcome championship leader James Cottingham. When BMW factory driver Harper, 22. took the wheel he exited the pits in 13th, with any chance of the title looking slim, but he produced a stirring performance to move into the fifth place needed to beat Cottingham to the title, and he carried on taking three more positions to finish second on the road. "I just kept getting as many cars as I could, I knew depending on the situation I needed to get as many as possible. I can't believe it, I'm so happy."
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Kirkistown Championships Finalised
The final car race meeting of 2023 at Kirkistown Circuit took place on Saturday 21st October. Although there were only eleven races, the competition was excellent. The Randalstown Rocket, Alan Davidson, won the first Formula Ford race, after Ballymena’s David McCullough was excluded for a technical infringement. This left the championship more open. Going into race two, Davidson was 16 points behind McCullough with 21 on the table. However, McCullough (left) made no mistakes, leading from start to finish, to win the race and the 2023 championship. The Libre Saloons and GTs had three races. In qualifying, one of the favourites and a title challenger, Peter Baxter, from Lurgan, suffered an engine compartment fire and withdrew from the meeting. Race one caught out many drivers on slick tyres when a shower of rain came on at the start. Paul Parr, from Newry, had anticipated the rain and had wets on his Seat Supercopa, and duly ran away from the field. Patrick Corbet, from Castlewellan, in a similar machine finished in second. Gareth Blaine, from Downpatrick, took a careful third place in another Supercopa. This was enough to secure the 2023 Championship title. The Championship Awards take place at the Beechlawn Hotel, Dunmurry, on Saturday 6th January 2024. This isn’t just for the winners. Everyone is welcome. Tickets from the 500MRCI.
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The final car race meeting of 2023 at Kirkistown Circuit took place on Saturday 21st October. Although there were only eleven races, the competition was excellent. The Randalstown Rocket, Alan Davidson, won the first Formula Ford race, after Ballymena’s David McCullough was excluded for a technical infringement. This left the championship more open. Going into race two, Davidson was 16 points behind McCullough with 21 on the table. However, McCullough (left) made no mistakes, leading from start to finish, to win the race and the 2023 championship. The Libre Saloons and GTs had three races. In qualifying, one of the favourites and a title challenger, Peter Baxter, from Lurgan, suffered an engine compartment fire and withdrew from the meeting. Race one caught out many drivers on slick tyres when a shower of rain came on at the start. Paul Parr, from Newry, had anticipated the rain and had wets on his Seat Supercopa, and duly ran away from the field. Patrick Corbet, from Castlewellan, in a similar machine finished in second. Gareth Blaine, from Downpatrick, took a careful third place in another Supercopa. This was enough to secure the 2023 Championship title. The Championship Awards take place at the Beechlawn Hotel, Dunmurry, on Saturday 6th January 2024. This isn’t just for the winners. Everyone is welcome. Tickets from the 500MRCI.
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Dominant result for Meeke in Portugal
County Tyrone’s Kris Meeke rounded off his season in the Portuguese Rally Championship in style on the Rallye Vidreiro Centro de Portugal. He led from start to finish alongside Brian Hoy to make it win No.4 since he joined the Hyundai team in place of Craig Breen. Fastest times on five of the eight stages in his i20 N Rally2 helped Meeke finish 54.3 seconds clear of runner-up, Alejandro Cachon. Third-place was more than enough for Meeke’s team-mate, Ricardo Teodosio, to clinch the national title for the third time in his career. “First of all, I remember my friend Craig Breen, because if it was not for him, I would not be here,” explained Meeke, “I have loved competing in the Portuguese Rally Championship this year. It’s been fantastic. I am very happy to have got another victory for the team at what was a very difficult event given the uncertain weather conditions across both legs, but I am even happier for my colleague Ricardo.’’
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County Tyrone’s Kris Meeke rounded off his season in the Portuguese Rally Championship in style on the Rallye Vidreiro Centro de Portugal. He led from start to finish alongside Brian Hoy to make it win No.4 since he joined the Hyundai team in place of Craig Breen. Fastest times on five of the eight stages in his i20 N Rally2 helped Meeke finish 54.3 seconds clear of runner-up, Alejandro Cachon. Third-place was more than enough for Meeke’s team-mate, Ricardo Teodosio, to clinch the national title for the third time in his career. “First of all, I remember my friend Craig Breen, because if it was not for him, I would not be here,” explained Meeke, “I have loved competing in the Portuguese Rally Championship this year. It’s been fantastic. I am very happy to have got another victory for the team at what was a very difficult event given the uncertain weather conditions across both legs, but I am even happier for my colleague Ricardo.’’
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DÉJÀ VU CORK ‘23 CHEQUE HANDOVER
Micheàl Sheridan (CEO) and Donie Lucey from CRITICAL
Emergency Medical Response receive a cheque for €17,500
from Alan Graham and Alan Tyndall, the organisers of the
recent Déjà vu Cork ’23 event.
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Andrew Watson Wins Jack Sears Trophy
Andrew Watson from Donaghmore clinched the Jack Sears Trophy with a confident performance at the final round of the British Touring Car Championship at Brands Hatch. becoming the first person from Northern Ireland to win it. The title is for those who, at the beginning of the season, hadn’t recorded an overall podium or won the competition. “To end the season as Jack Sears Trophy champion is just incredible,” said an emotional Watson. “We have had such an incredible season, and to get this title is exactly what we wanted to do. Right from the very first conversation we had about me making the switch to the BTCC, winning the Jack Sears Trophy was the objective, so to get the job done is incredible. It has been such a hard fight all season, so to come out on top makes it all the sweeter. Every race and every lap have been a fight with my competitors, it has been up and down,” he added. “This is definitely my biggest result and biggest championship win to date, so yeah, incredible – it really means a lot to me.” Watson joins a list of Jack Sears Trophy winners that includes Ash Sutton who was crowned British Touring Car Champion for a fourth time on Sunday.
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Andrew Watson from Donaghmore clinched the Jack Sears Trophy with a confident performance at the final round of the British Touring Car Championship at Brands Hatch. becoming the first person from Northern Ireland to win it. The title is for those who, at the beginning of the season, hadn’t recorded an overall podium or won the competition. “To end the season as Jack Sears Trophy champion is just incredible,” said an emotional Watson. “We have had such an incredible season, and to get this title is exactly what we wanted to do. Right from the very first conversation we had about me making the switch to the BTCC, winning the Jack Sears Trophy was the objective, so to get the job done is incredible. It has been such a hard fight all season, so to come out on top makes it all the sweeter. Every race and every lap have been a fight with my competitors, it has been up and down,” he added. “This is definitely my biggest result and biggest championship win to date, so yeah, incredible – it really means a lot to me.” Watson joins a list of Jack Sears Trophy winners that includes Ash Sutton who was crowned British Touring Car Champion for a fourth time on Sunday.
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NEW : The Ulster Giants - A history of Ulster winners
'The Ulster Giants' - Ulster Rally Winners from 1976 - 2023, is the latest and fifth book in Alan (Plum) Tyndall’s series on the winners of the Irish Tarmac Championship rounds in the various regions of the country. Like 'Heroes of the Hills’ (Donegal International); 'The Western Warriors' (Galway International); 'Coleman Country' (Cork 20 & West Cork rallies), and ‘The Kerry Dancers’ (Killarney Rally of the Lakes), this new 127-page full-colour book, contains spectacular photographs and accounts of all the Ulster events. With action shots from Ireland's top photographers like the late Esler Crawford, Seamus Counihan, Col Courtney, Trevor Foster and most importantly the RallyRetro archive, covering the Group 4, Group B, Group A, World Rally, and R5 eras, the book recalls the exploits of drivers like Billy Coleman, Bertie Fisher, Andrew Nesbitt, Eugene Donnelly and Craig Breen. The British Championship contestants like Jimmy McRae, Russell Brookes, Mark Lovell, Gwyndaf Evans, Malcolm Wilson and the unforgettable Colin McRae, added to the international visitors who came, like Pentti Airikkala, Stig Blomqvist, and the incomparable Walter Rohrl, who all conquered the Ulster lanes over this forty-seven year period. The Ulster Giants is available now on: www.rpm-motorsport.com/books
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'The Ulster Giants' - Ulster Rally Winners from 1976 - 2023, is the latest and fifth book in Alan (Plum) Tyndall’s series on the winners of the Irish Tarmac Championship rounds in the various regions of the country. Like 'Heroes of the Hills’ (Donegal International); 'The Western Warriors' (Galway International); 'Coleman Country' (Cork 20 & West Cork rallies), and ‘The Kerry Dancers’ (Killarney Rally of the Lakes), this new 127-page full-colour book, contains spectacular photographs and accounts of all the Ulster events. With action shots from Ireland's top photographers like the late Esler Crawford, Seamus Counihan, Col Courtney, Trevor Foster and most importantly the RallyRetro archive, covering the Group 4, Group B, Group A, World Rally, and R5 eras, the book recalls the exploits of drivers like Billy Coleman, Bertie Fisher, Andrew Nesbitt, Eugene Donnelly and Craig Breen. The British Championship contestants like Jimmy McRae, Russell Brookes, Mark Lovell, Gwyndaf Evans, Malcolm Wilson and the unforgettable Colin McRae, added to the international visitors who came, like Pentti Airikkala, Stig Blomqvist, and the incomparable Walter Rohrl, who all conquered the Ulster lanes over this forty-seven year period. The Ulster Giants is available now on: www.rpm-motorsport.com/books
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Doherty Dominates In the Dreich!
Ronan Doherty, from Dunloy, made his intentions clear by winning the first Formula Vee race at Kirkistown on 30th Sep. To say that the weather was inclement for the qualifying sessions for The Martin Donnelly and Emerson Fittipaldi Trophies race meeting, would be an understatement. When the start lights went out in The Emerson Fittipaldi Trophy race, it was Polley who got the better start from Doherty. But by the time the first car reached Maguire’s Hairpin it was Doherty in the lead. No one could catch the Formula Vee rookie and so Ronan Doherty became the first Ulster driver in many years to win the coveted Emerson Fittipaldi Trophy. Jack Byrne was second and Anthony Cross was third.
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Jordan Dempsey pressures Smyth to Donnelly Trophy
In the Martin Donnelly Trophy race for Formula Ford 1600s Noel Robinson, from Portadown, had qualified fastest of all, but it was Jordan Dempsey, from Mullingar who won the first race. Jason Smyth, from Celbridge, had finished second. When it came to The Martin Donnelly Trophy race, it was seventeen-year-old Smyth who led going into the second lap. David McCullough and Robinson were having a great battle, swapping places regularly. On lap nine, Dempsey finally got the better of Davidson on the entrance of Maguire’s Hairpin. In clear air he began to close on Smyth. By lap eleven he was right on Smyth’s gearbox, applying massive pressure to the young man in front of him. . On lap fourteen, Smyth’s composure cracked for a second, running him wide at Colonial One and letting Dempsey through to win the Martin Donnelly Trophy a lap later. Smyth was second and was inconsolable in Parc Fermé. McCullough was third.
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In the Martin Donnelly Trophy race for Formula Ford 1600s Noel Robinson, from Portadown, had qualified fastest of all, but it was Jordan Dempsey, from Mullingar who won the first race. Jason Smyth, from Celbridge, had finished second. When it came to The Martin Donnelly Trophy race, it was seventeen-year-old Smyth who led going into the second lap. David McCullough and Robinson were having a great battle, swapping places regularly. On lap nine, Dempsey finally got the better of Davidson on the entrance of Maguire’s Hairpin. In clear air he began to close on Smyth. By lap eleven he was right on Smyth’s gearbox, applying massive pressure to the young man in front of him. . On lap fourteen, Smyth’s composure cracked for a second, running him wide at Colonial One and letting Dempsey through to win the Martin Donnelly Trophy a lap later. Smyth was second and was inconsolable in Parc Fermé. McCullough was third.
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TURKINGTON TURNS IT AROUND TO TAKE RACE 3 WIN
Colin Turkington celebrated his 67th BTCC career victory at Silverstone in a dominant race 3 performance. The Team BMW driver produced a superb qualifying result on Saturday with a front row start, but unpredictable and changing weather on the grid for race 1, meant the 4-time champ ended up on the wrong tyres for the conditions. However, he went on to claim a stunning win in the final race of the day in a classic comeback from the cool and experienced driver. Although mathematically out of contention for the 2023 title, Turkington will go to Brands Hatch still aiming to finish his 19th BTCC season on a high. ’'The car was the best it's been in race 3, and I was able to stay in control of the race despite a rapid Tom Ingram in my mirror,’'he said. ‘'We’re mathematically out of the title fight now, but this isn’t a shock to me. I intend to push hard to the end and enjoy the finale!''
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Colin Turkington celebrated his 67th BTCC career victory at Silverstone in a dominant race 3 performance. The Team BMW driver produced a superb qualifying result on Saturday with a front row start, but unpredictable and changing weather on the grid for race 1, meant the 4-time champ ended up on the wrong tyres for the conditions. However, he went on to claim a stunning win in the final race of the day in a classic comeback from the cool and experienced driver. Although mathematically out of contention for the 2023 title, Turkington will go to Brands Hatch still aiming to finish his 19th BTCC season on a high. ’'The car was the best it's been in race 3, and I was able to stay in control of the race despite a rapid Tom Ingram in my mirror,’'he said. ‘'We’re mathematically out of the title fight now, but this isn’t a shock to me. I intend to push hard to the end and enjoy the finale!''
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Ryan Caldwell secures the Irish Forest Rally title at 21
Strabane’s Ryan Caldwell made history as he became the youngest person to secure the Irish Forest Rally Championship title with one round to spare. The 21-year-old was crowned overall winner of the cross-border series after results went his way with co-driver Arthur Kierans at Omagh Motor Club’s new-look Bushwhacker Rally. Caldwell’s name will be etched onto a trophy that has previously been lifted by the Moffett brothers Sam and Josh, Owen Murphy and Patrick O’Brien, who made it a hat-trick of Bushwhacker Rally victories alongside his brother Stephen in their family-run Skoda Fabia R5, three decades after their dad, Kevin, visited the top step of the same podium with Robbie McGurk. “We have put a lot of time and effort into this season with help from the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy, so to come away with the title in my first year in a R5 car is brilliant. I could not be happier.”
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Strabane’s Ryan Caldwell made history as he became the youngest person to secure the Irish Forest Rally Championship title with one round to spare. The 21-year-old was crowned overall winner of the cross-border series after results went his way with co-driver Arthur Kierans at Omagh Motor Club’s new-look Bushwhacker Rally. Caldwell’s name will be etched onto a trophy that has previously been lifted by the Moffett brothers Sam and Josh, Owen Murphy and Patrick O’Brien, who made it a hat-trick of Bushwhacker Rally victories alongside his brother Stephen in their family-run Skoda Fabia R5, three decades after their dad, Kevin, visited the top step of the same podium with Robbie McGurk. “We have put a lot of time and effort into this season with help from the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy, so to come away with the title in my first year in a R5 car is brilliant. I could not be happier.”
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- William is 2023 FIA Junior World Rally Champion
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Harper scores Brands Win To Take Fight To Finale
BMW M Motorsport works driver Dan Harper and team-mate Darren Leung will head into the final race of the 2023 British GT Championship season in contention for the GT3 drivers’ title after scoring a stunning race win at Brands Hatch. Second on the grid for the two-hour race with a great starting position to work from, Harper was determined to maximise the opportunity. A great opening stint from Leung kept their BMW at the front of the field. Emerging from the mid-race pitstop in second position, Harper settled into a rhythm behind Ross Gunn’s Aston Martin and started applying pressure. As the duo worked their way through the GT4 traffic, Harper’s great run out of Hawthorns corner set him up for a bold move down the inside into Westfield. With the lead in hand, he was determined not to lose it. A faultless drive over the remaining 29 minutes saw Harper keep Gunn at arm’s length throughout and secure a crucial second win of the season. Daniel said, “We’re over the moon to take the victory. This was exactly the result we needed to reduce the points deficit and keep ourselves in title contention for the season finale, so to achieve that is a fantastic feeling.’’
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BMW M Motorsport works driver Dan Harper and team-mate Darren Leung will head into the final race of the 2023 British GT Championship season in contention for the GT3 drivers’ title after scoring a stunning race win at Brands Hatch. Second on the grid for the two-hour race with a great starting position to work from, Harper was determined to maximise the opportunity. A great opening stint from Leung kept their BMW at the front of the field. Emerging from the mid-race pitstop in second position, Harper settled into a rhythm behind Ross Gunn’s Aston Martin and started applying pressure. As the duo worked their way through the GT4 traffic, Harper’s great run out of Hawthorns corner set him up for a bold move down the inside into Westfield. With the lead in hand, he was determined not to lose it. A faultless drive over the remaining 29 minutes saw Harper keep Gunn at arm’s length throughout and secure a crucial second win of the season. Daniel said, “We’re over the moon to take the victory. This was exactly the result we needed to reduce the points deficit and keep ourselves in title contention for the season finale, so to achieve that is a fantastic feeling.’’
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PATRICK & STEPHEN O'BRIEN IN FLYING FORM AS THEY
PATRICK & STEPHEN O'BRIEN CLAIM LAKELANDS
As the sun beamed across Fermanagh hills, it was apt that it would the scorching hot pace of 2022 champions Patrick O’Brien & Stephen O’Brien that would claim a dominant victory on the Enniskillen based Lakeland Stages Rally. Over six stages and an incredibly exciting day’s action, it was the O’Briens who really impressed as they topped the time sheets on all but one stage, and returned to the finish with a 21.2 second advantage over 2019 Champions Cathan McCourt & Liam Moynihan. In the race for the 2023 Sligo Pallets Forest Rally Championship, Round 5 for Ryan Caldwell & Arthur Kierans was a result they could barely have foreseen as they claimed yet another maximum score as all round them their rivals faltered. PIC RUAIDHRI NASH.
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As the sun beamed across Fermanagh hills, it was apt that it would the scorching hot pace of 2022 champions Patrick O’Brien & Stephen O’Brien that would claim a dominant victory on the Enniskillen based Lakeland Stages Rally. Over six stages and an incredibly exciting day’s action, it was the O’Briens who really impressed as they topped the time sheets on all but one stage, and returned to the finish with a 21.2 second advantage over 2019 Champions Cathan McCourt & Liam Moynihan. In the race for the 2023 Sligo Pallets Forest Rally Championship, Round 5 for Ryan Caldwell & Arthur Kierans was a result they could barely have foreseen as they claimed yet another maximum score as all round them their rivals faltered. PIC RUAIDHRI NASH.
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Top Class Entertainment At Kirkistown for Templeton Memorial
The racing at Kirkistown Circuit during the Malcolm Templeton Memorial Trophy Race Meeting on Saturday 26th August had everything any spectator could want. There was the spectacle, speed, phenomenally skilful driving, drama and controversy during the day. In The Malcolm Templeton Memorial Trophy Race Paul O’Connell sat on Pole with Tony Greenan beside him, but it was second row man, Jonathan Fildes, who shot into the lead! O’Connell slipped to fifth, behind Greenan, Noel Robinson and Shane Rabbitt. Separate clashes at Colonial One and the Crosslé Chicane, including O’Connell spinning and coming to a halt in a dangerous position, brought the red flags out. At the restart, once again Fildes made a great start. Greenan was all over the back of the Lola at every corner but seemingly couldn’t make a successful move stick. Robinson and Rabbitt were having a battle before Robinson spun, meanwhile Dan Daly, from Dunshaughlin, in a 3.0 litre Lola Nissan T90, was having a mighty battle with Kayleigh Cole for fifth place. Greenan on the sixth lap made the most incredible move in his 2.0 litre Dallara F317 Mercedes around the outside of Fisherman’s to pass Fildes and begin building a gap. Rabbit was in third place but Martin Daly had risen to fourth and had not given up. Robinson was also fighting back and on the penultimate lap he passed Cole for fifth place. On the final lap, Daly took the final podium position from Rabbit. So Tony Greenan (centre) from Hilltown became a fitting recipient of the Malcolm Templeton Memorial Trophy in 2023.
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The racing at Kirkistown Circuit during the Malcolm Templeton Memorial Trophy Race Meeting on Saturday 26th August had everything any spectator could want. There was the spectacle, speed, phenomenally skilful driving, drama and controversy during the day. In The Malcolm Templeton Memorial Trophy Race Paul O’Connell sat on Pole with Tony Greenan beside him, but it was second row man, Jonathan Fildes, who shot into the lead! O’Connell slipped to fifth, behind Greenan, Noel Robinson and Shane Rabbitt. Separate clashes at Colonial One and the Crosslé Chicane, including O’Connell spinning and coming to a halt in a dangerous position, brought the red flags out. At the restart, once again Fildes made a great start. Greenan was all over the back of the Lola at every corner but seemingly couldn’t make a successful move stick. Robinson and Rabbitt were having a battle before Robinson spun, meanwhile Dan Daly, from Dunshaughlin, in a 3.0 litre Lola Nissan T90, was having a mighty battle with Kayleigh Cole for fifth place. Greenan on the sixth lap made the most incredible move in his 2.0 litre Dallara F317 Mercedes around the outside of Fisherman’s to pass Fildes and begin building a gap. Rabbit was in third place but Martin Daly had risen to fourth and had not given up. Robinson was also fighting back and on the penultimate lap he passed Cole for fifth place. On the final lap, Daly took the final podium position from Rabbit. So Tony Greenan (centre) from Hilltown became a fitting recipient of the Malcolm Templeton Memorial Trophy in 2023.
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Fourmaux makes it four from four with Ulster Rally win
Adrien Fourmaux etched his name alongside an illustrious list of rallying legends by taking a sensational Modern Tyres Ulster Rally victory and a maximum score in the fourth round of the Motorsport UK British Rally Championship. The Pirelli-shod Ford Fiesta Rally2 ace stamped his authority on the leaderboard from the opening stage on Friday afternoon and was never headed, to give him and co-driver Alexandre Coria four wins on the bounce in the BRC and tighten their grip on the championship with three rounds remaining. "It was really really nice to win here" said Fourmaux. “We know the stages here in Ireland are really difficult and the competition here is very high. That rain, it just kept coming, and along with the Irish drivers here, they are really impressive. They are fast and the pace here was really high and actually, it was a big fight so I am really glad we won this one. It’s a good result for the championship and a lot of points so it is really positive”.
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Adrien Fourmaux etched his name alongside an illustrious list of rallying legends by taking a sensational Modern Tyres Ulster Rally victory and a maximum score in the fourth round of the Motorsport UK British Rally Championship. The Pirelli-shod Ford Fiesta Rally2 ace stamped his authority on the leaderboard from the opening stage on Friday afternoon and was never headed, to give him and co-driver Alexandre Coria four wins on the bounce in the BRC and tighten their grip on the championship with three rounds remaining. "It was really really nice to win here" said Fourmaux. “We know the stages here in Ireland are really difficult and the competition here is very high. That rain, it just kept coming, and along with the Irish drivers here, they are really impressive. They are fast and the pace here was really high and actually, it was a big fight so I am really glad we won this one. It’s a good result for the championship and a lot of points so it is really positive”.
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Hard Tyre Hero Claims 66th BTCC Win
Colin Turkington claimed his 66th BTCC career victory in a dominant display at Croft circuit. The points haul has edged the BMW driver into 3rd position in the championship standings, 34 points off the leader with a hefty 12 more races still to come. "It was such an important win... and feels so good! I really didn’t think it was on the cards. The first lap was the critical moment because I knew I had to keep Josh [Cook] and Tom [Ingram] behind me, they’re super-quick and super-aggressive off the line on us. A big well done to Team BMW, we grafted really hard for that one today and kept working for a step forward despite it feeling impossible to go forwards. Races are getting harder to win so it feels so good to be back on the top step at Croft." NEXT UP The second half of the BTCC 2023 season is well underway now. The racing returns on the 12th / 13th August at Knockhill in Fife.
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Colin Turkington claimed his 66th BTCC career victory in a dominant display at Croft circuit. The points haul has edged the BMW driver into 3rd position in the championship standings, 34 points off the leader with a hefty 12 more races still to come. "It was such an important win... and feels so good! I really didn’t think it was on the cards. The first lap was the critical moment because I knew I had to keep Josh [Cook] and Tom [Ingram] behind me, they’re super-quick and super-aggressive off the line on us. A big well done to Team BMW, we grafted really hard for that one today and kept working for a step forward despite it feeling impossible to go forwards. Races are getting harder to win so it feels so good to be back on the top step at Croft." NEXT UP The second half of the BTCC 2023 season is well underway now. The racing returns on the 12th / 13th August at Knockhill in Fife.
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Greer is NI Rally Champion with 'safety first' approach
A skilful drive in tricky conditions gave County Tyrone's Cathan McCourt victory on the Down Rally, finishing top of the leaderboard by 46.3 seconds, with Jonathan Greer playing it safe to secure a third Northern Ireland Championship title. However, Greer's measured approach didn’t stop him from getting caught out by the greasy roads on stage four - the first run over the eight miles of ‘Gregorlough’ - when he ended up in a field. The in-form McCourt (left) notched up impressive times in his Ford Fiesta Rally2 on three of the tarmac event’s five stages emerging from ‘Gregorlough 2’ comfortably ahead of Desi Henry. “I am very happy with the result,” said McCourt. “The car was absolutely phenomenal and I have to thank everyone, including my co-driver Brian Hoy, and the gravel crew. We had very few dramas to speak of so, from that perspective, there are lots of positives.” Jonathan Greer said the safety-first approach he had to adopt in order to ensure the successful defence of his Northern Ireland Rally Championship title was far from an enjoyable experience, however he completed the event with a fourth-place finish in his Citroen C3 Rally2 to be crowned NI champion.
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A skilful drive in tricky conditions gave County Tyrone's Cathan McCourt victory on the Down Rally, finishing top of the leaderboard by 46.3 seconds, with Jonathan Greer playing it safe to secure a third Northern Ireland Championship title. However, Greer's measured approach didn’t stop him from getting caught out by the greasy roads on stage four - the first run over the eight miles of ‘Gregorlough’ - when he ended up in a field. The in-form McCourt (left) notched up impressive times in his Ford Fiesta Rally2 on three of the tarmac event’s five stages emerging from ‘Gregorlough 2’ comfortably ahead of Desi Henry. “I am very happy with the result,” said McCourt. “The car was absolutely phenomenal and I have to thank everyone, including my co-driver Brian Hoy, and the gravel crew. We had very few dramas to speak of so, from that perspective, there are lots of positives.” Jonathan Greer said the safety-first approach he had to adopt in order to ensure the successful defence of his Northern Ireland Rally Championship title was far from an enjoyable experience, however he completed the event with a fourth-place finish in his Citroen C3 Rally2 to be crowned NI champion.
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NEW FRIDAY LEG FOR REFRESHED ULSTER RALLY
More than a third of the competitive mileage of the Modern Tyres Ulster Rally (18/19 August) will be all new as the organising Northern Ireland Motor Club look to intensify the challenge. It promises to have a mix of everything from smooth and fast-flowing country roads to bumpy, tight and technical country tracks that are barely the width of a car in some places.. The Friday element has completely changed from last year and will consist of one special stage in the Rostrevor area and a second on the outskirts of Banbridge. Run twice, these will total 32.36-miles, with the second pass more difficult as these will be played out as dusk arrives and darkness falls. Saturday is the longest of the two days for competitors, both in terms of time and distance. Dotted between Armagh and the host city of Newry, six more speed tests weighing in at 65-miles await. As always, rally goers will have unparalleled access to the cars and the stars at one of two town centre regroups: on the Friday afternoon (5pm) Banbridge Civic Building will provide the backdrop and from midday the following day it is the turn of the Armagh City Hotel to play host to the crews. Up-to-date information for competitors intending to make the trip to Newry on Friday, August 18 and Saturday, August 19, is now available via the Sportity App using UR2023. A free spectator programme will be released online at the start of rally week.
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More than a third of the competitive mileage of the Modern Tyres Ulster Rally (18/19 August) will be all new as the organising Northern Ireland Motor Club look to intensify the challenge. It promises to have a mix of everything from smooth and fast-flowing country roads to bumpy, tight and technical country tracks that are barely the width of a car in some places.. The Friday element has completely changed from last year and will consist of one special stage in the Rostrevor area and a second on the outskirts of Banbridge. Run twice, these will total 32.36-miles, with the second pass more difficult as these will be played out as dusk arrives and darkness falls. Saturday is the longest of the two days for competitors, both in terms of time and distance. Dotted between Armagh and the host city of Newry, six more speed tests weighing in at 65-miles await. As always, rally goers will have unparalleled access to the cars and the stars at one of two town centre regroups: on the Friday afternoon (5pm) Banbridge Civic Building will provide the backdrop and from midday the following day it is the turn of the Armagh City Hotel to play host to the crews. Up-to-date information for competitors intending to make the trip to Newry on Friday, August 18 and Saturday, August 19, is now available via the Sportity App using UR2023. A free spectator programme will be released online at the start of rally week.
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Back-to-Back Win for Aaron McLaughlin at Loughgall
The Ford Fiesta R5 of Aaron McLaughlin and Darren Curran made it back-to-back victories in the PRM and RPM Motorsport-sponsored Loughgall Stages Rally. The win marked the twenty fifth anniversary of the North Armagh Motor Club event which, in a change from previous years, incorporated a six-mile closed-road stage. The pair won by just 2.4 seconds from the Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 of Aidan Wray and Martin Brady in County Armagh. Former multiple winner Damian Toner rounded out the podium in third and ended the event as the leading modified driver at the wheel of his Ford Escort MK2, edging out a number of four-wheel-drive cars in the process, including Jason Mitchell and Joe Hegarty. Local man Jason Black (Toyota Starlet) was the next best placed Modified competitor in sixth position with team-mate Karl Egan. Gary Craig Motorsport Photography
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The Ford Fiesta R5 of Aaron McLaughlin and Darren Curran made it back-to-back victories in the PRM and RPM Motorsport-sponsored Loughgall Stages Rally. The win marked the twenty fifth anniversary of the North Armagh Motor Club event which, in a change from previous years, incorporated a six-mile closed-road stage. The pair won by just 2.4 seconds from the Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 of Aidan Wray and Martin Brady in County Armagh. Former multiple winner Damian Toner rounded out the podium in third and ended the event as the leading modified driver at the wheel of his Ford Escort MK2, edging out a number of four-wheel-drive cars in the process, including Jason Mitchell and Joe Hegarty. Local man Jason Black (Toyota Starlet) was the next best placed Modified competitor in sixth position with team-mate Karl Egan. Gary Craig Motorsport Photography
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Gary Jennings back in action on the Loughgall Rally
Fresh from his eight-place finish on the Donegal International Rally and his earlier win on the Tour of the Sperrins, Gary Jennings is due back in action this weekend on the PRM+RPM Motorsport Loughgall Stages Rally in his GO backed Fiesta Rally 2 on Saturday 1st July. Gary Jennings, who is seeded at number 3 in the line-up, will be mixing it with previous winners, Aaron McLaughlin Fiesta R5 and Loughgall champion Damian Toner in his powerful Escort MK 2. The North Armagh Motor Club Ltd organised event, now in its 25th year, will break the usual tradition of all stages held within the beautiful confines of County Armagh’s T Country Park and will this year incorporate a six-mile closed road stage, which is located close to Loughgall village and this will be run three times. Competitors will tackle a total of seven stages, four based within the park and three on the closed roads. The action starts at 10.00am.
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Fresh from his eight-place finish on the Donegal International Rally and his earlier win on the Tour of the Sperrins, Gary Jennings is due back in action this weekend on the PRM+RPM Motorsport Loughgall Stages Rally in his GO backed Fiesta Rally 2 on Saturday 1st July. Gary Jennings, who is seeded at number 3 in the line-up, will be mixing it with previous winners, Aaron McLaughlin Fiesta R5 and Loughgall champion Damian Toner in his powerful Escort MK 2. The North Armagh Motor Club Ltd organised event, now in its 25th year, will break the usual tradition of all stages held within the beautiful confines of County Armagh’s T Country Park and will this year incorporate a six-mile closed road stage, which is located close to Loughgall village and this will be run three times. Competitors will tackle a total of seven stages, four based within the park and three on the closed roads. The action starts at 10.00am.
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A great day out for the family and ardent rally fans
The Loughgall Stages Rally is sure to be a great day out for both the family and the ardent rally fans with something for everyone and should provide an exciting and competitive spectacle for spectators.
RPM and CarSport Magazine will display their latest products at the CarSport marquee near the classic car display. Scrutiny begins at Loughgall Country Park for all Competitors from 3.30pm on Friday 30th June where cars and service vehicles may be left overnight in the service area, which will have security present throughout. There will be an historic, classic and rally car display in the central arena during the event; Refreshments are available in the park which is closed to other public activities.
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The Loughgall Stages Rally is sure to be a great day out for both the family and the ardent rally fans with something for everyone and should provide an exciting and competitive spectacle for spectators.
RPM and CarSport Magazine will display their latest products at the CarSport marquee near the classic car display. Scrutiny begins at Loughgall Country Park for all Competitors from 3.30pm on Friday 30th June where cars and service vehicles may be left overnight in the service area, which will have security present throughout. There will be an historic, classic and rally car display in the central arena during the event; Refreshments are available in the park which is closed to other public activities.
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Simon Brien makes Jaguar history with Riviera victory
The Carrera Riviera is an incredible event set on some of France’s greatest traffic-free roads taking intrepid participants from the shores of the English Channel to the Mediterranean via the Atlantic coast and Alps. When the crews finally reached the Côte d'Azur, it was the rare Jaguar C-type crewed by Belfast estate agent Simon Brien and his son Jack who took top honours in the fiercely fought Classic category, adding yet another prized trophy to the C-type’s never-ending roll of honour. It was exactly 70 years after one of Jaguar’s most famous triumphs in June 1953 when Duncan Hamilton and Tony Rolt famously won the Le Mans 24 Hours race. Remarkably after such an incredible 3,300km journey, the Brien duo actually finished tied at the top of the results with the MGB GT of Tomasz Dzitko and Beata Siwek. Both crews celebrated under the finishing arch but the Polish pair lost out on a tie-breaker based on the age of the vehicle which awarded the final spoils to the more venerable 1953 Jaguar.
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The Carrera Riviera is an incredible event set on some of France’s greatest traffic-free roads taking intrepid participants from the shores of the English Channel to the Mediterranean via the Atlantic coast and Alps. When the crews finally reached the Côte d'Azur, it was the rare Jaguar C-type crewed by Belfast estate agent Simon Brien and his son Jack who took top honours in the fiercely fought Classic category, adding yet another prized trophy to the C-type’s never-ending roll of honour. It was exactly 70 years after one of Jaguar’s most famous triumphs in June 1953 when Duncan Hamilton and Tony Rolt famously won the Le Mans 24 Hours race. Remarkably after such an incredible 3,300km journey, the Brien duo actually finished tied at the top of the results with the MGB GT of Tomasz Dzitko and Beata Siwek. Both crews celebrated under the finishing arch but the Polish pair lost out on a tie-breaker based on the age of the vehicle which awarded the final spoils to the more venerable 1953 Jaguar.
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DONEGAL WIN GIVES DEVINE IRISH TARMAC HAT-TRICK
Callum Devine and Noel O’Sullivan secured their third Irish Tarmac Rally win on the trot, clinching a maiden Donegal International Rally victory. Devine finished the 20-stage event 55.5 seconds ahead of Matt Edwards and David Moynihan who fought back from tenth after differential trouble on stage one. It was Josh Moffett and Andy Hayes who started the Donegal International Rally strongest though. The defending winners completed Friday’s extremely bumpy stages around Donegal Town with a 4.9-second lead over Devine’s Volkswagen Polo R5, winning four of the six stages on Donegal’s opening day. Garry Jennings and Sam Moffett fought for third on Friday with the latter moving ahead of his fellow Donegal Rally winner on stage four. The Donegal Rally duel continued as Devine attacked Knockalla’s hairpins, putting thoughts of cold tyres, and wet roads to the back of his mind. His Volkswagen Polo R5 rewarded Devine’s efforts with a time 7.2 seconds faster than Josh Moffett. Devine further extended his lead over Moffett to 15 seconds over stages 10, 11, and 12. But just when it looked like he had found an ominously smooth groove, the rally was to turn back towards Moffett’s favour. As Moffett found his mojo, Devine made a mistake. An overshoot cost the rally leader several seconds and halved his advantage over Moffett. Edwards made it a hat-trick of stage wins on Saturday’s Garrygort finale. His turn of speed through Saturday moved him from seventh to fourth, ending the day 5.1 seconds behind third-placed Sam
Moffett.
Devine's focus was untouchable
Devine started Donegal’s final day in perfect fashion. The Circuit of Ireland and Rally of the Lakes winners set the fastest times on High Glen and Atlantic Drive to build a 17.7-second lead over Josh Moffett heading into Fanad Head. Devine’s grasp on victory faced a different threat on Fanad Head when rain rolled into the coastal test. But, in searching for every second in his chase of Devine, Moffett had slid wide on a medium left-hander and his Hyundai i20 R5 clattered into a bank. The impact broke the Hyundai’s rear right wheel, putting Moffett out of the rally with three stages remaining.Devine now held a 53.1-second lead over Sam Moffett with a single pass of High Glen, Atlantic Drive, and Fanad Head left to go. The County Derry driver encountered downpours of rain, thunder, and lightning over High Glen and Atlantic Drive but his focus was untouchable. Devine and O’Sullivan kept their composure, and maintained a high pace of driving, to win Donegal’s final stage - an impressive way to secure their first-ever Donegal International Rally win. Matt Edwards usurped Sam Moffett in High Glen’s wet conditions, securing a runner-up finish in his Polo R5.
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TURKINGTON STAYS AT THE SHARP END
Colin Turkington delivered a trio of top six results at a hot and fast Thruxton Circuit. Showing his classic consistent form, the Team BMW driver notched up 33 points with his 6th, 6th and 4th place finishes after securing a third row start in Saturday's qualifying session. This has cemented his place at the sharp end of the standings with continued form and determined drives. "It was a big push today to keep the points coming but by the 3rd race we’d made a step forward with the balance, he said. Thruxton does challenge us and the nature of it makes moving. I know I gave my best. Some days it's not about being extraordinary but just picking up points.’’ It's nearly halfway through the 2023 BTCC season now, and in less than two weeks all roads lead to Oulton Park for rounds 13, 14 and 15.
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Colin Turkington delivered a trio of top six results at a hot and fast Thruxton Circuit. Showing his classic consistent form, the Team BMW driver notched up 33 points with his 6th, 6th and 4th place finishes after securing a third row start in Saturday's qualifying session. This has cemented his place at the sharp end of the standings with continued form and determined drives. "It was a big push today to keep the points coming but by the 3rd race we’d made a step forward with the balance, he said. Thruxton does challenge us and the nature of it makes moving. I know I gave my best. Some days it's not about being extraordinary but just picking up points.’’ It's nearly halfway through the 2023 BTCC season now, and in less than two weeks all roads lead to Oulton Park for rounds 13, 14 and 15.
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Hard-fought battle in Sardinia strengthens Creighton’s lead
A hard-fought victory at Rally Italia Sardegna has strengthened William Creighton’s lead in the FIA Junior World Rally Championship – the third round of the one-make Ford Fiesta Rally3 Evo series. Creighton and team-mate Liam Regan completed the gravel-based event a minute and 45.9 seconds clear of Paraguayan Diego Dominguez to make it two wins from three starts. However, the result did not come easy despite the size of their final margin. The event lived up to its reputation as being one of the most unforgiving rounds on the WRC, with punctures proving the biggest headache for crews. Creighton collected three alone on Friday – two of which came on the rerun of the 49km ‘Monte Lerno’ test, and another on Saturday’s Su Filigosu – that briefly cost him the lead. A storming drive through that day’s penultimate test saw him reclaim top spot. He went on to cement the position across Sunday, which was reduced in length from four stages to three on safety grounds. “With the rain and mud, conditions were treacherous, but it worked out much better than I was expecting” said Creighton.
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A hard-fought victory at Rally Italia Sardegna has strengthened William Creighton’s lead in the FIA Junior World Rally Championship – the third round of the one-make Ford Fiesta Rally3 Evo series. Creighton and team-mate Liam Regan completed the gravel-based event a minute and 45.9 seconds clear of Paraguayan Diego Dominguez to make it two wins from three starts. However, the result did not come easy despite the size of their final margin. The event lived up to its reputation as being one of the most unforgiving rounds on the WRC, with punctures proving the biggest headache for crews. Creighton collected three alone on Friday – two of which came on the rerun of the 49km ‘Monte Lerno’ test, and another on Saturday’s Su Filigosu – that briefly cost him the lead. A storming drive through that day’s penultimate test saw him reclaim top spot. He went on to cement the position across Sunday, which was reduced in length from four stages to three on safety grounds. “With the rain and mud, conditions were treacherous, but it worked out much better than I was expecting” said Creighton.
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Amazing Finishes and New Lap Records At Kirkistown
Spectators were treated to great weather, fantastic racing and new lap records at the recent Car and Superkart Race meeting at Kirkistown Race Circuit on 27th May. The Scottish Fiesta STs were a visiting class and they put on a great show, while enjoying the fact that the 1.56 mile Kirkistown circuit allowed them to use 5th gear, which they cannot do at their local tracks. Although the statistics will show that Steven Gray lead from start to finish, in their first race, they will not say that he was shadowed by Broddy Orr and Gerry Hendry all the way. Hendry had grabbed third place from Aran Ward on lap one and, after a great battle, he relieved Orr of second place on the penultimate lap. In the second outing for these two classes, later in the day, Hendry went one better, taking the win in the Scottish STs, from Orr in second and Gray in third. Once again, Aran Ward was engaged in another great tussle, this time losing out to David Colville, who took fourth place. The other visiting class was “The Legends”. These are 5/8th replicas of 1930s American Stock Cars, now powered by 1,250cc engines. They always put on a great show. Their races at Kirkistown are just eight laps long but they have three outings in a day. The next meeting is the 70th Anniversary meeting of Kirkistown Race Circuit. It will be held over two days on Friday 23rd and Saturday 24th June.
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Spectators were treated to great weather, fantastic racing and new lap records at the recent Car and Superkart Race meeting at Kirkistown Race Circuit on 27th May. The Scottish Fiesta STs were a visiting class and they put on a great show, while enjoying the fact that the 1.56 mile Kirkistown circuit allowed them to use 5th gear, which they cannot do at their local tracks. Although the statistics will show that Steven Gray lead from start to finish, in their first race, they will not say that he was shadowed by Broddy Orr and Gerry Hendry all the way. Hendry had grabbed third place from Aran Ward on lap one and, after a great battle, he relieved Orr of second place on the penultimate lap. In the second outing for these two classes, later in the day, Hendry went one better, taking the win in the Scottish STs, from Orr in second and Gray in third. Once again, Aran Ward was engaged in another great tussle, this time losing out to David Colville, who took fourth place. The other visiting class was “The Legends”. These are 5/8th replicas of 1930s American Stock Cars, now powered by 1,250cc engines. They always put on a great show. Their races at Kirkistown are just eight laps long but they have three outings in a day. The next meeting is the 70th Anniversary meeting of Kirkistown Race Circuit. It will be held over two days on Friday 23rd and Saturday 24th June.
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Jennings Back to Winning Ways on the Sperrins Rally
Garry Jennings and Rory Kennedy sealed victory at the ‘Go’ Tour of the Sperrins Rally, round four of the McGrady Insurance Motorsport UK Northern Ireland Rally Championship! Organised by Magherafelt and District Motor Club, Jennings eventually arrived home victorious in his Ford Fiesta R5 by five seconds after a day-long battle over six closed road stages with the Citroen C3 of Jonny Greer and Niall Burns. Reigning champion Greer was quickest out of the blocks in his Citroen emerging from the opening stage with a 1.4s lead over Jennings, but that was to be his only fastest time of the day. Instead, Jennings started to claw back slender amounts of time before moving to the head of the leaderboard after the third stage. Greer hoped to retake the advantage but it was Jennings who had the edge and by the end of the six-stage event, he had done enough to secure his first rally win in over four years. In third overall, Desi Henry’s day was thwarted by a bad tyre choice for the morning loop of stages, expecting a little rain which failed to transpire.
The final round of the Northern Ireland Rally Championship takes place with the Down Rally on 22 July.
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Garry Jennings and Rory Kennedy sealed victory at the ‘Go’ Tour of the Sperrins Rally, round four of the McGrady Insurance Motorsport UK Northern Ireland Rally Championship! Organised by Magherafelt and District Motor Club, Jennings eventually arrived home victorious in his Ford Fiesta R5 by five seconds after a day-long battle over six closed road stages with the Citroen C3 of Jonny Greer and Niall Burns. Reigning champion Greer was quickest out of the blocks in his Citroen emerging from the opening stage with a 1.4s lead over Jennings, but that was to be his only fastest time of the day. Instead, Jennings started to claw back slender amounts of time before moving to the head of the leaderboard after the third stage. Greer hoped to retake the advantage but it was Jennings who had the edge and by the end of the six-stage event, he had done enough to secure his first rally win in over four years. In third overall, Desi Henry’s day was thwarted by a bad tyre choice for the morning loop of stages, expecting a little rain which failed to transpire.
The final round of the Northern Ireland Rally Championship takes place with the Down Rally on 22 July.
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TRIO OF RESULTS FOR TURKINGTON AT SNETTERTON
Colin Turkington celebrated a superb trio of results on Sunday 21st May with a double podium and seventh place finish at a hot and sunny Snetterton circuit. Bringing his overall BTCC podium tally up to 178, Turkington played tyre strategy to his advantage, ensuring two big points results in the first two races. The experienced BTCC champ kept his cool throughout the hotly contested race day, and yet again showed class and wit to collect three top seven finishes. It was an impressive display from the 4-time Champ in Saturday's qualifying that set up his super Sunday, securing third on the grid despite a scary yet avoidable visit to the barrier early in the session. His points tally from race day was as consistent as ever from the Team BMW driver, and good enough to nudge him up the leader board once more. After collecting four podiums from the most recent six races, Colin now sits third in the championship standings. ‘’We have some very good circuits coming up,‘’ said Colin. ‘’and as we get into the summer and the hotter temperatures that come with it, that should suit us and give us our big chance to attack. My style is more about collecting the points over a weekend and not necessarily risking too much on the sniff of a win. So with that in mind, we're perfectly placed."
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Colin Turkington celebrated a superb trio of results on Sunday 21st May with a double podium and seventh place finish at a hot and sunny Snetterton circuit. Bringing his overall BTCC podium tally up to 178, Turkington played tyre strategy to his advantage, ensuring two big points results in the first two races. The experienced BTCC champ kept his cool throughout the hotly contested race day, and yet again showed class and wit to collect three top seven finishes. It was an impressive display from the 4-time Champ in Saturday's qualifying that set up his super Sunday, securing third on the grid despite a scary yet avoidable visit to the barrier early in the session. His points tally from race day was as consistent as ever from the Team BMW driver, and good enough to nudge him up the leader board once more. After collecting four podiums from the most recent six races, Colin now sits third in the championship standings. ‘’We have some very good circuits coming up,‘’ said Colin. ‘’and as we get into the summer and the hotter temperatures that come with it, that should suit us and give us our big chance to attack. My style is more about collecting the points over a weekend and not necessarily risking too much on the sniff of a win. So with that in mind, we're perfectly placed."
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Daniel Harper charges on to Incredible British GT Win
BMW M Motorsport works driver Daniel Harper and team-mate Darren Leung produced an incredible charge from 18th on the grid to the race victory in the British GT Championship’s prestigious Silverstone 500 event (06/07 May), moving into the points lead in the process. Harper, who last raced on the Silverstone Grand Prix layout in his title-winning Porsche Carrera Cup GB campaign in 2019, was part of a massive 43-car grid, the biggest in British GT for more than a decade. Leung started the three-hour race and produced a stunning opening stint to put their BMW into the top ten. A safety car period presented the opportunity to hand the car over to Harper. The 22-year-old continued their charge when action resumed, pulling off some eye-catching overtaking moves to climb into the top five. Lapping as one of the fastest cars on circuit, he made further progress to get up to third before their next pitstop. Leung emerged in fifth place and produced another faultless stint to maintain a top six. Harper ended up fourth for a 28-minute sprint to the finish, hunting down the race-leading Lamborghini. What followed was a sensational, calculated overtake through the Brooklands complex, reminiscent of moves in his Ginetta days. Once in the lead, Harper controlled the final few laps to the chequered flag – sparking wild celebrations in the Century Motorsport garage. For Harper, the win was extra special with his grandparents watching him race in person for the first time since 2019. Daniel Harper said: “The win was more than we could have ever dreamt of before the race.’’
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BMW M Motorsport works driver Daniel Harper and team-mate Darren Leung produced an incredible charge from 18th on the grid to the race victory in the British GT Championship’s prestigious Silverstone 500 event (06/07 May), moving into the points lead in the process. Harper, who last raced on the Silverstone Grand Prix layout in his title-winning Porsche Carrera Cup GB campaign in 2019, was part of a massive 43-car grid, the biggest in British GT for more than a decade. Leung started the three-hour race and produced a stunning opening stint to put their BMW into the top ten. A safety car period presented the opportunity to hand the car over to Harper. The 22-year-old continued their charge when action resumed, pulling off some eye-catching overtaking moves to climb into the top five. Lapping as one of the fastest cars on circuit, he made further progress to get up to third before their next pitstop. Leung emerged in fifth place and produced another faultless stint to maintain a top six. Harper ended up fourth for a 28-minute sprint to the finish, hunting down the race-leading Lamborghini. What followed was a sensational, calculated overtake through the Brooklands complex, reminiscent of moves in his Ginetta days. Once in the lead, Harper controlled the final few laps to the chequered flag – sparking wild celebrations in the Century Motorsport garage. For Harper, the win was extra special with his grandparents watching him race in person for the first time since 2019. Daniel Harper said: “The win was more than we could have ever dreamt of before the race.’’
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Meeke dedicates debut victory in Portugal to Breen
Kris Meeke scored an emotional victory in his first start with Team Hyundai Portugal and the i20 N Rally2 at Rali Terras d’Aboboreira (April 28-29). Stepping into the car left empty by Craig Breen, Meeke was sensational on the gravel event. Alongside co-driver Ole Fløene he won all three stages on the opening day to put himself in the lead and was able to hold on to the position through day two, helped by a further four quickest times despite his position first on the road, to score a victory. Meeke dedicated the win to his former WRC team-mate, he and Fløene flying the Irish flag following the final stage.
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Kris Meeke scored an emotional victory in his first start with Team Hyundai Portugal and the i20 N Rally2 at Rali Terras d’Aboboreira (April 28-29). Stepping into the car left empty by Craig Breen, Meeke was sensational on the gravel event. Alongside co-driver Ole Fløene he won all three stages on the opening day to put himself in the lead and was able to hold on to the position through day two, helped by a further four quickest times despite his position first on the road, to score a victory. Meeke dedicated the win to his former WRC team-mate, he and Fløene flying the Irish flag following the final stage.
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TWO FOR TWO FOR DEVINE ON RALLY OF THE LAKES
Callum Devine and Noel O’Sullivan successfully defended their Rally of the Lakes crown to take their second Irish Tarmac win of the year by a well-managed 25.1 seconds. The Volkswagen Polo R5 crew fought back from a puncture on Killarney’s Moll’s Gap opener to grab the rally lead on stage four. Despite continued threats from Robert Barrable, Devine’s grasp on first was unrelenting as he showed the same class that clinched his Circuit of Ireland win earlier this month. Hometown hero Rob Duggan set a blistering time through stage one to grab an early 9.8-second lead on his first R5 outing since 2018. Barrable was the best of the rest in second while Meirion Evans completed the top three. Jonny Greer didn’t make it through Killarney’s opening test. Their Citroen C3 Rally2 slid wide into one of Moll’s Gap’s rockfaces with the damage leaving them stranded. Duggan extended his advantage on Healy Pass but his sensational start was to endure its first setback on the next test. Galway winner Meirion Evans set the second-fastest time through Healy Pass but a roll on Cod’s Head put his Polo R5 out of the running. Devine and Josh Moffett were the only drivers to complete the stage before Evans’ off temporarily stopped the stage. Devine was the fastest out of the blocks on Sunday morning’s Moll’s Gap opener and kept his cool through two passes of Gortnagane and Knockrower East to seal another crucial victory in his Irish Tarmac title hunt. Championship leader, Josh Moffett, cruised home in third to secure more important points. PHOTO D. HARRIGANPHOTPHOTO ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Callum Devine and Noel O’Sullivan successfully defended their Rally of the Lakes crown to take their second Irish Tarmac win of the year by a well-managed 25.1 seconds. The Volkswagen Polo R5 crew fought back from a puncture on Killarney’s Moll’s Gap opener to grab the rally lead on stage four. Despite continued threats from Robert Barrable, Devine’s grasp on first was unrelenting as he showed the same class that clinched his Circuit of Ireland win earlier this month. Hometown hero Rob Duggan set a blistering time through stage one to grab an early 9.8-second lead on his first R5 outing since 2018. Barrable was the best of the rest in second while Meirion Evans completed the top three. Jonny Greer didn’t make it through Killarney’s opening test. Their Citroen C3 Rally2 slid wide into one of Moll’s Gap’s rockfaces with the damage leaving them stranded. Duggan extended his advantage on Healy Pass but his sensational start was to endure its first setback on the next test. Galway winner Meirion Evans set the second-fastest time through Healy Pass but a roll on Cod’s Head put his Polo R5 out of the running. Devine and Josh Moffett were the only drivers to complete the stage before Evans’ off temporarily stopped the stage. Devine was the fastest out of the blocks on Sunday morning’s Moll’s Gap opener and kept his cool through two passes of Gortnagane and Knockrower East to seal another crucial victory in his Irish Tarmac title hunt. Championship leader, Josh Moffett, cruised home in third to secure more important points. PHOTO D. HARRIGANPHOTPHOTO ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Coleman confirmed for Spectacular Déjà vu Cork ‘23
The legendary Billy Coleman will lead a spectacular parade of historic rally cars and supercars when they set out from the Radisson Blu Little Island Cork on Déjà vu Cork ’23 on the 9th September. Not only will Billy be driving over some of the Cork 20 and West Cork rally stages that helped to make the Milllstreet man the most famous rallying name of his era, he will also be accompanied by his long-time co-driver Ronan Morgan when they reacquaint themselves with one of the very rare ‘Rothmans’ Porsche 911 SCRS cars. On loan from John Mulholland Motors, it is a sister car to the 911 that Billy and Ronan used to win the Galway, Donegal and Killarney rallies in. Entries for Déjà vu Cork ’23, which will be limited to 140 crew, have now reached 85 and are available on: www.rpm-motorsport.com/tours. All proceeds will go to CRITICAL, the charity that brings ‘first responder’ critical care to the community.
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The legendary Billy Coleman will lead a spectacular parade of historic rally cars and supercars when they set out from the Radisson Blu Little Island Cork on Déjà vu Cork ’23 on the 9th September. Not only will Billy be driving over some of the Cork 20 and West Cork rally stages that helped to make the Milllstreet man the most famous rallying name of his era, he will also be accompanied by his long-time co-driver Ronan Morgan when they reacquaint themselves with one of the very rare ‘Rothmans’ Porsche 911 SCRS cars. On loan from John Mulholland Motors, it is a sister car to the 911 that Billy and Ronan used to win the Galway, Donegal and Killarney rallies in. Entries for Déjà vu Cork ’23, which will be limited to 140 crew, have now reached 85 and are available on: www.rpm-motorsport.com/tours. All proceeds will go to CRITICAL, the charity that brings ‘first responder’ critical care to the community.
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Meeke vows to carry on the Breen legacy
Kris Meeke will join the Team Hyundai Portugal squad for Rali Terras d’Aboboreira to “carry on the legacy” of his late friend and former colleague, Craig Breen. As part of his 2023 programme, Graig had agreed to dovetail his FIA World Rally Championship commitments with a full-time campaign in the Portuguese Rally Championship alongside James Fulton. They came home sixth overall on the opening Rally Serras de Fafe in Hyundai Motorsport’s new i20 N Rally2 car but crashed out of round two. Meeke and Breen previously competed together in the Citroen Racing WRC team, with both securing podiums in the World Rally Championship thanks to the French manufacturer, on Rally Monte-Carlo in 2014 and Rally Finland in 2016 respectively. “My decision was not taken lightly,” said Meeke, who has spent the past 12 months helping Skoda Motorsport develop its Fabia RS Rally2 car whilst making appearances in the Nitro Rallycross series. “I first accepted the offer because it was my desire to compete again - but I also thought about what Craig would say, and I know that he would tell me to accept. This is how I will honour Craig — I will continue to compete as he always has - I will try to win and enjoy it.’’
Pic: Team-mates in Citroen Racing days)
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Kris Meeke will join the Team Hyundai Portugal squad for Rali Terras d’Aboboreira to “carry on the legacy” of his late friend and former colleague, Craig Breen. As part of his 2023 programme, Graig had agreed to dovetail his FIA World Rally Championship commitments with a full-time campaign in the Portuguese Rally Championship alongside James Fulton. They came home sixth overall on the opening Rally Serras de Fafe in Hyundai Motorsport’s new i20 N Rally2 car but crashed out of round two. Meeke and Breen previously competed together in the Citroen Racing WRC team, with both securing podiums in the World Rally Championship thanks to the French manufacturer, on Rally Monte-Carlo in 2014 and Rally Finland in 2016 respectively. “My decision was not taken lightly,” said Meeke, who has spent the past 12 months helping Skoda Motorsport develop its Fabia RS Rally2 car whilst making appearances in the Nitro Rallycross series. “I first accepted the offer because it was my desire to compete again - but I also thought about what Craig would say, and I know that he would tell me to accept. This is how I will honour Craig — I will continue to compete as he always has - I will try to win and enjoy it.’’
Pic: Team-mates in Citroen Racing days)
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McGarrity Moves Into Championship Lead at Maiden City Stages
Derek McGarrity and Graham Henderson secured victory at Eakin Bros Maiden City Stages Rally, round three of the McGrady Insurance Northern Ireland Rally Championship. Based within the Shackleton Complex in Ballykelly, McGarrity secured his first NI Championship rally win since 2020 when he headed home his nearest rivals by just seven tenths of a second. Driving his VW Polo GTi R5, the Glengormley driver looked set to cruise to victory after Jonny Greer was forced into retirement with a mechanical issue during the penultimate stage. McGarrity entered the final test with a lead of 11.9s over Gareth Sayers and Gareth Gilchrist but a half spin almost put him into the clutches of the hard-charging Sayers. However, the rally leader managed to cling on and secure the rally spoils by less than a second. “It was my fault,” McGarrity said when explaining the incident at the stage finish. “The car just got away from me over some gravel.” Desi Henry and Paddy Robinson pulled out all the stops, arriving home in third overall, to take the final podium position at the last gasp.
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Derek McGarrity and Graham Henderson secured victory at Eakin Bros Maiden City Stages Rally, round three of the McGrady Insurance Northern Ireland Rally Championship. Based within the Shackleton Complex in Ballykelly, McGarrity secured his first NI Championship rally win since 2020 when he headed home his nearest rivals by just seven tenths of a second. Driving his VW Polo GTi R5, the Glengormley driver looked set to cruise to victory after Jonny Greer was forced into retirement with a mechanical issue during the penultimate stage. McGarrity entered the final test with a lead of 11.9s over Gareth Sayers and Gareth Gilchrist but a half spin almost put him into the clutches of the hard-charging Sayers. However, the rally leader managed to cling on and secure the rally spoils by less than a second. “It was my fault,” McGarrity said when explaining the incident at the stage finish. “The car just got away from me over some gravel.” Desi Henry and Paddy Robinson pulled out all the stops, arriving home in third overall, to take the final podium position at the last gasp.
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Daniel Harper Enjoys Sensational Nürburgring Victory
After scoring a stunning race victory with the BMW Junior Team in the latest round of the Nürburgring Endurance Series, BMW works driver Daniel Harper is ready to mount a challenge for top honours in the 24h Nürburgring next month (18-21 May). The County Down driver and team-mates Neil Verhagen and Max Hesse produced a mesmerising performance behind the wheel of their Team RMG prepared BMW M4 GT3 to record a memorable fourth overall race win together on the Nordschleife. They lit up the timesheets in qualifying on Saturday morning with Harper posted a blistering lap time of 7:52.153s to finish just three tenths of a second off the pace-setting BMW, earning his team a front-row start for the four hour race. “The team did a superb job’’ said Daniel, ‘’giving us a faultless, fast, race car, while the three of us stayed out of trouble and set a great, consistent pace to be the fastest car throughout the race. I’m over the moon with the laps I produced in qualifying and delighted to have secured a front-row start. I really enjoyed my stint, with some exciting battles, while Neil and Max did a fantastic job in theirs.'' Image Georgi Todorov
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After scoring a stunning race victory with the BMW Junior Team in the latest round of the Nürburgring Endurance Series, BMW works driver Daniel Harper is ready to mount a challenge for top honours in the 24h Nürburgring next month (18-21 May). The County Down driver and team-mates Neil Verhagen and Max Hesse produced a mesmerising performance behind the wheel of their Team RMG prepared BMW M4 GT3 to record a memorable fourth overall race win together on the Nordschleife. They lit up the timesheets in qualifying on Saturday morning with Harper posted a blistering lap time of 7:52.153s to finish just three tenths of a second off the pace-setting BMW, earning his team a front-row start for the four hour race. “The team did a superb job’’ said Daniel, ‘’giving us a faultless, fast, race car, while the three of us stayed out of trouble and set a great, consistent pace to be the fastest car throughout the race. I’m over the moon with the laps I produced in qualifying and delighted to have secured a front-row start. I really enjoyed my stint, with some exciting battles, while Neil and Max did a fantastic job in theirs.'' Image Georgi Todorov
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Hyundai WRC driver Craig Breen dies in testing crash
The motor sport fraternity has been shocked and saddened by the death of Irish World Rally Championship driver Craig Breen who passed away following a crash in testing for Rally Croatia. The factory Hyundai driver went off the road during a team test on asphalt roads and succumbed to injuries. Co-driver James Fulton was unharmed in the crash.
Breen was preparing for his second outing of the WRC season as Hyundai’s third driver after rejoining the South Korean marque for a second spell following a full season with M-Sport-Ford last year.
The 33-year-old finished second at Rally Sweden in February which marked his first WRC start of the season. The result equalled his career best result in the WRC having scored second place finishes in Sweden 2018, Estonia, 2020-2021, Belgium 2021 and Sardinia 2022.
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The motor sport fraternity has been shocked and saddened by the death of Irish World Rally Championship driver Craig Breen who passed away following a crash in testing for Rally Croatia. The factory Hyundai driver went off the road during a team test on asphalt roads and succumbed to injuries. Co-driver James Fulton was unharmed in the crash.
Breen was preparing for his second outing of the WRC season as Hyundai’s third driver after rejoining the South Korean marque for a second spell following a full season with M-Sport-Ford last year.
The 33-year-old finished second at Rally Sweden in February which marked his first WRC start of the season. The result equalled his career best result in the WRC having scored second place finishes in Sweden 2018, Estonia, 2020-2021, Belgium 2021 and Sardinia 2022.
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Victory on the Circuit of Ireland Rally for Callum Devine
Callum Devine and Noel O’Sullivan kick-started their bid to become Irish Tarmac champions for the first time this season with victory on the Circuit of Ireland Rally. A maiden win on the famous Easter event also meant the VW Polo GTI R5 team-mates became the third consecutive different crew to bag maximum points this season. Their big break came on the fourth stage when their closest pursuers Josh Moffett and Andy Hayes went off line over a fast crest and collected a front left puncture. An 0.8-second gap between the top two crews before the stage mushroomed to 14.1 seconds and despite a spirited fightback by Josh through the Co. Tyrone lanes, it was not enough to elevate them back to the head of the timesheets. “It is great to be back on the pace again - it was a fantastic battle,” said Devine, whose last visit to the top of the podium in the Championship came at the International Rally of the Lakes in Killarney last May. In the battle for third, Meirion Evans got the better of Jonny Greer in a grandstand finish by pipping him on the closing test, 3.2 seconds separating them after 70 hard-fought miles!
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Callum Devine and Noel O’Sullivan kick-started their bid to become Irish Tarmac champions for the first time this season with victory on the Circuit of Ireland Rally. A maiden win on the famous Easter event also meant the VW Polo GTI R5 team-mates became the third consecutive different crew to bag maximum points this season. Their big break came on the fourth stage when their closest pursuers Josh Moffett and Andy Hayes went off line over a fast crest and collected a front left puncture. An 0.8-second gap between the top two crews before the stage mushroomed to 14.1 seconds and despite a spirited fightback by Josh through the Co. Tyrone lanes, it was not enough to elevate them back to the head of the timesheets. “It is great to be back on the pace again - it was a fantastic battle,” said Devine, whose last visit to the top of the podium in the Championship came at the International Rally of the Lakes in Killarney last May. In the battle for third, Meirion Evans got the better of Jonny Greer in a grandstand finish by pipping him on the closing test, 3.2 seconds separating them after 70 hard-fought miles!
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Chris Smiley back in TCR UK action with Restart Racing
Carrickfergus’ Chris Smiley began his TCR UK Championship campaign with Restart Racing by scoring a podium result in race one at Snetterton. The defending champion crossed the finish line of the opening 20-minute sprint third overall after Lewis Brown momentarily lost the rear of his Cupra Leon. In the afternoon’s reverse grid contest, however, Smiley’s involvement lasted only 20 seconds when he got caught out by the dust that had been dragged onto the track by race one winner, Bruce Winfield. The 31-year-old slammed head first into the safety barrier after ‘Riches’ but managed to walk away uninjured. “It has been a very good weekend. I don’t think we could have asked for much more except for maybe a second race,” reflected Smiley, who is back in TCR UK action in four weeks’ time at Croft.
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Carrickfergus’ Chris Smiley began his TCR UK Championship campaign with Restart Racing by scoring a podium result in race one at Snetterton. The defending champion crossed the finish line of the opening 20-minute sprint third overall after Lewis Brown momentarily lost the rear of his Cupra Leon. In the afternoon’s reverse grid contest, however, Smiley’s involvement lasted only 20 seconds when he got caught out by the dust that had been dragged onto the track by race one winner, Bruce Winfield. The 31-year-old slammed head first into the safety barrier after ‘Riches’ but managed to walk away uninjured. “It has been a very good weekend. I don’t think we could have asked for much more except for maybe a second race,” reflected Smiley, who is back in TCR UK action in four weeks’ time at Croft.
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James Hagan wins the Phillip Island Historic Grand Prix in Oz
James Hagan of Ballyclare-headquartered Hagan Homes has won an Historic Grand Prix in Australia. He crossed the finish line ahead of his competitors driving his 1974 Hesketh 308 Formula 1 car, which was the very first F1 car built by Lord Alexander Hesketh - a prominent F1 figure in the 1970s. It was the very vehicle driven by 1976 World Champion James Hunt when he secured his maiden F1 victory in 1974. There were almost 40 cars in the 2023 Historic GP, with the Hesketh 308 one of the oldest in the race by at least nine years. The win marked the Hesketh’s best result ever in an historic race, eclipsing the two second-place finishes scored by Dundalk’s ex-F1 driver Tommy Byrne at Mondello Park in 2018. James was congratulated by ex-F1 driver Eddie Irvine who had travelled to Australia to watch the show. Speaking about his win, James said: “What an incredible experience it was to win the Phillip Island Historic Grand Prix. I didn’t expect it but it’s a great feeling to have done so. Historic F1 racing has been a lifelong passion and has turned into a competitive sport for me. I love it and the community - the people you meet and the people who run it.” James is spending more of his time in Australia as he expands the Hagan Homes footprint, with a series of sustainable homes in planning.
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James Hagan of Ballyclare-headquartered Hagan Homes has won an Historic Grand Prix in Australia. He crossed the finish line ahead of his competitors driving his 1974 Hesketh 308 Formula 1 car, which was the very first F1 car built by Lord Alexander Hesketh - a prominent F1 figure in the 1970s. It was the very vehicle driven by 1976 World Champion James Hunt when he secured his maiden F1 victory in 1974. There were almost 40 cars in the 2023 Historic GP, with the Hesketh 308 one of the oldest in the race by at least nine years. The win marked the Hesketh’s best result ever in an historic race, eclipsing the two second-place finishes scored by Dundalk’s ex-F1 driver Tommy Byrne at Mondello Park in 2018. James was congratulated by ex-F1 driver Eddie Irvine who had travelled to Australia to watch the show. Speaking about his win, James said: “What an incredible experience it was to win the Phillip Island Historic Grand Prix. I didn’t expect it but it’s a great feeling to have done so. Historic F1 racing has been a lifelong passion and has turned into a competitive sport for me. I love it and the community - the people you meet and the people who run it.” James is spending more of his time in Australia as he expands the Hagan Homes footprint, with a series of sustainable homes in planning.
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Newcomers fight with BRC regulars for honours
Eamonn Kelly wasn’t enjoying the conditions over the snow-laden morning stages of The Malcolm Wilson Rally but finished seventh overall in his Polo with Conor Mohan on the notes on the opening round of the Motorsport UK British Rally Championship, Johnnie Mulholland gave the Fiesta Rally3 it’s BRC debut and despite a snapped alternator belt, ensured he and Eoin Treacy brought home the category silverware. The Junior BRC battle was just as intense, with just 3 secs separating the youngsters over the opening stage. Kyle White (Left) was out front in the Peugeot 208 Rally4 and there he would stay for the duration of the event as he and co-driver Sean Topping took the second Junior win of their careers. Even a broken shock absorber on the Peugeot couldn’t stop them and despite last year’s Academy Trophy Champion Kyle McBride firing in two fast stage times in the closing stages, White could not be caught. M-Sport driver Adrien Fourmaux stamped his mark on the event by taking victory In difficult conditions, Fourmaux took the Ford Fiesta Rally2 to a convincing victory in the Cumbrian stages, finishing 53 secs ahead of last-year’s BRC runners up Keith Cronin and Mikie Galvin. Cronin didn’t quite feel at home in his VW Polo GTi on the first pass of Greystoke but was third. Fastest time over the next test showed the intent was there, but power steering issues hampered a chargeback. Second place was a solid start to his fifth title chase. t. The BRC switches to asphalt for the Jim Clark Rally in May.
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Greer Extends Series Lead with Victory at Bishopscourt
Jonny Greer and Niall Burns claimed a start to finish victory at the Race and Rally Bishopscourt Stages, round two of the McGrady Insurance NI Rally Championship. From the outset, Greer quickly edged out a lead over the chasing VW Polo of Derek McGarrity and Graham Henderson. McGarrity’s only glimmer of hope came on the third of six stages when he set fastest time, reducing the gap to less than 3 secs. However, it soon transpired that Greer had been held up by another competing car. The slippery conditions suited the rally leader as he raced home to a comfortable win of more than 20 secs. McGarrity had looked set to seal second overall but was coming under pressure from Desi Henry. Going into the final stage only 4.5s separated the two, but in a strange set of circumstances, neither of them sealed second overall. Henry’s Citroen broke a shaft and as he struggled towards the finish, McGarrity – who started the stage behind him – had caught up with his rival. With nowhere to go, McGarrity’s VW hit the back of the Citroen and pushed it over the finish line. The resultant time loss for both crews saw a surprised Gareth Sayers and Gareth Gilchrist nip into second overall.
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Jonny Greer and Niall Burns claimed a start to finish victory at the Race and Rally Bishopscourt Stages, round two of the McGrady Insurance NI Rally Championship. From the outset, Greer quickly edged out a lead over the chasing VW Polo of Derek McGarrity and Graham Henderson. McGarrity’s only glimmer of hope came on the third of six stages when he set fastest time, reducing the gap to less than 3 secs. However, it soon transpired that Greer had been held up by another competing car. The slippery conditions suited the rally leader as he raced home to a comfortable win of more than 20 secs. McGarrity had looked set to seal second overall but was coming under pressure from Desi Henry. Going into the final stage only 4.5s separated the two, but in a strange set of circumstances, neither of them sealed second overall. Henry’s Citroen broke a shaft and as he struggled towards the finish, McGarrity – who started the stage behind him – had caught up with his rival. With nowhere to go, McGarrity’s VW hit the back of the Citroen and pushed it over the finish line. The resultant time loss for both crews saw a surprised Gareth Sayers and Gareth Gilchrist nip into second overall.
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Stephen Whitford drove into contention in the wet
In the two-wheel-drive battle, Adrian Grant and Olivia Coulter were enjoying an intense battle with James and Heather Kennedy during the morning’s dry Bishopscourt stages, just a handful of seconds separating the two crews. But when the weather took a turn for the worse and the heavens opened, another crew drove themselves into contention. Stephen Whitford and Jonny Hart were utterly impressive in the wet conditions. They were inch-perfect in their Nissan Micra and started taking chunks of time out of their Ford Escort MkII counterparts. Whitford raced into the category lead after stage five and sealed the win with his second consecutive fastest stage time over the final test. The Micra crew won the category by 6.8s from Adrian Grant and Olivia Chambers. James and Heather Kennedy were 3.6s further adrift in third, with Colin Price and Bill Regan fourth ahead of Conor and Katie Wilson.
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In the two-wheel-drive battle, Adrian Grant and Olivia Coulter were enjoying an intense battle with James and Heather Kennedy during the morning’s dry Bishopscourt stages, just a handful of seconds separating the two crews. But when the weather took a turn for the worse and the heavens opened, another crew drove themselves into contention. Stephen Whitford and Jonny Hart were utterly impressive in the wet conditions. They were inch-perfect in their Nissan Micra and started taking chunks of time out of their Ford Escort MkII counterparts. Whitford raced into the category lead after stage five and sealed the win with his second consecutive fastest stage time over the final test. The Micra crew won the category by 6.8s from Adrian Grant and Olivia Chambers. James and Heather Kennedy were 3.6s further adrift in third, with Colin Price and Bill Regan fourth ahead of Conor and Katie Wilson.
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Greencastle's Mark Donnelly claims
tense Fivemiletown Victory!
Mark Donnelly and Stephen O’Hanlon claimed victory at the Samsonas Rally Fivemiletown, round one of the McGrady Insurance NI Forest Rally Challenge! It was a start-to-finish success for the Fiesta R5 crew but the Greencastle driver was never able to relax as the chasing pack hunted him down throughout the eight-stage Omagh Motor Club event. Going into the final stage, Donnelly’s advantage had been whittled down to just one-tenth of a second but he pulled out all the stops over the closing miles to secure the win by 1.7s. “We had a big push on the final stage and had a couple of moments,” Donnelly said. “It was a bit messy but I hoped our stage time was going to be fast.” As it transpired, he had done enough to seal the win from Gareth Mimnagh and Barry McCarney, who were in another Fiesta R5. In fact, it was Mimnagh who was fastest on the final test, moving him in front of Vivian Hamill and Andrew Grennan at the last gasp. In the two-wheel-drive battle, Adrian Hetherington and Ronan O’Neill held the early advantage in their Ford Escort MkII. But the second half of the rally was to be less fruitful after a problem during stage seven forced his retirement. Instead, Martin McCormack and Barney Mitchell raced home as the two-wheel-drive category victors in their Escort, finishing just 4.7s ahead of Alan Smyth and Arthur Kierans,
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tense Fivemiletown Victory!
Mark Donnelly and Stephen O’Hanlon claimed victory at the Samsonas Rally Fivemiletown, round one of the McGrady Insurance NI Forest Rally Challenge! It was a start-to-finish success for the Fiesta R5 crew but the Greencastle driver was never able to relax as the chasing pack hunted him down throughout the eight-stage Omagh Motor Club event. Going into the final stage, Donnelly’s advantage had been whittled down to just one-tenth of a second but he pulled out all the stops over the closing miles to secure the win by 1.7s. “We had a big push on the final stage and had a couple of moments,” Donnelly said. “It was a bit messy but I hoped our stage time was going to be fast.” As it transpired, he had done enough to seal the win from Gareth Mimnagh and Barry McCarney, who were in another Fiesta R5. In fact, it was Mimnagh who was fastest on the final test, moving him in front of Vivian Hamill and Andrew Grennan at the last gasp. In the two-wheel-drive battle, Adrian Hetherington and Ronan O’Neill held the early advantage in their Ford Escort MkII. But the second half of the rally was to be less fruitful after a problem during stage seven forced his retirement. Instead, Martin McCormack and Barney Mitchell raced home as the two-wheel-drive category victors in their Escort, finishing just 4.7s ahead of Alan Smyth and Arthur Kierans,
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EASTWOOD DKR TEAM WINS 2023 ASIAN LE MANS SERIES
A smooth and controlled 4 Hours of Abu Dhabi by the DKR Engineering team saw Belfast's Charlie Eastwood, Salih Yoluc, and Ayhancan Guven take the chequered flag and the 2023 Asian Le Mans Series. The Luxembourg outfit finished each race of the season on the podium, sealing them the LMP2 championship and an invite to the 2023 24 Hours of Le Mans. Heartbreak ensued once again for Race 2 winners, #43 Inter Europol Competition, who were in the lead until a suspected gearbox failure saw them fall from through the pack and back into their garage for repairs in the final ten minutes of the race.
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A smooth and controlled 4 Hours of Abu Dhabi by the DKR Engineering team saw Belfast's Charlie Eastwood, Salih Yoluc, and Ayhancan Guven take the chequered flag and the 2023 Asian Le Mans Series. The Luxembourg outfit finished each race of the season on the podium, sealing them the LMP2 championship and an invite to the 2023 24 Hours of Le Mans. Heartbreak ensued once again for Race 2 winners, #43 Inter Europol Competition, who were in the lead until a suspected gearbox failure saw them fall from through the pack and back into their garage for repairs in the final ten minutes of the race.
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Wright Wins Closest Battle in NI Championship history
Stephen Wright and Ger Conway emerged victorious at the Kirkistown Stages Rally after one of the closest finishes in the history of the McGrady Insurance NI Rally Championship! The Ford Fiesta R5-powered crew held off a hard-charging Jonny Greer and Brian Crawford to win the event by just one-tenth of a second after six hard-fought stages around the Co Down Race Circuit. The North Armagh MC-organised event, attracted more than 70 entries from some of the country’s top rally talent. With more than 20 top-spec R5 rally cars and a strong two-wheel-drive contingent, a tight battle was expected but nobody could have predicted just how close that battle turned out. Third-placed Derek McGarrity was 16 seconds in arrears after his efforts were thwarted by a misfire. Instead of fighting for victory, he was trying to keep a hard-charging Aaron McLaughlin behind him, but he eventually fell into the clutches of both McLaughlin and Gareth Sayers. In the two-wheel-drive category, Jason and Gareth Black brought their stunning Toyota Starlet to a well-deserved category win.
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Dancing across the tarmac to the treble notes of a BDA
The words of a traditional Irish song been chosen by Alan (Plum) Tyndall to open his fourth book in his series of publications covering the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship round winners. ‘The Kerry Dancers’ (Killarney Rally of the Lakes Winners 1979 – 2022), like ‘Heroes of the Hills’ (Donegal International Rally winners), ‘The Western Warriors’ (Galway International Rally winners), and ‘Coleman Country’ (Cork 20 and West Cork Rally winners), has 100 full-colour pages of reports illustrated by the best lensmen in the land including the late Esler Crawford, Martin McCorriston, Seamus Counihan, Colin Courtney, Adrian Crawley, Dermot Kelleher, Kevin O’Driscoll, Martin Walsh and most importantly the RallyRetro archive. And that song? The spirit of the Rally of the Lakes, as Plum sees it, is all in the lyrics. The drivers dancing across the tarmac, thrilling the punters with the ring of their piper’s tune, the treble notes of the BDA’s and BDGs, and the bass sounds of the flat-fours; and the with boys gathering in wild delight in the glade of a summer’s night to acknowledge the heroes who have come to conquer in the greatest of Ireland’s rallying playgrounds, the Kerry mountains. ‘The Kerry Dancers’ covers the forty Killarney Rally of the Lakes and takes you from Group 4 days, through the Group B and Group A years, then the splendour of the World Rally Cars, and into the current R5 era. Available online at https://rpm-motorsport.com/store
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The words of a traditional Irish song been chosen by Alan (Plum) Tyndall to open his fourth book in his series of publications covering the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship round winners. ‘The Kerry Dancers’ (Killarney Rally of the Lakes Winners 1979 – 2022), like ‘Heroes of the Hills’ (Donegal International Rally winners), ‘The Western Warriors’ (Galway International Rally winners), and ‘Coleman Country’ (Cork 20 and West Cork Rally winners), has 100 full-colour pages of reports illustrated by the best lensmen in the land including the late Esler Crawford, Martin McCorriston, Seamus Counihan, Colin Courtney, Adrian Crawley, Dermot Kelleher, Kevin O’Driscoll, Martin Walsh and most importantly the RallyRetro archive. And that song? The spirit of the Rally of the Lakes, as Plum sees it, is all in the lyrics. The drivers dancing across the tarmac, thrilling the punters with the ring of their piper’s tune, the treble notes of the BDA’s and BDGs, and the bass sounds of the flat-fours; and the with boys gathering in wild delight in the glade of a summer’s night to acknowledge the heroes who have come to conquer in the greatest of Ireland’s rallying playgrounds, the Kerry mountains. ‘The Kerry Dancers’ covers the forty Killarney Rally of the Lakes and takes you from Group 4 days, through the Group B and Group A years, then the splendour of the World Rally Cars, and into the current R5 era. Available online at https://rpm-motorsport.com/store
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TURKINGTON CONFIRMS 2023 BTCC CAMPAIGN
Colin Turkington and West Surrey Racing will remain together for the 2023 British Touring Car Championship, the four-times BTCC Champion once again piloting the BMW 330e M Sport as he commences his 19th season in the series. Significant rule changes look set to mix up the format of the racing with Hybrid deployment, tyre choices and qualifying all set for adjustments. ‘’I’m extremely pleased to be a part of the West Surrey Racing team for the 2023 season and to race the BMW 330e M Sport for another season. The new BTCC season should shape up nicely with the significant rule changes around the option tyres, shoot-out qualifying, and hybrid deployment use. We won't know how that will play out until we're in the thick of it, but I'm hopeful it'll be a positive step. This series never stays still, and that forever-moving target is what brings me back year-on-year.’’ The 2023 BTCC season kicks off at Donington Park on 22nd and 23rd April.
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Colin Turkington and West Surrey Racing will remain together for the 2023 British Touring Car Championship, the four-times BTCC Champion once again piloting the BMW 330e M Sport as he commences his 19th season in the series. Significant rule changes look set to mix up the format of the racing with Hybrid deployment, tyre choices and qualifying all set for adjustments. ‘’I’m extremely pleased to be a part of the West Surrey Racing team for the 2023 season and to race the BMW 330e M Sport for another season. The new BTCC season should shape up nicely with the significant rule changes around the option tyres, shoot-out qualifying, and hybrid deployment use. We won't know how that will play out until we're in the thick of it, but I'm hopeful it'll be a positive step. This series never stays still, and that forever-moving target is what brings me back year-on-year.’’ The 2023 BTCC season kicks off at Donington Park on 22nd and 23rd April.
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MI Academy driver William Creighton wins his first round of the Junior WRC
Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy driver William Creighton secured an outstanding maiden victory at the opening round of the FIA Junior World Rally Championship, Rally Sweden [9-12 February]. Creighton, 25 from Moira in Co.Armagh was the star of the field, setting fastest time on an unrivalled nine stages during the event. His pace would see him build a lead of over 40 seconds against his nearest rivals, before his Fiesta bonnet flew up and blocked his view, losing almost a minute in the process. Starting the final day of the event, Creighton and co-driver Liam Regan found themselves 19 seconds away from the leader and in a truly fascinating masterclass of top-level driving, Creighton bravely regained the lead of the rally on the penultimate test to win by the slender margin of just 0.6 seconds and secure his place in the history books.
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Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy driver William Creighton secured an outstanding maiden victory at the opening round of the FIA Junior World Rally Championship, Rally Sweden [9-12 February]. Creighton, 25 from Moira in Co.Armagh was the star of the field, setting fastest time on an unrivalled nine stages during the event. His pace would see him build a lead of over 40 seconds against his nearest rivals, before his Fiesta bonnet flew up and blocked his view, losing almost a minute in the process. Starting the final day of the event, Creighton and co-driver Liam Regan found themselves 19 seconds away from the leader and in a truly fascinating masterclass of top-level driving, Creighton bravely regained the lead of the rally on the penultimate test to win by the slender margin of just 0.6 seconds and secure his place in the history books.
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Lifetime Achievement Award for Drew Wylie
Saintfield Rally driver Drew Wylie was honoured by the Association of NI Car Clubs with a Lifetime Achievement Award, not only for his contribution to motorsport, but also his part in the annual Sparks Celebration of Motorsport Charity Dinner that has raised approaching £1m for local charities over the last 25 years including Action Medical Research the leading UK-wide charity dedicated to funding vital research to help sick and disabled babies, children and young people. Presented by Brian Crawford following a tribute.
Pics: Graham Baalham Curry
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Charlie Eastwood wins Le Mans Pro-Am team title
Belfast’s Charlie Eastwood, Salih Yoluc, and Jack Aitken settled the European Le Mans Series Pro-Am title in winning fashion for Racing Team Turkey at the deciding round in Portugal. They made it four class victories from six starts in the hugely competitive endurance competition to secure the trophy by a comfortable 29-point margin. Starting the 4 Hours of Portimão from pole position a handful of points was all the trio required to be crowned both teams’ and drivers’ champions. However, a shaky start by Yoluc ensured it would not be straightforward as drizzle during the formation laps resulted in a spin. He dropped back to sixth position and eventually ended his stint ninth overall when he handed the reins over to Eastwood. Once at the wheel of the TF-Sport-run Oreca 07 Gibson machine, quick-thinking during a full course yellow saw him pit for fresh tyres – a move that paid dividends when the time came for him to swap places with Aitken who took the chequered flag in sixth and first in Pro-Am.
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Belfast’s Charlie Eastwood, Salih Yoluc, and Jack Aitken settled the European Le Mans Series Pro-Am title in winning fashion for Racing Team Turkey at the deciding round in Portugal. They made it four class victories from six starts in the hugely competitive endurance competition to secure the trophy by a comfortable 29-point margin. Starting the 4 Hours of Portimão from pole position a handful of points was all the trio required to be crowned both teams’ and drivers’ champions. However, a shaky start by Yoluc ensured it would not be straightforward as drizzle during the formation laps resulted in a spin. He dropped back to sixth position and eventually ended his stint ninth overall when he handed the reins over to Eastwood. Once at the wheel of the TF-Sport-run Oreca 07 Gibson machine, quick-thinking during a full course yellow saw him pit for fresh tyres – a move that paid dividends when the time came for him to swap places with Aitken who took the chequered flag in sixth and first in Pro-Am.
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Chris Smiley storms to TCR UK Championship title
After winning the first of the two races at Snetterton, Chris Smiley started race two with an eight-point advantage over the only other driver in contention for the title, Isaac Smith. Try as he might, Smith did all he could in race two but lost out to Smiley who brought his Restart Racing Honda Civic Type R FK7 TCR across the line in third place and in doing so, secured the 2022 TCR UK Championship title. “What a year – and what a final race! With Isaac (Smith) the only other driver who could still take the title, He tried every trick in the book to back me up so others behind could catch me. So, when he went wide at turn one and lost a few places with two laps to go, I just needed to hold tight and make it to the finish. It’s been an absolutely awesome year and I’ve really enjoyed it. We’ve had some highs and a few lows, but the outcome of today makes everything worthwhile. The Restart Racing guys have done a fabulous job and the car has been great all season. I have to say a big thanks to the whole team.”
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After winning the first of the two races at Snetterton, Chris Smiley started race two with an eight-point advantage over the only other driver in contention for the title, Isaac Smith. Try as he might, Smith did all he could in race two but lost out to Smiley who brought his Restart Racing Honda Civic Type R FK7 TCR across the line in third place and in doing so, secured the 2022 TCR UK Championship title. “What a year – and what a final race! With Isaac (Smith) the only other driver who could still take the title, He tried every trick in the book to back me up so others behind could catch me. So, when he went wide at turn one and lost a few places with two laps to go, I just needed to hold tight and make it to the finish. It’s been an absolutely awesome year and I’ve really enjoyed it. We’ve had some highs and a few lows, but the outcome of today makes everything worthwhile. The Restart Racing guys have done a fabulous job and the car has been great all season. I have to say a big thanks to the whole team.”
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Synergy Engineering partners with Historic Irish Tarmac Rally series
County Donegal rally car preparation company, Synergy Motorsport Engineering, has joined the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship as associate sponsors for 2023's Historic Championship. The eight-round all-asphalt series for historic rally cars begins with the Killarney Historic Rally on 3rd December 2022. The announcement comes as ITRC organisers prepare to build on the success of its 2022 championship of asphalt events which hosted an abundance of quality cars, star names, and brilliant storylines across Ireland. The Historic Championship went right to the final round on the Ulster Rally, with the 2023 edition expected to be just as competitive. Rodney Stewart of Synergy Motorsport Engineering, commented, "There is a real buzz for historic rallying in Ireland at the moment and I jumped at the chance to sponsor the ITRC's historic category for 2023. We have been building cars for 22 years and recently took over a motorsport parts company to complement the business. As I have recently decided to steer the business towards historic cars this opportunity popped up at the perfect time.’’
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County Donegal rally car preparation company, Synergy Motorsport Engineering, has joined the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship as associate sponsors for 2023's Historic Championship. The eight-round all-asphalt series for historic rally cars begins with the Killarney Historic Rally on 3rd December 2022. The announcement comes as ITRC organisers prepare to build on the success of its 2022 championship of asphalt events which hosted an abundance of quality cars, star names, and brilliant storylines across Ireland. The Historic Championship went right to the final round on the Ulster Rally, with the 2023 edition expected to be just as competitive. Rodney Stewart of Synergy Motorsport Engineering, commented, "There is a real buzz for historic rallying in Ireland at the moment and I jumped at the chance to sponsor the ITRC's historic category for 2023. We have been building cars for 22 years and recently took over a motorsport parts company to complement the business. As I have recently decided to steer the business towards historic cars this opportunity popped up at the perfect time.’’
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Greer claims his third NI Title with win on Down Rally
Jonny Greer secured his third McGrady Insurance NI Rally Championship title with victory at the Carryduff Forklift Down Rally. Navigated by Dai Roberts, Greer claimed a start-to-finish victory aboard his Citroen C3. The crew powered to the top of the leaderboard after the opening stage and eventually sailed into the distance, leaving the destination of this year’s NI title beyond doubt. Derek McGarrity, Joe McGonigle and Aaron McLaughlin were also in the mix, with McGarrity in prime position as he topped the championship standings. Unfortunately for McLaughlin, his hopes were dashed when he suffered with turbo failure on stage two. McGonigle was also out of the running after he slipped off the road on a particularly muddy section. That left McGarrity as Greer’s main title contender, but the Glengormley driver was fourth overall and almost 43 seconds behind the rally leaders at the mid-event service. He eventually finished sixth which was enough for his navigator, Graham Henderson, to secure the NI Championship’s overall co-drivers’ award. The battle for second overall raged until the finish. Cathan McCourt held the position after the opening stages until a spin dropped him behind Peadar Hurson. Hurson, in his Fiesta WRC, upped his pace and set a couple of second fastest times to stay in front. It was a close-run affair going into the final stage. In the end, he did more than enough to secure second overall while McCourt managed to cling on to the final podium spot by a handful of seconds from Jason Mitchell. 5 William Creighton/Shane Byrne 6 Derek McGarrity/Graham Henderson 7 Stuart Biggerstaff/Anthony Nestor.
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Jonny Greer secured his third McGrady Insurance NI Rally Championship title with victory at the Carryduff Forklift Down Rally. Navigated by Dai Roberts, Greer claimed a start-to-finish victory aboard his Citroen C3. The crew powered to the top of the leaderboard after the opening stage and eventually sailed into the distance, leaving the destination of this year’s NI title beyond doubt. Derek McGarrity, Joe McGonigle and Aaron McLaughlin were also in the mix, with McGarrity in prime position as he topped the championship standings. Unfortunately for McLaughlin, his hopes were dashed when he suffered with turbo failure on stage two. McGonigle was also out of the running after he slipped off the road on a particularly muddy section. That left McGarrity as Greer’s main title contender, but the Glengormley driver was fourth overall and almost 43 seconds behind the rally leaders at the mid-event service. He eventually finished sixth which was enough for his navigator, Graham Henderson, to secure the NI Championship’s overall co-drivers’ award. The battle for second overall raged until the finish. Cathan McCourt held the position after the opening stages until a spin dropped him behind Peadar Hurson. Hurson, in his Fiesta WRC, upped his pace and set a couple of second fastest times to stay in front. It was a close-run affair going into the final stage. In the end, he did more than enough to secure second overall while McCourt managed to cling on to the final podium spot by a handful of seconds from Jason Mitchell. 5 William Creighton/Shane Byrne 6 Derek McGarrity/Graham Henderson 7 Stuart Biggerstaff/Anthony Nestor.
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Josh scores unexpected victory in Donegal
Josh Moffett scored a quite remarkable victory at the Donegal International Rally. Brother Sam, the outgoing champion of the three-day event who inherited the runner-up spot on the final test as Alastair Fisher dropped from second to fifth owing to brake troubles, was first to congratulate him. Josh tightens his grip on the Irish Tarmac Championship title after making it three perfect scores from the opening five rounds of the cross-border series. “We have won a lot of rallies to date but to win the Donegal Rally is something I wasn’t expecting.’’ Fellow-Irish Tarmac Championship frontrunner Meirion Evans took third, while Declan Boyle also moved up a place. Overnight leader Callum Devine failed to scrub off enough speed to avoid a head-on crash near the start of ‘Gartan’ and retired. Kevin Gallagher was grateful to the spectators who helped to push start his Darrian T90 GTR for the final few stages as that guaranteed seventh overall and the Modified trophy. Triple British Rally Champion and Donegal debutant Matt Edwards got his chance to lead the field but his reign at the top was short-lived as he slid off the road first time over ‘Atlantic Drive’.
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Josh Moffett scored a quite remarkable victory at the Donegal International Rally. Brother Sam, the outgoing champion of the three-day event who inherited the runner-up spot on the final test as Alastair Fisher dropped from second to fifth owing to brake troubles, was first to congratulate him. Josh tightens his grip on the Irish Tarmac Championship title after making it three perfect scores from the opening five rounds of the cross-border series. “We have won a lot of rallies to date but to win the Donegal Rally is something I wasn’t expecting.’’ Fellow-Irish Tarmac Championship frontrunner Meirion Evans took third, while Declan Boyle also moved up a place. Overnight leader Callum Devine failed to scrub off enough speed to avoid a head-on crash near the start of ‘Gartan’ and retired. Kevin Gallagher was grateful to the spectators who helped to push start his Darrian T90 GTR for the final few stages as that guaranteed seventh overall and the Modified trophy. Triple British Rally Champion and Donegal debutant Matt Edwards got his chance to lead the field but his reign at the top was short-lived as he slid off the road first time over ‘Atlantic Drive’.
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Brilliant Breen result on Rally Sardegna
Craig Breen and Paul Nagle equalled their best-ever World Rally Championship result on reaching the end of a punishing Rally Italia Sardegna second overall in their M-Sport Ford Puma. The pair move up two places from sixth to fourth in the drivers’ standings. Since making the switch to M-Sport last year they have finished runner-up on four occasions. “Paul and I are now starting to find our feet and the car is getting more and more comfortable. It has taken us a little bit of time.” Ott Tanak took nine fastest stages times across the weekend and, after nineteen challenging special stages on the Mediterranean island of Sardinia, ran out overall winner. Takamoto Katsuta and his Fintona navigator Aaron Johnston were rewarded with sixth.
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Craig Breen and Paul Nagle equalled their best-ever World Rally Championship result on reaching the end of a punishing Rally Italia Sardegna second overall in their M-Sport Ford Puma. The pair move up two places from sixth to fourth in the drivers’ standings. Since making the switch to M-Sport last year they have finished runner-up on four occasions. “Paul and I are now starting to find our feet and the car is getting more and more comfortable. It has taken us a little bit of time.” Ott Tanak took nine fastest stages times across the weekend and, after nineteen challenging special stages on the Mediterranean island of Sardinia, ran out overall winner. Takamoto Katsuta and his Fintona navigator Aaron Johnston were rewarded with sixth.
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Jonny Greer Wins Tyrone Stages Rally
Carryduff’s Jonny Greer and Welshman Dai Roberts have secured victory at the MJE Wheel Repair Specialists Tyrone Stages Rally, round four of the McGrady Insurance NI Rally Championship. Driving their Citroen C3, Greer and Roberts moved into the lead after the second stage and never looked back. They went on to set fastest times on six of the nine competitive stages to claim victory by 17.1s at the Cookstown Motor Club event. “They were difficult stages but the whole rally has run perfectly and the car has been fantastic,” Greer said at the finish. “Plus it’s good to have two Citroens in first and second overall.” Initially, it was Desi Henry and Paddy Robinson who were fastest out of the blocks in their Ford Fiesta. but mechanical trouble on only the second stage put him out of the rally. Arriving home in second position for the second championship event in succession were Cathan McCourt and Liam Moynihan. They spent the day testing different settings in their Citroen and sealed two fastest times. In the end, they trailed the rally winners by 17 seconds but were pleased with the day’s work. Peadar Hurson/Damien Connolly (Ford Fiesta WRC) were third. The Carryduff Forklift Down Rally hosts the decider on Saturday 23 July. Visit nirallychampionship.com
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Carryduff’s Jonny Greer and Welshman Dai Roberts have secured victory at the MJE Wheel Repair Specialists Tyrone Stages Rally, round four of the McGrady Insurance NI Rally Championship. Driving their Citroen C3, Greer and Roberts moved into the lead after the second stage and never looked back. They went on to set fastest times on six of the nine competitive stages to claim victory by 17.1s at the Cookstown Motor Club event. “They were difficult stages but the whole rally has run perfectly and the car has been fantastic,” Greer said at the finish. “Plus it’s good to have two Citroens in first and second overall.” Initially, it was Desi Henry and Paddy Robinson who were fastest out of the blocks in their Ford Fiesta. but mechanical trouble on only the second stage put him out of the rally. Arriving home in second position for the second championship event in succession were Cathan McCourt and Liam Moynihan. They spent the day testing different settings in their Citroen and sealed two fastest times. In the end, they trailed the rally winners by 17 seconds but were pleased with the day’s work. Peadar Hurson/Damien Connolly (Ford Fiesta WRC) were third. The Carryduff Forklift Down Rally hosts the decider on Saturday 23 July. Visit nirallychampionship.com
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Four-time British Rally Champion Keith Cronin wins the Jim Clark Rally
Four-time British Rally champion Keith Cronin put the hammer down for a fifth title bid [27-28 May], taking his Volkswagen Polo GTi to a sensational Jim Clark Rally victory in the Scottish Borders. Cronin and co-driver Mikie Galvin were a force to be reckoned with all weekend long, opening up an unassailable forty second lead in their Pirelli-shod Polo over James Williams after the second stage on Friday night and the Irish pairing maintained that advantage over the second leg to take the win. Williams grappled with his Michelin backed Hyundai i20 to a maiden BRC podium in second, whilst local hero Garry Pearson rounded out the podium, another to claim his first podium in his Hankook supported Fiesta Rally2 in third.
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Four-time British Rally champion Keith Cronin put the hammer down for a fifth title bid [27-28 May], taking his Volkswagen Polo GTi to a sensational Jim Clark Rally victory in the Scottish Borders. Cronin and co-driver Mikie Galvin were a force to be reckoned with all weekend long, opening up an unassailable forty second lead in their Pirelli-shod Polo over James Williams after the second stage on Friday night and the Irish pairing maintained that advantage over the second leg to take the win. Williams grappled with his Michelin backed Hyundai i20 to a maiden BRC podium in second, whilst local hero Garry Pearson rounded out the podium, another to claim his first podium in his Hankook supported Fiesta Rally2 in third.
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- Eamonn Kelly seals Junior BRC victory in Fiesta Rally4
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Irish Rallycross returns to Mondello with Five Nations
This June bank holiday weekend, 4 - 5 June, Irish Rallycross returns to Mondello Park but this time with a special guest in tow; The Five Nations British Rallycross Championship! That’s right – the Five Nations British Rallycross Championship grid will visit the home of Irish motorsport for the first time since 2017, meaning that the best of Ireland and the best of Britain will go head to head in the biggest Rallycross event this year. Over 150 drivers across 8 classes will battle it out on track over the course of two days, bringing a whole new level of excitement to the grandstand here in Mondello Park. Irishman and reigning British and Irish Rallycross champion, Derek Tohill, will be pushing his Ford Fiesta Supercar to the limit as he tries to extend his lead in the Irish Rallycross Championship, and try get one step closer to taking the British Rallycross Championship for a second year in a row. It won’t be easy though, as Tohill will have BRX front-runners Oliver Bennett, Patrick O’Donovan and Julian Godfrey to name but a few hot on his heels! For more information on Rallycross, see www.irx.ie
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This June bank holiday weekend, 4 - 5 June, Irish Rallycross returns to Mondello Park but this time with a special guest in tow; The Five Nations British Rallycross Championship! That’s right – the Five Nations British Rallycross Championship grid will visit the home of Irish motorsport for the first time since 2017, meaning that the best of Ireland and the best of Britain will go head to head in the biggest Rallycross event this year. Over 150 drivers across 8 classes will battle it out on track over the course of two days, bringing a whole new level of excitement to the grandstand here in Mondello Park. Irishman and reigning British and Irish Rallycross champion, Derek Tohill, will be pushing his Ford Fiesta Supercar to the limit as he tries to extend his lead in the Irish Rallycross Championship, and try get one step closer to taking the British Rallycross Championship for a second year in a row. It won’t be easy though, as Tohill will have BRX front-runners Oliver Bennett, Patrick O’Donovan and Julian Godfrey to name but a few hot on his heels! For more information on Rallycross, see www.irx.ie
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Jack leads Italian TCR series after Monza
Jack Young had an exceptional outing during the first round of the TCR Italy championship at Monza, battling for both victories with former world championship drivers, and coming away with enough points to lead the drivers' championship on what's only scheduled to be one-off appearance in the series. The Northern Irishman qualified his Honda Civic Type R TCR in sixth place but finished the first race in second place, and also won the under 25s category. For the second race, Young started third, and was up to second by the first corner, taking the Rettifilo correctly while the car ahead chose to cut it. But no matter, Jack overtook him just a few corners later, and then led the race for 14 laps, until he was eventually caught by Tavano. Jack Young said: "In the second race, I made a good start, and was enjoying my time on my own out front, but when that Cupra caught us there was not a lot I could do. Jack therefore settled for another second-place finish, as well as another under 25s class victory, and left Monza as the leader of both championships. "To have two second places, two class victories, and to be leading in TCR Italy, a series with some incredible names, and a massive 32-car field is a really positive start to my year. Hopefully we can carry that momentum into next weekend when my season starts proper in Portimao in TCR Europe."
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Jack Young had an exceptional outing during the first round of the TCR Italy championship at Monza, battling for both victories with former world championship drivers, and coming away with enough points to lead the drivers' championship on what's only scheduled to be one-off appearance in the series. The Northern Irishman qualified his Honda Civic Type R TCR in sixth place but finished the first race in second place, and also won the under 25s category. For the second race, Young started third, and was up to second by the first corner, taking the Rettifilo correctly while the car ahead chose to cut it. But no matter, Jack overtook him just a few corners later, and then led the race for 14 laps, until he was eventually caught by Tavano. Jack Young said: "In the second race, I made a good start, and was enjoying my time on my own out front, but when that Cupra caught us there was not a lot I could do. Jack therefore settled for another second-place finish, as well as another under 25s class victory, and left Monza as the leader of both championships. "To have two second places, two class victories, and to be leading in TCR Italy, a series with some incredible names, and a massive 32-car field is a really positive start to my year. Hopefully we can carry that momentum into next weekend when my season starts proper in Portimao in TCR Europe."
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Jordan Kelly unstoppable in Formula Vee Battle
Seventeen cars made the start of the Kirkistown Formula Vee Final. Jordan Kelly led away with Ashford’s Lee Newsome for company. Behind these two a typical Formula Vee battle was taking place between Bohernabreena’s Anthony Cross, Tara’s Tim Murray and Sean Newsome, who was third at the end of the first lap. By lap two he was fourth and Murray was ahead. A lap later and Newsome was back to third with Cross fourth. Cross was third at the end of lap five but he found himself fifth on lap eight. Donal Downey had got in on the act on lap six and by lap seven he was now third behind Kelly who had been passed by Lee Newsome. Sean Newsome’s car began giving trouble and retired. On lap eleven, Kelly regained the lead from Lee Newsome and held it to the end. One lap later Cross passed Downey to claim and keep third. Fourth at the end was Downey. Fifth was Murray and sixth was Robert Fleming, from Kildare.
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Seventeen cars made the start of the Kirkistown Formula Vee Final. Jordan Kelly led away with Ashford’s Lee Newsome for company. Behind these two a typical Formula Vee battle was taking place between Bohernabreena’s Anthony Cross, Tara’s Tim Murray and Sean Newsome, who was third at the end of the first lap. By lap two he was fourth and Murray was ahead. A lap later and Newsome was back to third with Cross fourth. Cross was third at the end of lap five but he found himself fifth on lap eight. Donal Downey had got in on the act on lap six and by lap seven he was now third behind Kelly who had been passed by Lee Newsome. Sean Newsome’s car began giving trouble and retired. On lap eleven, Kelly regained the lead from Lee Newsome and held it to the end. One lap later Cross passed Downey to claim and keep third. Fourth at the end was Downey. Fifth was Murray and sixth was Robert Fleming, from Kildare.
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Noel Robinson triumphs in dramatic FF1600 Race
The second FF1600 race was a dramatic affair. Dave Parks got a great start and led for six laps, as he had done in the first race. David McCullough was coming from the back again, after a poor qualifying session. Noel Robinson was in second place, chasing Parks, until McCullough came past on lap four. Brandon McCaughan was in fourth place. Alan Davidson was in a steady fifth position and Henry Campbell was sixth. On lap seven Parks and McCullough collided at the fastest part of the back straight, both cars spearing off into the barriers. The race was stopped while the drivers were attended to and the wreckage removed. Both drivers were largely okay. On the restart, Robinson took the lead and won the race. Davidson got the better of McCaughan on lap nine for second place and Campbell moved up to fourth. Giovanni Romagnoli, who was visiting from London, finished in fifth place in his unusual Nomad Maranello.
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The second FF1600 race was a dramatic affair. Dave Parks got a great start and led for six laps, as he had done in the first race. David McCullough was coming from the back again, after a poor qualifying session. Noel Robinson was in second place, chasing Parks, until McCullough came past on lap four. Brandon McCaughan was in fourth place. Alan Davidson was in a steady fifth position and Henry Campbell was sixth. On lap seven Parks and McCullough collided at the fastest part of the back straight, both cars spearing off into the barriers. The race was stopped while the drivers were attended to and the wreckage removed. Both drivers were largely okay. On the restart, Robinson took the lead and won the race. Davidson got the better of McCaughan on lap nine for second place and Campbell moved up to fourth. Giovanni Romagnoli, who was visiting from London, finished in fifth place in his unusual Nomad Maranello.
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Josh Moffett & Andy Hayes taste victory in West Cork
After finishing as runners up twice in the past, Josh Moffett and Andy Hayes in a Hyundai i20 R5 finally tasted victory on the Clonakilty Park Hotel West Cork Rally. The winning margin of 23.3 secs over Welsh visitors Meirion Evans and Jonathan Jackson (VW Polo Gti R5) did not tell the full story. Callum Devine and Shane Byrne in a Ford Fiesta R5 led the way overnight by just over four seconds, but gearbox failure put them out just before the final loop of stages, just after Moffett had taken the rally lead. Alastair Fisher and Gordon Noble (VW Polo Gti R5) had put on a real charge from fourth, but a couple of costly overshoots damaged their momentum and they had to settle for third place. The unluckiest crew was Jonny Greer and Dai Roberts (Citroen C3 R5) who were pushing Evans hard for second place when they clipped a bank on the final stage forcing retirement. Cathan McCourt and Liam Moynihan had held fifth overnight but crashed out on the re-opening stage. There was plenty of Cork representation in the top ten, with Daniel Cronin co-driven by Shane Buckley taking fourth in a VW Polo, Clonakilty’s David Guest & Jonathan McGrath taking fifth with Owen Murphy & Anthony Nestor finishing sixth. Cal McCarthy (with Derek O’Brien on the notes) was the second Clonakilty driver in the top ten bringing his Citroen home in eighth, while JJ Cremin co drove Keith Lyons into ninth overall in a Fiesta R5.
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After finishing as runners up twice in the past, Josh Moffett and Andy Hayes in a Hyundai i20 R5 finally tasted victory on the Clonakilty Park Hotel West Cork Rally. The winning margin of 23.3 secs over Welsh visitors Meirion Evans and Jonathan Jackson (VW Polo Gti R5) did not tell the full story. Callum Devine and Shane Byrne in a Ford Fiesta R5 led the way overnight by just over four seconds, but gearbox failure put them out just before the final loop of stages, just after Moffett had taken the rally lead. Alastair Fisher and Gordon Noble (VW Polo Gti R5) had put on a real charge from fourth, but a couple of costly overshoots damaged their momentum and they had to settle for third place. The unluckiest crew was Jonny Greer and Dai Roberts (Citroen C3 R5) who were pushing Evans hard for second place when they clipped a bank on the final stage forcing retirement. Cathan McCourt and Liam Moynihan had held fifth overnight but crashed out on the re-opening stage. There was plenty of Cork representation in the top ten, with Daniel Cronin co-driven by Shane Buckley taking fourth in a VW Polo, Clonakilty’s David Guest & Jonathan McGrath taking fifth with Owen Murphy & Anthony Nestor finishing sixth. Cal McCarthy (with Derek O’Brien on the notes) was the second Clonakilty driver in the top ten bringing his Citroen home in eighth, while JJ Cremin co drove Keith Lyons into ninth overall in a Fiesta R5.
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Young stays with JAS Driver Development for 2022
Jack Young will continue to be a part of JAS Motorsport's Driver Development Programme for 2022, where the 20-year-old from Belfast aims to build on a highly successful first year working with the Italian touring car powerhouse. JAS, the builders of the multi-championship-winning Honda Civic Type R TCR, will welcome Jack back for a second year at its programme, which supports drivers during their motor racing career. As part of this, the driver is supported with test days, on-site skills, media training, and a racing season in a competitive European championship. After an outstanding 2021 campaign, in which Jack finished on the podium three times in the TCR Europe Touring Car Series, and also on his only appearance in the TCR Italy championship, as well as scoring an impressive pole position at the popular Zandvoort circuit in the Netherlands, Jack is relishing the opportunity to get back behind the wheel of a JAS Motorsport-built car in 2022. Jack Young said: "I'm also delighted to have a very exciting race programme ahead of me this year. I'm looking forward to putting into practice everything I learned last year, which was a critical year for my development and personal growth, with a number of highs and lows, and am absolutely pumped ahead of the new season."
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Jack Young will continue to be a part of JAS Motorsport's Driver Development Programme for 2022, where the 20-year-old from Belfast aims to build on a highly successful first year working with the Italian touring car powerhouse. JAS, the builders of the multi-championship-winning Honda Civic Type R TCR, will welcome Jack back for a second year at its programme, which supports drivers during their motor racing career. As part of this, the driver is supported with test days, on-site skills, media training, and a racing season in a competitive European championship. After an outstanding 2021 campaign, in which Jack finished on the podium three times in the TCR Europe Touring Car Series, and also on his only appearance in the TCR Italy championship, as well as scoring an impressive pole position at the popular Zandvoort circuit in the Netherlands, Jack is relishing the opportunity to get back behind the wheel of a JAS Motorsport-built car in 2022. Jack Young said: "I'm also delighted to have a very exciting race programme ahead of me this year. I'm looking forward to putting into practice everything I learned last year, which was a critical year for my development and personal growth, with a number of highs and lows, and am absolutely pumped ahead of the new season."
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Jonny Greer Dominates at Bishopscourt Stages
Carryduff’s Jonny Greer and co-driver Darragh Mullen secured victory at the Race & Rally Stages, round two of the McGrady Insurance Northern Ireland Rally Championship. Greer dominated the six-stage event from start to finish, inch-perfect through the morning’s slippery conditions, quickly building up a sizeable advantage and catching his rivals on the hop. In the space of two stages, amassing a lead of more than 20 seconds – a huge margin on the single venue event. Managing his lead, Greer powered home in his Citroen C3 to win by 31.1 seconds and claim another maximum points haul in his bid for 2022 Championship spoils. Derek McGarrity and Graham Henderson held an early second in their Skoda until a stage two overshoot cost them around 10 seconds. Aaron McLaughlin and Darren Curran also hit trouble with a puncture and a broken rim, while Darren Gass and Sam Hutchinson were already out of contention after they spun and stalled on stage one. That left McGarrity and McLaughlin battling for the runner-up spot. McLaughlin quickly recovered from his puncture and moved into second after stage three. McGarrity tried hard to fight back but in the drying conditions, McLaughlin had the edge in his Fiesta WRC. He was really enjoying himself and an attempt to secure the fastest time on the final stage saw him come to within one-tenth of a second of rally winner Greer. Derek McGarrity and Graham Henderson had to be content with third overall in their Skoda. but they still secured an armful of points for their NI Championship campaign.
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Carryduff’s Jonny Greer and co-driver Darragh Mullen secured victory at the Race & Rally Stages, round two of the McGrady Insurance Northern Ireland Rally Championship. Greer dominated the six-stage event from start to finish, inch-perfect through the morning’s slippery conditions, quickly building up a sizeable advantage and catching his rivals on the hop. In the space of two stages, amassing a lead of more than 20 seconds – a huge margin on the single venue event. Managing his lead, Greer powered home in his Citroen C3 to win by 31.1 seconds and claim another maximum points haul in his bid for 2022 Championship spoils. Derek McGarrity and Graham Henderson held an early second in their Skoda until a stage two overshoot cost them around 10 seconds. Aaron McLaughlin and Darren Curran also hit trouble with a puncture and a broken rim, while Darren Gass and Sam Hutchinson were already out of contention after they spun and stalled on stage one. That left McGarrity and McLaughlin battling for the runner-up spot. McLaughlin quickly recovered from his puncture and moved into second after stage three. McGarrity tried hard to fight back but in the drying conditions, McLaughlin had the edge in his Fiesta WRC. He was really enjoying himself and an attempt to secure the fastest time on the final stage saw him come to within one-tenth of a second of rally winner Greer. Derek McGarrity and Graham Henderson had to be content with third overall in their Skoda. but they still secured an armful of points for their NI Championship campaign.
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Robert Erwin wins titanic battle in 2-wheel drive class
In the two-wheel-drive category, a titanic battle developed between a number of crews at the Race & Rally Stages. James and Heather Kennedy were quickest out of the blocks, closely followed by Andrew White and Paul Hughes. Then White lost ground with an overshoot, leaving Kennedy to fend off a challenge from Robert Erwin and Andrew Wilson. As the track conditions improved, Erwin started to pile the pressure on the Kennedys who were suffering with a down-on-power engine. The chasing Toyota MR2 crew moved in front after the fifth test and another strong run over the final stage sealed the category win as well as 10th overall. James and Heather Kennedy had to settle for second on this occasion as well as 11th overall, with Matthew McGaffin and Ryan Lowry coming home third in class.
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In the two-wheel-drive category, a titanic battle developed between a number of crews at the Race & Rally Stages. James and Heather Kennedy were quickest out of the blocks, closely followed by Andrew White and Paul Hughes. Then White lost ground with an overshoot, leaving Kennedy to fend off a challenge from Robert Erwin and Andrew Wilson. As the track conditions improved, Erwin started to pile the pressure on the Kennedys who were suffering with a down-on-power engine. The chasing Toyota MR2 crew moved in front after the fifth test and another strong run over the final stage sealed the category win as well as 10th overall. James and Heather Kennedy had to settle for second on this occasion as well as 11th overall, with Matthew McGaffin and Ryan Lowry coming home third in class.
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Josh sets a mighty pace in Mayo
Leading from start to finish, Monaghan’s Josh Moffett (Hyundai i20 R5) and his Limerick co-driver Keith Moriarty won the McHugh’s Service Station Mayo Rally, the opening round of the Triton Showers-backed Motorsport Ireland Rally Championship. With the odd few patches of frost in shaded areas of the stages near Ballindine, Moffett was quickest on the 16. 12 and 9.7 kilometre stages. He didn’t have it all his own way as Robert Barrable, on his debut in a VW Polo GTi R5, was only seconds behind on the respective stages to slot into second - 3.7 seconds behind at the Claremorris service park. But Moffett dominated the second and third runs over both stages to move 28.3 seconds clear of Barrable with Wright another 25.6 seconds in arrears. On completion of the day’s eight stages, they finished 27.9 seconds in front of Barrable and his Donegal co-driver Paddy Robinson. Third place and 32.3 seconds adrift were Monaghan’s Stephen Wright and his Killarney co-driver Ger Conway. Armagh’s Jason Black (Toyota Starlet) set a superb pace on the final stage to win the rear-wheel-drive category by three seconds from the Escort of Cavan’s Gary Kiernan.
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Leading from start to finish, Monaghan’s Josh Moffett (Hyundai i20 R5) and his Limerick co-driver Keith Moriarty won the McHugh’s Service Station Mayo Rally, the opening round of the Triton Showers-backed Motorsport Ireland Rally Championship. With the odd few patches of frost in shaded areas of the stages near Ballindine, Moffett was quickest on the 16. 12 and 9.7 kilometre stages. He didn’t have it all his own way as Robert Barrable, on his debut in a VW Polo GTi R5, was only seconds behind on the respective stages to slot into second - 3.7 seconds behind at the Claremorris service park. But Moffett dominated the second and third runs over both stages to move 28.3 seconds clear of Barrable with Wright another 25.6 seconds in arrears. On completion of the day’s eight stages, they finished 27.9 seconds in front of Barrable and his Donegal co-driver Paddy Robinson. Third place and 32.3 seconds adrift were Monaghan’s Stephen Wright and his Killarney co-driver Ger Conway. Armagh’s Jason Black (Toyota Starlet) set a superb pace on the final stage to win the rear-wheel-drive category by three seconds from the Escort of Cavan’s Gary Kiernan.
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ARMSTRONG HOLDS ON FOR HARD-FOUGHT WIN
Jon Armstrong’s FIA Junior WRC campaign started strongly as he fended off Lauri Joona to take victory at Rally Sweden. The chase for glory at the championship opener quickly became a two-horse race when early leaders Sami Pajari and Robert Virves retired on Friday. Joona picked up the mantle to lead the M-Sport Poland Ford Fiesta Rally3 field after the opening day, but Armstrong swooped ahead at Saturday’s Brattby speed test. The pair traded positions three times throughout day two, but it was Armstrong who held a 3.5sec advantage heading into the final leg. An early morning charge brought Joona back into the top spot, but he was relegated once more on the penultimate blast. A stage win at Sarsjöliden confirmed Armstrong’s victory by just 2.7sec at the end of one of the closest battles in Junior WRC history. "I can't believe it," said last year’s championship runner-up. "I didn't think I was even going to be here two months ago, so to come and win with no pre-event test is crazy. I thought a podium would have been a good result, but this is really something else," he added.
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Jon Armstrong’s FIA Junior WRC campaign started strongly as he fended off Lauri Joona to take victory at Rally Sweden. The chase for glory at the championship opener quickly became a two-horse race when early leaders Sami Pajari and Robert Virves retired on Friday. Joona picked up the mantle to lead the M-Sport Poland Ford Fiesta Rally3 field after the opening day, but Armstrong swooped ahead at Saturday’s Brattby speed test. The pair traded positions three times throughout day two, but it was Armstrong who held a 3.5sec advantage heading into the final leg. An early morning charge brought Joona back into the top spot, but he was relegated once more on the penultimate blast. A stage win at Sarsjöliden confirmed Armstrong’s victory by just 2.7sec at the end of one of the closest battles in Junior WRC history. "I can't believe it," said last year’s championship runner-up. "I didn't think I was even going to be here two months ago, so to come and win with no pre-event test is crazy. I thought a podium would have been a good result, but this is really something else," he added.
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Fivemiletown Rally Success for Henry
Kilrea’s Desi Henry and County Donegal’s Paddy Robinson have won the Samsonas Fivemiletown Rally, round one of the McGrady Insurance NI Forest Challenge. Based from the Ecclesville Centre in Fintona with nine stages in the forests south of Fivemiletown, Henry made his intentions clear from the outset as he took control of the Omagh Motor Club organised event from the opening stage. Driving his Ford Fiesta, he and Robinson set a string of fastest times that saw them lead the event by 15 seconds by the time crews reached the mid-event service. Cathan McCourt, who has previously finished as runner-up on the event, was a consistent second during the early stages. He was taking his time to get used to his new Fiesta but he really started to get into the swing of things after service. Fastest on stages six and seven, he snatched almost five seconds back from rally leader Henry. However, it was too little, too late, and with two short stages remaining, he was unable to maintain the pressure on his rival. Henry fended off the challenge with another fastest time of his own through the penultimate stage eight, and a measured drive over the final test ensured the Kilrea driver sealed the Fivemiletown Rally victory, 1 Desi Henry/Paddy Robinson; 2 Cathan McCourt/Liam Moynihan; 3 Vivian Hamill/Lorcan Moore; 4 Conor McCourt/Caolan McKenna; 5 Jason Mitchell/Paddy McCrudden; 6 Mark Donnelly/Stephen O'Hanlon. Round two of the series takes crews to the Lakeland Stages on 3 September. For more information, visit nirallychampionship.com/forest-challenge.
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Kilrea’s Desi Henry and County Donegal’s Paddy Robinson have won the Samsonas Fivemiletown Rally, round one of the McGrady Insurance NI Forest Challenge. Based from the Ecclesville Centre in Fintona with nine stages in the forests south of Fivemiletown, Henry made his intentions clear from the outset as he took control of the Omagh Motor Club organised event from the opening stage. Driving his Ford Fiesta, he and Robinson set a string of fastest times that saw them lead the event by 15 seconds by the time crews reached the mid-event service. Cathan McCourt, who has previously finished as runner-up on the event, was a consistent second during the early stages. He was taking his time to get used to his new Fiesta but he really started to get into the swing of things after service. Fastest on stages six and seven, he snatched almost five seconds back from rally leader Henry. However, it was too little, too late, and with two short stages remaining, he was unable to maintain the pressure on his rival. Henry fended off the challenge with another fastest time of his own through the penultimate stage eight, and a measured drive over the final test ensured the Kilrea driver sealed the Fivemiletown Rally victory, 1 Desi Henry/Paddy Robinson; 2 Cathan McCourt/Liam Moynihan; 3 Vivian Hamill/Lorcan Moore; 4 Conor McCourt/Caolan McKenna; 5 Jason Mitchell/Paddy McCrudden; 6 Mark Donnelly/Stephen O'Hanlon. Round two of the series takes crews to the Lakeland Stages on 3 September. For more information, visit nirallychampionship.com/forest-challenge.
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RECORD-BREAKING LOEB SNATCHES DRAMATIC MONTE-CARLO WIN
Sébastien Loeb became the oldest winner of an FIA World Rally Championship round after grabbing a remarkable Rallye Monte-Carlo victory from the under the nose of old foe Sébastien Ogier on Sunday. Irishman Craig Breen finished almost 90sec further back in third in another Puma, giving the British-based M-Sport Ford squad an early lead in the manufacturers’ championship. Loeb trailed Ogier by almost half a minute heading into the penultimate speed test of the four-day event in the French Alps. But when Ogier limped to the finish with a front left puncture, Loeb reclaimed a lead he had conceded to his compatriot on Saturday. He stayed calm through the final test to seal his eighth Monte-Carlo success in a Ford Puma by 10.5sec. Loeb, starting his first WRC event for more than a year, was competing for M-Sport Ford squad in a one-off appearance and joins Ogier at the top of the Monte-Carlo roll of honour with eight wins. The championship switches to Scandinavia next month for the only pure winter round of the season. Rally Sweden takes place in Umeå on 24 - 27 February.
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Sébastien Loeb became the oldest winner of an FIA World Rally Championship round after grabbing a remarkable Rallye Monte-Carlo victory from the under the nose of old foe Sébastien Ogier on Sunday. Irishman Craig Breen finished almost 90sec further back in third in another Puma, giving the British-based M-Sport Ford squad an early lead in the manufacturers’ championship. Loeb trailed Ogier by almost half a minute heading into the penultimate speed test of the four-day event in the French Alps. But when Ogier limped to the finish with a front left puncture, Loeb reclaimed a lead he had conceded to his compatriot on Saturday. He stayed calm through the final test to seal his eighth Monte-Carlo success in a Ford Puma by 10.5sec. Loeb, starting his first WRC event for more than a year, was competing for M-Sport Ford squad in a one-off appearance and joins Ogier at the top of the Monte-Carlo roll of honour with eight wins. The championship switches to Scandinavia next month for the only pure winter round of the season. Rally Sweden takes place in Umeå on 24 - 27 February.
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WRC enters an exciting new hybrid era at Monte Carlo
The M-Sport Ford World Rally Team gave motorsport fans their first look at the new M‑Sport Ford Puma Hybrid Rally1 car expected to electrify the 2022 World Rally Championship. It makes its debut at the Monte Carlo Rally, January 20-23 and three cars will be campaigned throughout the 2022 season by drivers Craig Breen, Adrien Fourmaux and Gus Greensmith. In addition, nine-time World Rally Champion, Sébastien Loeb, will join the M‑Sport Ford Team to compete at this year’s Monte Carlo Rally, an event he has won seven times previously. Mark Rushbrook, global director, Ford Performance said, "At Ford, we're fully committed to an electrified future, and campaigning the Puma Hybrid Rally1 car in the toughest conditions is going to help us develop even more exciting electrified powertrains for our customers. The next-generation hybrid powertrain captures energy during braking and coasting, and stores it which is then used to supplement the performance of the turbocharged 1.6 EcoBoost engine with repeated boosts of up to three seconds from an electric motor. For the 2022 season FIA WRC Rally1 competitors will use a fossil-free fuel, of synthetic and bio-degradable elements to produce a fuel that is 100 per cent sustainable.’’
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The M-Sport Ford World Rally Team gave motorsport fans their first look at the new M‑Sport Ford Puma Hybrid Rally1 car expected to electrify the 2022 World Rally Championship. It makes its debut at the Monte Carlo Rally, January 20-23 and three cars will be campaigned throughout the 2022 season by drivers Craig Breen, Adrien Fourmaux and Gus Greensmith. In addition, nine-time World Rally Champion, Sébastien Loeb, will join the M‑Sport Ford Team to compete at this year’s Monte Carlo Rally, an event he has won seven times previously. Mark Rushbrook, global director, Ford Performance said, "At Ford, we're fully committed to an electrified future, and campaigning the Puma Hybrid Rally1 car in the toughest conditions is going to help us develop even more exciting electrified powertrains for our customers. The next-generation hybrid powertrain captures energy during braking and coasting, and stores it which is then used to supplement the performance of the turbocharged 1.6 EcoBoost engine with repeated boosts of up to three seconds from an electric motor. For the 2022 season FIA WRC Rally1 competitors will use a fossil-free fuel, of synthetic and bio-degradable elements to produce a fuel that is 100 per cent sustainable.’’
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Creighton clinches Junior BRC title
Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy driver William Creighton secured the Junior British Rally Championship title after taking second place at the Modern Tyres Ulster Rally [20 Nov]. Creighton, who celebrated his 24th birthday at the event, ensured he had the best present possible by taking the title at his third attempt, twice finishing as runner up. He also ensured long-time co-driver Liam Regan could take his second BRC title after securing top honours in 2019. Taking his Creighton’s-backed Ford Fiesta Rally4 to second place in the Junior category on his home round would be all that was needed to clinch the title after taking a blistering four wins in 2021 to ensure the coveted honour finally made the Motorsport Ireland ace’s CV. “It’s a truly fantastic feeling to finally become a Junior British Champion,” said an elated Creighton. “I’m so delighted with the result, and to finally get the title means so much. We made it quite hard for ourselves this season after not finishing the Nicky Grist, so we knew we had to score maximum points on every other round. I’m just so happy to get this result today, now I just want to enjoy this moment, it’s been a long time coming.” The young ace will tackle a round of the 2022 FIA World Rally Championship behind the wheel of a Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing i20 N Rally2 - a true `money can’t buy` opportunity.
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Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy driver William Creighton secured the Junior British Rally Championship title after taking second place at the Modern Tyres Ulster Rally [20 Nov]. Creighton, who celebrated his 24th birthday at the event, ensured he had the best present possible by taking the title at his third attempt, twice finishing as runner up. He also ensured long-time co-driver Liam Regan could take his second BRC title after securing top honours in 2019. Taking his Creighton’s-backed Ford Fiesta Rally4 to second place in the Junior category on his home round would be all that was needed to clinch the title after taking a blistering four wins in 2021 to ensure the coveted honour finally made the Motorsport Ireland ace’s CV. “It’s a truly fantastic feeling to finally become a Junior British Champion,” said an elated Creighton. “I’m so delighted with the result, and to finally get the title means so much. We made it quite hard for ourselves this season after not finishing the Nicky Grist, so we knew we had to score maximum points on every other round. I’m just so happy to get this result today, now I just want to enjoy this moment, it’s been a long time coming.” The young ace will tackle a round of the 2022 FIA World Rally Championship behind the wheel of a Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing i20 N Rally2 - a true `money can’t buy` opportunity.
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COLEMAN COUNTRY
Cork 20 & West Cork Rally Winners 1977 – 2021
Coleman Country is the third in a series of fascinating RPM publications that chart the achievements of Irish Tarmac Championship round winners in the various regions of our land.
Like ‘Heroes of the Hills’ (Donegal winners) and the ‘Western Warriors’ (Galway winners), ‘Coleman Country’ highlights the ‘Rebel County’ heroes, but unlike its predecessors it uniquely covers two regional internationals – The Cork 20 and the West Cork events.
Alan (Plum) Tyndall, producer of the classic RPM television series has written the words in consultation with rally historians like Kevin O’Driscoll and Martin Walsh, and gathered the pictures from many of the best rally action ‘snappers’ in the country, and particularly the RallyRetro archive.
Purchase RPM’s latest book release, COLEMAN COUNTRY now at a 25% discount. This offer is available from the 7th to the end of January 2022. You can get this spectacular 160-page full-colour book from the RPM website www.rpm-motorsport.com
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Cork 20 & West Cork Rally Winners 1977 – 2021
Coleman Country is the third in a series of fascinating RPM publications that chart the achievements of Irish Tarmac Championship round winners in the various regions of our land.
Like ‘Heroes of the Hills’ (Donegal winners) and the ‘Western Warriors’ (Galway winners), ‘Coleman Country’ highlights the ‘Rebel County’ heroes, but unlike its predecessors it uniquely covers two regional internationals – The Cork 20 and the West Cork events.
Alan (Plum) Tyndall, producer of the classic RPM television series has written the words in consultation with rally historians like Kevin O’Driscoll and Martin Walsh, and gathered the pictures from many of the best rally action ‘snappers’ in the country, and particularly the RallyRetro archive.
Purchase RPM’s latest book release, COLEMAN COUNTRY now at a 25% discount. This offer is available from the 7th to the end of January 2022. You can get this spectacular 160-page full-colour book from the RPM website www.rpm-motorsport.com
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Déjà vu Motorsport Donagh Day raises €16,000 for The Bluestack Special Needs Foundation.
Déjà vu Motorsport, the non-competitive day out that brings old friends and their cars together, was back on the road in Donegal Town on the 24th October. The five-time Irish Tarmac Rally Champion Austin MacHale, rolled through the start arch at the Quay Car Park in front of huge crowds on the twenty-five-mile parade from Donegal Town to The Stables Motorsport Centre in the Frosses. Following behind was Gareth MacHale, then Donagh Kelly, the patron of The Stables Motorsports Centre and an Irish National and Tarmac Champion. Denis and Stuart Biggerstaff, Mike Dunnion in his 1978 Vauxhall Chevette HSR; Simon Woodside in a 1989 BMW M3; Alan and Bryan Jardine in their 1968 Mk I Escort Twin-Cam, Niall and William Creighton in a 1965 Lotus Cortina, Elgin and Jonathan Greer in an ex-works Mini Cooper S, Richard Hogg in the thundering V8 Rover SDi, Mark and Rory Doyle in their ex-MacHale Celica ST185 and Mervin Johnston, another multiple Historic rally winner, as always, a Mini Cooper S. Representatives from the Bluestack Special Needs Foundation, Patrick McBrearty (Trustee), Wendy McCarry (CEO) and Rachael Giblin (Community Services Programmes Manager) met with Déjà Vu Motorsport organisers Dr. Beatty Crawford, Alan “Plum” Tyndall and Eamonn Kelly representing the Stables Motorsport Centre, to receive a cheque for €16,000.00 after their highly successful event.
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Déjà vu Motorsport, the non-competitive day out that brings old friends and their cars together, was back on the road in Donegal Town on the 24th October. The five-time Irish Tarmac Rally Champion Austin MacHale, rolled through the start arch at the Quay Car Park in front of huge crowds on the twenty-five-mile parade from Donegal Town to The Stables Motorsport Centre in the Frosses. Following behind was Gareth MacHale, then Donagh Kelly, the patron of The Stables Motorsports Centre and an Irish National and Tarmac Champion. Denis and Stuart Biggerstaff, Mike Dunnion in his 1978 Vauxhall Chevette HSR; Simon Woodside in a 1989 BMW M3; Alan and Bryan Jardine in their 1968 Mk I Escort Twin-Cam, Niall and William Creighton in a 1965 Lotus Cortina, Elgin and Jonathan Greer in an ex-works Mini Cooper S, Richard Hogg in the thundering V8 Rover SDi, Mark and Rory Doyle in their ex-MacHale Celica ST185 and Mervin Johnston, another multiple Historic rally winner, as always, a Mini Cooper S. Representatives from the Bluestack Special Needs Foundation, Patrick McBrearty (Trustee), Wendy McCarry (CEO) and Rachael Giblin (Community Services Programmes Manager) met with Déjà Vu Motorsport organisers Dr. Beatty Crawford, Alan “Plum” Tyndall and Eamonn Kelly representing the Stables Motorsport Centre, to receive a cheque for €16,000.00 after their highly successful event.
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Strong entry for Modern Tyres Ulster Rally
Modern Tyres Ulster Rally, which takes place on November 19/20, will have many of the key players from the British and Junior British Rally Championships, including defending champion Matt Edwards, (left), M-Sport Ford test driver Matthew Wilson, and Keith Cronin who’s won the BRC on four different occasions. Event Director Richard Swanston said, “The entry to date is very strong indeed, with a strong mix of Irish drivers also entered, including the newly-crowned Northern Ireland Rally champion Jonathan Greer, FIA European Rally Championship regulars Callum Devine and Cathan McCourt, and Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing Junior driver, Josh McErlean. We also have Donagh Kelly, who won this event back in 2015 to seal the Irish Tarmac title. November’s event is sticking with a one-day format - It will have a high stage to road mileage ratio,” he added. “With the date change to November, there will also be a return of dark stages to the Ulster which is sure to add another element to the rally.” The Ulster Rally, which is being promoted by Northern Ireland Motor Club Ltd, is sponsored by Modern Tyres. Stephen Shaw from Modern Tyre Services added: “As the event countdown gains momentum, we are all busy preparing to welcome competitors, teams, spectators and officials to our new facility in Newry. The entry is looking good, and we are looking forward to what is shaping up to be another great event.”
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Modern Tyres Ulster Rally, which takes place on November 19/20, will have many of the key players from the British and Junior British Rally Championships, including defending champion Matt Edwards, (left), M-Sport Ford test driver Matthew Wilson, and Keith Cronin who’s won the BRC on four different occasions. Event Director Richard Swanston said, “The entry to date is very strong indeed, with a strong mix of Irish drivers also entered, including the newly-crowned Northern Ireland Rally champion Jonathan Greer, FIA European Rally Championship regulars Callum Devine and Cathan McCourt, and Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing Junior driver, Josh McErlean. We also have Donagh Kelly, who won this event back in 2015 to seal the Irish Tarmac title. November’s event is sticking with a one-day format - It will have a high stage to road mileage ratio,” he added. “With the date change to November, there will also be a return of dark stages to the Ulster which is sure to add another element to the rally.” The Ulster Rally, which is being promoted by Northern Ireland Motor Club Ltd, is sponsored by Modern Tyres. Stephen Shaw from Modern Tyre Services added: “As the event countdown gains momentum, we are all busy preparing to welcome competitors, teams, spectators and officials to our new facility in Newry. The entry is looking good, and we are looking forward to what is shaping up to be another great event.”
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Déjà vu Motorsport promises to be a truly family affair
When the five-time Irish Tarmac Rally Champion Austin MacHale, rolls through the start arch at the Quay Car Park in Donegal Town on the 24th October there will be a very excited passenger beside him. The native of Mayo, who set the Irish rally stages alight for almost two and a half decades, will have his grandson Adam Kelly reading the route instructions on their twenty-five-mile parade from Donegal Town to The Stables Motorsport Centre in the Frosses. Adam will be in no ordinary car, as his grandad will be using the ex-Marcus Gronholm Ford Focus ’06 WRC in which Adam’s uncle, Gareth MacHale, won the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship in 2010. Following will be Donagh Kelly, the patron of The Stables Motorsports Centre and an Irish National and Tarmac Champion, who will be with his son Eamonn in a 1989 BMW M3. And the family theme goes on and on. Denis and Stuart Biggerstaff are in a Subaru Impreza S9. Champions both, Denis a former British Rallycross Champion and his son a Northern Ireland Rally champion. Mike Dunnion will have Holly Dunnion alongside him in his 1978 Vauxhall Chevette HSR; Simon and Kelli Woodside are in a 1989 BMW M3; Alan and Bryan Jardine in their 1968 Mk I Escort Twin-Cam; Niall and William Creighton in a 1965 Lotus Cortina; Elgin and Jonathan Greer in an ex-works Mini Cooper S; Michael and his multiple Historic Rally Champion father Dessie Nutt, will be in the family Mini Cooper S; Richard and Melissa Hogg in their thundering V8 Rover SDi; Mark and Rory Doyle in their ex-MacHale Celica ST185 and Mervin Johnston, another multiple Historic rally winner and his son Karlin, as always, a Mini Cooper S. Déjà vu Motorsport, the non-competitive day out that brings old friends and their cars together is back on the road and promises to be a truly family affair.
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When the five-time Irish Tarmac Rally Champion Austin MacHale, rolls through the start arch at the Quay Car Park in Donegal Town on the 24th October there will be a very excited passenger beside him. The native of Mayo, who set the Irish rally stages alight for almost two and a half decades, will have his grandson Adam Kelly reading the route instructions on their twenty-five-mile parade from Donegal Town to The Stables Motorsport Centre in the Frosses. Adam will be in no ordinary car, as his grandad will be using the ex-Marcus Gronholm Ford Focus ’06 WRC in which Adam’s uncle, Gareth MacHale, won the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship in 2010. Following will be Donagh Kelly, the patron of The Stables Motorsports Centre and an Irish National and Tarmac Champion, who will be with his son Eamonn in a 1989 BMW M3. And the family theme goes on and on. Denis and Stuart Biggerstaff are in a Subaru Impreza S9. Champions both, Denis a former British Rallycross Champion and his son a Northern Ireland Rally champion. Mike Dunnion will have Holly Dunnion alongside him in his 1978 Vauxhall Chevette HSR; Simon and Kelli Woodside are in a 1989 BMW M3; Alan and Bryan Jardine in their 1968 Mk I Escort Twin-Cam; Niall and William Creighton in a 1965 Lotus Cortina; Elgin and Jonathan Greer in an ex-works Mini Cooper S; Michael and his multiple Historic Rally Champion father Dessie Nutt, will be in the family Mini Cooper S; Richard and Melissa Hogg in their thundering V8 Rover SDi; Mark and Rory Doyle in their ex-MacHale Celica ST185 and Mervin Johnston, another multiple Historic rally winner and his son Karlin, as always, a Mini Cooper S. Déjà vu Motorsport, the non-competitive day out that brings old friends and their cars together is back on the road and promises to be a truly family affair.
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Podium & Junior class victory for Jack Young at Monza
Jack Young put on an impressive performance during the penultimate round of the TCR Europe Touring Car Series at Monza, qualifying his Brutal Fish Racing Team Honda Civic on the front row, and racking up another podium as well as Junior Trophy class win on Sunday to take the class title to the wire. Jack said: “It was a very good race today. In fact, the whole weekend we had the pace, but we just couldn't shape it into a result. In qualifying we were really quick, but I made a mistake at the last corner and lost a lot of time - else we would have been P1. We got P2 on the grid for Race 1, but then had an electronic issue which was a shame as I know we should have been able to take our first victory in TCR. The team worked well the whole weekend, and got the problem fixed for Race 2. At the start I went from P9 down to P12, but came back to P4, and with the penalties that's become a podium, so I'm very happy, especially for the team. And for me, that gives me a confidence boost going to the last round in Barcelona."
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Jack Young put on an impressive performance during the penultimate round of the TCR Europe Touring Car Series at Monza, qualifying his Brutal Fish Racing Team Honda Civic on the front row, and racking up another podium as well as Junior Trophy class win on Sunday to take the class title to the wire. Jack said: “It was a very good race today. In fact, the whole weekend we had the pace, but we just couldn't shape it into a result. In qualifying we were really quick, but I made a mistake at the last corner and lost a lot of time - else we would have been P1. We got P2 on the grid for Race 1, but then had an electronic issue which was a shame as I know we should have been able to take our first victory in TCR. The team worked well the whole weekend, and got the problem fixed for Race 2. At the start I went from P9 down to P12, but came back to P4, and with the penalties that's become a podium, so I'm very happy, especially for the team. And for me, that gives me a confidence boost going to the last round in Barcelona."
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Junior BRC contender William Creighton reignites his title hopes
Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy driver William Creighton returned a faultless performance at the Trackrod Rally Yorkshire to win the Junior British Rally Championship category by well over a minute to his nearest rivals. Creighton and co-driver Liam Regan threaded their Creighton’s backed Ford Fiesta Rally4 through the narrow and ultra-fast Yorkshire forest stages with precision and, after taking the lead on the second of the event’s six tests, were never headed. The scintillating performance means Creighton scoops his second Junior BRC victory of the season, adding to his round one glory and after a zero score in both Wales and Scotland, means his title challenge is well and truly back on track. “I`m really happy to get the win here this weekend - this is exactly what we need for our championship hopes,” said Creighton. “It’s been a really enjoyable rally too and the stages have been superb. They are a real challenge though and it’s certainly not been an easy ride for us. The pace was very quick from the Junior’s all weekend long which has meant we had to keep pushing, but it’s been pretty much a perfect rally for us”.
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Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy driver William Creighton returned a faultless performance at the Trackrod Rally Yorkshire to win the Junior British Rally Championship category by well over a minute to his nearest rivals. Creighton and co-driver Liam Regan threaded their Creighton’s backed Ford Fiesta Rally4 through the narrow and ultra-fast Yorkshire forest stages with precision and, after taking the lead on the second of the event’s six tests, were never headed. The scintillating performance means Creighton scoops his second Junior BRC victory of the season, adding to his round one glory and after a zero score in both Wales and Scotland, means his title challenge is well and truly back on track. “I`m really happy to get the win here this weekend - this is exactly what we need for our championship hopes,” said Creighton. “It’s been a really enjoyable rally too and the stages have been superb. They are a real challenge though and it’s certainly not been an easy ride for us. The pace was very quick from the Junior’s all weekend long which has meant we had to keep pushing, but it’s been pretty much a perfect rally for us”.
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Co Derry ace runs out a convincing winner on Cork 20
Callum Devine and Brian Hoy took the honours on the Cork ‘20’ International Rally. After the day’s nine stages their Ford Fiesta R5 finished 20.3 seconds ahead of the VW Polo of Welsh driver Meirion Evans. Monaghan’s Josh Moffett and his Wexford co-driver Andy Hayes (Hyundai i20 R5) were third – 37.6 seconds further behind. Devine was quickest through the opening stage but by the conclusion of the opening loop of three stages Evans headed the leaderboard – 5.1 seconds ahead of Devine, who dropped time when encountering Donagh Kelly’s Polo at a chicane after the Donegal man lost brakes. Devine dominated the three stages of the repeat loop and duly moved into the lead, but Evans was only a mere 2.5 seconds in arrears with Devine showing greatpace. The opening stage of the final loop saw Devine stretch his advantage as the Co Derry ace ran out a convincing winner. Evans was pleased with his pace – beating off many of the Irish regulars to claim second. Moffett in third was followed home in fourth by Ballylickey’s Daniel Cronin in his older model Ford Fiesta R5 to secure one of his best ever International results. Tyrone’s Cathan McCourt and his Millstreet co-driver Liam Moynihan (Ford Fiesta R5) netted fifth - sealing the position with the fastest stage time on SS9.
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Callum Devine and Brian Hoy took the honours on the Cork ‘20’ International Rally. After the day’s nine stages their Ford Fiesta R5 finished 20.3 seconds ahead of the VW Polo of Welsh driver Meirion Evans. Monaghan’s Josh Moffett and his Wexford co-driver Andy Hayes (Hyundai i20 R5) were third – 37.6 seconds further behind. Devine was quickest through the opening stage but by the conclusion of the opening loop of three stages Evans headed the leaderboard – 5.1 seconds ahead of Devine, who dropped time when encountering Donagh Kelly’s Polo at a chicane after the Donegal man lost brakes. Devine dominated the three stages of the repeat loop and duly moved into the lead, but Evans was only a mere 2.5 seconds in arrears with Devine showing greatpace. The opening stage of the final loop saw Devine stretch his advantage as the Co Derry ace ran out a convincing winner. Evans was pleased with his pace – beating off many of the Irish regulars to claim second. Moffett in third was followed home in fourth by Ballylickey’s Daniel Cronin in his older model Ford Fiesta R5 to secure one of his best ever International results. Tyrone’s Cathan McCourt and his Millstreet co-driver Liam Moynihan (Ford Fiesta R5) netted fifth - sealing the position with the fastest stage time on SS9.
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COLIN CLAIMS CROFT VICTORY ON FRENETIC RACE DAY
Colin Turkington claimed his 59th BTCC career win on Sunday 19th September with a dazzling lights to flag victory. The Team BMW driver recorded three top 7 finishes around the Yorkshire circuit, shooting himself up the leader board to third in the standings. It was an action-packed day of door-to-door racing, providing lively and tense entertainment. Cool and collected Turkington fought hard to recover from robust moves on track and was one of the big point scorers of the weekend. ‘’What a feeling! The final stage of the season is like nothing else and we are building our momentum - I am feeling very positive. We started the day off with a difficult balance but by race 2 had a car capable of winning. I realised the car was going to be fast from lap 1 of the final race. Unfortunate contact and moves by others scuppered that plan but I stayed positive and recovered. It was a perfect race for me and a real shot in the arm! It's straight back to work for us all preparing for Silverstone with only days to turn everything around from Croft.’’
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Colin Turkington claimed his 59th BTCC career win on Sunday 19th September with a dazzling lights to flag victory. The Team BMW driver recorded three top 7 finishes around the Yorkshire circuit, shooting himself up the leader board to third in the standings. It was an action-packed day of door-to-door racing, providing lively and tense entertainment. Cool and collected Turkington fought hard to recover from robust moves on track and was one of the big point scorers of the weekend. ‘’What a feeling! The final stage of the season is like nothing else and we are building our momentum - I am feeling very positive. We started the day off with a difficult balance but by race 2 had a car capable of winning. I realised the car was going to be fast from lap 1 of the final race. Unfortunate contact and moves by others scuppered that plan but I stayed positive and recovered. It was a perfect race for me and a real shot in the arm! It's straight back to work for us all preparing for Silverstone with only days to turn everything around from Croft.’’
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Two Great Trophies Up For Grabs at Kirkistown
A few weeks after the very successful Leinster Trophy meeting at Kirkistown another two very prestigious trophies are up for grabs at the upcoming race meeting on Friday 24th and Saturday 25th September. The Martin Donnelly Trophy is to be awarded to the winner of the second Formula Ford 1600 race on the Saturday. The winner of the Martin Donnelly Trophy will get a free entry into the 50th Annual UK Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch. The winner will also receive a new set of Avon Competition tyres. The second prestigious trophy being awarded on Saturday is the Emerson Fittipaldi Trophy which will go to the winner of the second Formula Vee race. Twenty-four drivers have entered for this weekend! Anthony Cross, from Bohernabreena, is going for his third Trophy win in a row but won't have it all his own way, with 2018 winner Dan Polley, from Dublin, and other regular front runners Gavin Buckley, also from Dublin, Jack Byrne, from Tinahely and Jordan Kelly, to name but a few, all vying for the coveted award. Omagh tyre supplier, Bill Adair, has come on board for this race by donating a new set of competition tyres to the winner of the Fittipaldi Trophy.
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A few weeks after the very successful Leinster Trophy meeting at Kirkistown another two very prestigious trophies are up for grabs at the upcoming race meeting on Friday 24th and Saturday 25th September. The Martin Donnelly Trophy is to be awarded to the winner of the second Formula Ford 1600 race on the Saturday. The winner of the Martin Donnelly Trophy will get a free entry into the 50th Annual UK Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch. The winner will also receive a new set of Avon Competition tyres. The second prestigious trophy being awarded on Saturday is the Emerson Fittipaldi Trophy which will go to the winner of the second Formula Vee race. Twenty-four drivers have entered for this weekend! Anthony Cross, from Bohernabreena, is going for his third Trophy win in a row but won't have it all his own way, with 2018 winner Dan Polley, from Dublin, and other regular front runners Gavin Buckley, also from Dublin, Jack Byrne, from Tinahely and Jordan Kelly, to name but a few, all vying for the coveted award. Omagh tyre supplier, Bill Adair, has come on board for this race by donating a new set of competition tyres to the winner of the Fittipaldi Trophy.
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Daniel Harper continues fantastic Nürburgring Form
Daniel Harper produced a sensational performance to fight his way up the order from seventh to second and put the BMW Junior Team on course for a brilliant third podium finish of the 2021 Nürburgring Endurance season. Harper and team-mates Max Hesse and Neil Verhagen returned to action eager to carry the momentum from a fantastic pair of overall race victories. Harper started the race behind the wheel and put in a brilliant opening stint. The 20-year-old talent stayed in the top six battle through the close-fought opening stages, which he emerged from in an improved fourth. Pounding in some fast and consistent lap times, Harper got onto the tail of the race leader, with some exciting side by side action between the two at over 170mph. As he handed the car over in second place., his team-mates remained in that position throughout the final three and a half hours to secure a memorable podium finish.
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Daniel Harper produced a sensational performance to fight his way up the order from seventh to second and put the BMW Junior Team on course for a brilliant third podium finish of the 2021 Nürburgring Endurance season. Harper and team-mates Max Hesse and Neil Verhagen returned to action eager to carry the momentum from a fantastic pair of overall race victories. Harper started the race behind the wheel and put in a brilliant opening stint. The 20-year-old talent stayed in the top six battle through the close-fought opening stages, which he emerged from in an improved fourth. Pounding in some fast and consistent lap times, Harper got onto the tail of the race leader, with some exciting side by side action between the two at over 170mph. As he handed the car over in second place., his team-mates remained in that position throughout the final three and a half hours to secure a memorable podium finish.
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SYLVIE MULLINS TAKES PRESTIGIOUS LEINSTER TROPHY
Longstanding Galway Motor Club member, Sylvie Mullins from Ballyvaughan, Co. Clare, won the prestigious Leinster Trophy race at Kirkistown racetrack in Co. Down. What made this victory even more special is that Sylvie joins a roll of honour that includes past Formula 1 world champions Ayrton Senna and Mika Hakkinen. Sylvie races his 650bhp Judd Engined Gould GR37 in the Big Open Single Seater (BOSS) Class and has been fighting for the trophy over the past six years. Despite some mechanical gremlins including a broken clutch pedal and running without third gear for the majority of the race, he managed to take victory, edging out Jonathan Fildes and Aaron Gaughran. Despite his transmission issues, Mullins’ winning average race speed was 97.38 mph. Next up for Sylvie is the penultimate race meeting at Mondello Park, Nass, Co. Kildare on Sunday September 12th where he will be pushing on from his victory with the target of winning the overall BOSS championship.
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Longstanding Galway Motor Club member, Sylvie Mullins from Ballyvaughan, Co. Clare, won the prestigious Leinster Trophy race at Kirkistown racetrack in Co. Down. What made this victory even more special is that Sylvie joins a roll of honour that includes past Formula 1 world champions Ayrton Senna and Mika Hakkinen. Sylvie races his 650bhp Judd Engined Gould GR37 in the Big Open Single Seater (BOSS) Class and has been fighting for the trophy over the past six years. Despite some mechanical gremlins including a broken clutch pedal and running without third gear for the majority of the race, he managed to take victory, edging out Jonathan Fildes and Aaron Gaughran. Despite his transmission issues, Mullins’ winning average race speed was 97.38 mph. Next up for Sylvie is the penultimate race meeting at Mondello Park, Nass, Co. Kildare on Sunday September 12th where he will be pushing on from his victory with the target of winning the overall BOSS championship.
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Greer Claims Loughgall Win and Extends Series Lead
Jonny Greer, with Kirsty Riddick, secured victory at the PRM Group/RPM Motorsport-backed Loughgall Stages Rally, round three of the McGrady Insurance N.I. Rally series to extend his championship lead. A capacity entry of 100 crews tackled six tree-lined stages. Greer started the North Armagh Motor Club event as the number one seed in his potent Citroen C3 and was determined to make amends after his round two disappointment at Shackleton. The Portglenone team Desi and Mark Henry powered through the opening stage 2.4 seconds faster than reigning champion Stephen Wright and Liam Moynihan, while Greer was a cautious third. However, the tables turned on stage two when Henry lost time with persistent fuel pump troubles. Later Desi pulled out all the stops over stage six to reclaim second position from Stephen Wright. Final positions:- 1 Jonny Greer/Kirsty Riddick (Citroen C3) 24m29.8s; 2 Desi Henry/Mark Henry (Hyundai i20 R5) +6.4s; 3 Stephen Wright/Liam Moynihan (Ford Fiesta) +9.1s. Competitors can now enjoy a two-month break before they are back in action at October’s Tour of the Sperrins Rally. The penultimate round of the N.I. Championship is due to take place on 16 October. Visit nirallychampionship.com for more information.
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Jonny Greer, with Kirsty Riddick, secured victory at the PRM Group/RPM Motorsport-backed Loughgall Stages Rally, round three of the McGrady Insurance N.I. Rally series to extend his championship lead. A capacity entry of 100 crews tackled six tree-lined stages. Greer started the North Armagh Motor Club event as the number one seed in his potent Citroen C3 and was determined to make amends after his round two disappointment at Shackleton. The Portglenone team Desi and Mark Henry powered through the opening stage 2.4 seconds faster than reigning champion Stephen Wright and Liam Moynihan, while Greer was a cautious third. However, the tables turned on stage two when Henry lost time with persistent fuel pump troubles. Later Desi pulled out all the stops over stage six to reclaim second position from Stephen Wright. Final positions:- 1 Jonny Greer/Kirsty Riddick (Citroen C3) 24m29.8s; 2 Desi Henry/Mark Henry (Hyundai i20 R5) +6.4s; 3 Stephen Wright/Liam Moynihan (Ford Fiesta) +9.1s. Competitors can now enjoy a two-month break before they are back in action at October’s Tour of the Sperrins Rally. The penultimate round of the N.I. Championship is due to take place on 16 October. Visit nirallychampionship.com for more information.
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Craig Breen plays supporting role to perfection
Ireland's Craig Breen finished a close second behind Hyundai team-mate and Belgian home favourite Thierrry Neuville in the World Rally Championship (WRC) Ypres event. Breen, who won in Ypres in 2019 before the rally was elevated to WRC status, led through the opening loop of stages on Friday morning before Neuville edged in front. The Irish driver had to accept he was to play a supporting role, and he did it professionally, tracking home hero Neuville to the end for yet another World Championship second place in a Hyundai one-two. Neuville is now third in the WRC standings, level on 124 points with Welshman Elfyn Evans, who finished fourth. Breen said: "It's just a pleasure to drive one of these cars, I know I always bang on about it. Thanks to everybody for a top job this weekend. I've enjoyed every second of it." Breen's podium wasn't the only success for Irish drivers in Belgium, Jon Armstrong's excellent Junior WRC campaign continued as he dominated the class to move within three points of championship leader Sami Pajari ahead of the double points final round in Spain. Armstrong won seven stages as he triumphed by a minute ahead of Pajari to take his second win of the season. William Creighton’s mechanical issue on the opening day dropped him out of contention, however the Moira driver finished fifth and won seven stages with an impressive drive despite the issues.
Ireland's Craig Breen finished a close second behind Hyundai team-mate and Belgian home favourite Thierrry Neuville in the World Rally Championship (WRC) Ypres event. Breen, who won in Ypres in 2019 before the rally was elevated to WRC status, led through the opening loop of stages on Friday morning before Neuville edged in front. The Irish driver had to accept he was to play a supporting role, and he did it professionally, tracking home hero Neuville to the end for yet another World Championship second place in a Hyundai one-two. Neuville is now third in the WRC standings, level on 124 points with Welshman Elfyn Evans, who finished fourth. Breen said: "It's just a pleasure to drive one of these cars, I know I always bang on about it. Thanks to everybody for a top job this weekend. I've enjoyed every second of it." Breen's podium wasn't the only success for Irish drivers in Belgium, Jon Armstrong's excellent Junior WRC campaign continued as he dominated the class to move within three points of championship leader Sami Pajari ahead of the double points final round in Spain. Armstrong won seven stages as he triumphed by a minute ahead of Pajari to take his second win of the season. William Creighton’s mechanical issue on the opening day dropped him out of contention, however the Moira driver finished fifth and won seven stages with an impressive drive despite the issues.
Josh records best-ever WRC result
Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy pilot Josh McErlean returned a faultless drive at the unforgiving Renties Ypres Rally (13-15 Aug) to secure his best-ever FIA World Rally Championship result by finishing 12th overall in his Rallysport Hyundai i20 R5. He beat many of the local specialists on his way to fifth place in the WRC3 category, further cementing his rapid progress in the world's top-flight series. The 21-year old from Kilrea, Co Derry, who was joined by new co-driver James Fulton, was understandably delighted at the result. ''I'd come to this event with a really open mind with the benefit of having experienced the roads as part of my Junior BRC campaign, but it was of course in an R2 car. Going to Belgium in an R5 is a very different prospect so I just wanted to drive my own rally and build pace as I went. We got faster as the weekend progressed and to see us finish just outside the top ten of a World Championship event is a really positive outcome. I'm elated with that''
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Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy pilot Josh McErlean returned a faultless drive at the unforgiving Renties Ypres Rally (13-15 Aug) to secure his best-ever FIA World Rally Championship result by finishing 12th overall in his Rallysport Hyundai i20 R5. He beat many of the local specialists on his way to fifth place in the WRC3 category, further cementing his rapid progress in the world's top-flight series. The 21-year old from Kilrea, Co Derry, who was joined by new co-driver James Fulton, was understandably delighted at the result. ''I'd come to this event with a really open mind with the benefit of having experienced the roads as part of my Junior BRC campaign, but it was of course in an R2 car. Going to Belgium in an R5 is a very different prospect so I just wanted to drive my own rally and build pace as I went. We got faster as the weekend progressed and to see us finish just outside the top ten of a World Championship event is a really positive outcome. I'm elated with that''
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Desi secures last gasp Dogleap Victory
Portglenone's Desi and Mark Henry claimed a last gasp victory at the Eakin Bros Brian James Trailers Dogleap Stages Rally, round two of the McGrady Insurance Motorsport UK N.I. Rally Championship. Based at the Shackleton Complex in Ballykelly, the Henrys trailed long-time rally leaders Jonny Greer and Kirsty Riddick by over 10 seconds when they entered the final stage. Having set fastest times on the five previous stages, it looked as though championship leader Greer was on course for victory until his hopes were dashed by a pothole early on the final stage. Greer's Citroen C3 hit the pothole with such force that it punctured a front tyre, leaving the Carryduff man struggling for virtually the whole stage. As he understeered around the track the resultant time loss of over one minute dropped him to fourth overall. In second place, Aaron McLaughlin and Darren Curran entered the final test determined to hold on to third overall. Third-placed Stephen Wright and Liam Moynihan was another crew that was lucky to reach the finish. A difficult start to the day saw the reigning champion have a high-speed slide into one of the trackside hay bales on the opening stage. Derek McGarrity was forced to settle for seventh after a day struggling with a misfiring Fiesta WRC.
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Portglenone's Desi and Mark Henry claimed a last gasp victory at the Eakin Bros Brian James Trailers Dogleap Stages Rally, round two of the McGrady Insurance Motorsport UK N.I. Rally Championship. Based at the Shackleton Complex in Ballykelly, the Henrys trailed long-time rally leaders Jonny Greer and Kirsty Riddick by over 10 seconds when they entered the final stage. Having set fastest times on the five previous stages, it looked as though championship leader Greer was on course for victory until his hopes were dashed by a pothole early on the final stage. Greer's Citroen C3 hit the pothole with such force that it punctured a front tyre, leaving the Carryduff man struggling for virtually the whole stage. As he understeered around the track the resultant time loss of over one minute dropped him to fourth overall. In second place, Aaron McLaughlin and Darren Curran entered the final test determined to hold on to third overall. Third-placed Stephen Wright and Liam Moynihan was another crew that was lucky to reach the finish. A difficult start to the day saw the reigning champion have a high-speed slide into one of the trackside hay bales on the opening stage. Derek McGarrity was forced to settle for seventh after a day struggling with a misfiring Fiesta WRC.
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Fast pace unrewarded for Jack Young in Spa
Despite a fastest time in practice, 15 overtakes in two races and the third-fastest lap of the weekend the fourth round of the 2021 TCR Europe Touring Car Series didn't quite go to plan for 19-year-old Jack Young. Though the JAS Motorsport Development Driver showed strong pace, an incident in qualifying sadly derailed the rest of his weekend. Unfortunately in qualifying, Young hit the barriers on his first flying lap just after setting the best first sector of all. Although the damage was minor, it was significant enough to force him to stop the car at the side of the circuit and he was unable to set a single lap, relegating him to 20th and last for both of the weekend's races. The TCR Europe series now takes a one-month break before it races at the nearby Nurburgring on September 3rd-5th.
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Despite a fastest time in practice, 15 overtakes in two races and the third-fastest lap of the weekend the fourth round of the 2021 TCR Europe Touring Car Series didn't quite go to plan for 19-year-old Jack Young. Though the JAS Motorsport Development Driver showed strong pace, an incident in qualifying sadly derailed the rest of his weekend. Unfortunately in qualifying, Young hit the barriers on his first flying lap just after setting the best first sector of all. Although the damage was minor, it was significant enough to force him to stop the car at the side of the circuit and he was unable to set a single lap, relegating him to 20th and last for both of the weekend's races. The TCR Europe series now takes a one-month break before it races at the nearby Nurburgring on September 3rd-5th.
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Leinster Trophy comes North for the Second Time ever
The most prestigious trophy in the history of Irish Motor Racing is The Leinster Trophy. On Saturday 28th August the 500 Motor Racing Club of Ireland, in association with the Leinster Motor Club, will present the trophy at The Leinster Trophy Car Race meeting at Kirkistown Racing Circuit The trophy will be awarded to the winner of the second B.O.S.S. race. Dating back to 1934 it has been awarded at car racing events including the Skerries Road Races (1934), Tallaght Road Races (1935-48), Wicklow Road races (1950-57) and Dunboyne Road Races (1958-65). In 1967, it was awarded at Bishopscourt in County Down. Since 1968, when Mondello Park Racing Circuit in County Kildare opened, it has been awarded there every year up to and including 2020. It has always been within the gift of the Leinster Motor Club to decide what particular race, in any given year, would be the recipient of the Leinster Trophy. From 1981 to 1986 it was awarded at a round of the European Formula Ford 2000 Championships. From 1987 to 1999 it was awarded at a round of the Formula Opel European or British championships. The names of the winners make impressive reading. They include F1 World Champions Mike Hawthorn, Ayrton Senna and Mika Hakkinen. Others include Ulster’s five-time Grand Prix winner, John Watson (twice!), F1 team owner Eddie Jordan, F1 Grand Prix regular, Maurício Gugelmin, Ex-Fi driver and founder of the RML Group, Ray Mallock, double Le Mans 24 Hours winner, J.J. Lehto. Names of legendary drivers on the Ulster scene are well represented including John Pollock, Jay Pollock, Patsy McGarrity, Brian Nelson, Tommy Reid and Trevor Templeton. In 2020, the Leinster Trophy was awarded to the winner of the B.O.S.S. race on the day at Mondello. (B.O.S.S. stands for Big Open Single Seater). Paul O’Connell, from Limerick, (left) who has won the B.O.S.S. Championship in 2019 and 2020.
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The most prestigious trophy in the history of Irish Motor Racing is The Leinster Trophy. On Saturday 28th August the 500 Motor Racing Club of Ireland, in association with the Leinster Motor Club, will present the trophy at The Leinster Trophy Car Race meeting at Kirkistown Racing Circuit The trophy will be awarded to the winner of the second B.O.S.S. race. Dating back to 1934 it has been awarded at car racing events including the Skerries Road Races (1934), Tallaght Road Races (1935-48), Wicklow Road races (1950-57) and Dunboyne Road Races (1958-65). In 1967, it was awarded at Bishopscourt in County Down. Since 1968, when Mondello Park Racing Circuit in County Kildare opened, it has been awarded there every year up to and including 2020. It has always been within the gift of the Leinster Motor Club to decide what particular race, in any given year, would be the recipient of the Leinster Trophy. From 1981 to 1986 it was awarded at a round of the European Formula Ford 2000 Championships. From 1987 to 1999 it was awarded at a round of the Formula Opel European or British championships. The names of the winners make impressive reading. They include F1 World Champions Mike Hawthorn, Ayrton Senna and Mika Hakkinen. Others include Ulster’s five-time Grand Prix winner, John Watson (twice!), F1 team owner Eddie Jordan, F1 Grand Prix regular, Maurício Gugelmin, Ex-Fi driver and founder of the RML Group, Ray Mallock, double Le Mans 24 Hours winner, J.J. Lehto. Names of legendary drivers on the Ulster scene are well represented including John Pollock, Jay Pollock, Patsy McGarrity, Brian Nelson, Tommy Reid and Trevor Templeton. In 2020, the Leinster Trophy was awarded to the winner of the B.O.S.S. race on the day at Mondello. (B.O.S.S. stands for Big Open Single Seater). Paul O’Connell, from Limerick, (left) who has won the B.O.S.S. Championship in 2019 and 2020.
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Daniel Harper Scores Special First Overall Nürburgring Victory
Daniel Harper produced the standout performance of his career to secure a sensational first overall win in the Nürburgring Endurance Series, and a maiden success in GT3 alongside his BMW Junior Team partners Max Hesse and Neil Verhagen. A sensational performance on Saturday (26th June) saw Harper produce lap record pace during qualifying, before putting in a faultless display during the second half of the four hour race to secure a superb win and become the youngest ever driver line-up to win in the championship. After a strong showing in the Nürburgring 24 Hours race earlier in the month, Daniel got the chance to get back up to speed around the full 15-mile Nordschleife in his BMW M6 GT3 during free practice. A blistering effort broke the existing GT3 qualifying lap record for the championship. Harper went on to produce a truly incredible stint behind the wheel. With his closest rival right on his tail, there was absolutely no room for error as the BRDC SuperStar pushed the BMW to its absolute limit for lap after lap around the Nordschleife. The close duel for the lead went on for over 90 minutes, with Harper producing a mature, composed and faultless drive to maintain the advantage. Breaking away in the closing laps, he stormed through to the chequered flag to seal a memorable victory. “I can’t quite believe this,’’ said Daniel. ‘’This is without doubt one of the best and most important days in my career so far. To break the lap record in qualifying and then bring the car home for the race win is incredible.’’
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Daniel Harper produced the standout performance of his career to secure a sensational first overall win in the Nürburgring Endurance Series, and a maiden success in GT3 alongside his BMW Junior Team partners Max Hesse and Neil Verhagen. A sensational performance on Saturday (26th June) saw Harper produce lap record pace during qualifying, before putting in a faultless display during the second half of the four hour race to secure a superb win and become the youngest ever driver line-up to win in the championship. After a strong showing in the Nürburgring 24 Hours race earlier in the month, Daniel got the chance to get back up to speed around the full 15-mile Nordschleife in his BMW M6 GT3 during free practice. A blistering effort broke the existing GT3 qualifying lap record for the championship. Harper went on to produce a truly incredible stint behind the wheel. With his closest rival right on his tail, there was absolutely no room for error as the BRDC SuperStar pushed the BMW to its absolute limit for lap after lap around the Nordschleife. The close duel for the lead went on for over 90 minutes, with Harper producing a mature, composed and faultless drive to maintain the advantage. Breaking away in the closing laps, he stormed through to the chequered flag to seal a memorable victory. “I can’t quite believe this,’’ said Daniel. ‘’This is without doubt one of the best and most important days in my career so far. To break the lap record in qualifying and then bring the car home for the race win is incredible.’’
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First outright pole position in TCR Europe for Jack Young at Zandvoort
Belfast racing driver Jack Young enjoyed his best weekend to-date in the TCR Europe series at the Circuit Zandvoort, scoring a sensational pole position on Saturday morning, which he converted into a first podium result later that day after an epic battle with local hero and Dutch social media star Tom Coronel. On Saturday morning, the 19-year-old put his Civic on pole position with a fantastic time which looked almost completely safe, until a surprise last-minute improvement from Coronel saw him dropped to second. The team sent Jack out for one more run, which proved crucial, with the time re-securing pole position by the slender margin of 81-thousandths of a second. On the Sunday, he secured a ninth-place finish, battling from the back of the field after being knocked wide early on, easily putting on a show of the most overtaking moves of the race in his Honda Civic Type R TCR. "We managed to fight our way back into a top ten spot, which was good, but we were the fastest car on track and I think we could have got top three today, which is a bit annoying, but I'll learn from this and take it forward to the next round at Spa. This is still a learning year for me, I'm still just in my first full year of TCR."
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Belfast racing driver Jack Young enjoyed his best weekend to-date in the TCR Europe series at the Circuit Zandvoort, scoring a sensational pole position on Saturday morning, which he converted into a first podium result later that day after an epic battle with local hero and Dutch social media star Tom Coronel. On Saturday morning, the 19-year-old put his Civic on pole position with a fantastic time which looked almost completely safe, until a surprise last-minute improvement from Coronel saw him dropped to second. The team sent Jack out for one more run, which proved crucial, with the time re-securing pole position by the slender margin of 81-thousandths of a second. On the Sunday, he secured a ninth-place finish, battling from the back of the field after being knocked wide early on, easily putting on a show of the most overtaking moves of the race in his Honda Civic Type R TCR. "We managed to fight our way back into a top ten spot, which was good, but we were the fastest car on track and I think we could have got top three today, which is a bit annoying, but I'll learn from this and take it forward to the next round at Spa. This is still a learning year for me, I'm still just in my first full year of TCR."
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Greer Claims Victory on Rallying's Successful Return
Jonny Greer and Kirsty Riddick won the McGrady Insurance Stages Rally, round one of the McGrady Insurance Motorsport UK Northern Ireland Rally Championship. Their victory marked a hugely successful return to action for rallying. It was the first stage rally held in Northern Ireland since March 2020 and with the sun beating down on County Down's Bishopscourt Race Circuit - the same venue that hosted the last event before the pandemic took hold - Greer and Riddick romped home to victory with their Citroen C3 R5. At the Ballynahinch and District Motor Club organised event, their final winning margin was 33.3 seconds over the Ford Focus WRC belonging to Derek McGarrity and Paddy Robinson. McGarrity had been fastest on the opening stage and was one of the favourites for victory but he had no answer to the flying Greer over the remainder of the event. The entry list read like a who's who of motorsport with multiple former champions lining up to do battle. Greer, the 2017 champion, was pitted against eight-time champion McGarrity as well as reigning champion, Stephen Wright, who won the series in 2019. 2010 champion Stuart Biggerstaff was also in the mix with a hired Fiesta R5, as well as three-times champion Kenny McKinstry.
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Jonny Greer and Kirsty Riddick won the McGrady Insurance Stages Rally, round one of the McGrady Insurance Motorsport UK Northern Ireland Rally Championship. Their victory marked a hugely successful return to action for rallying. It was the first stage rally held in Northern Ireland since March 2020 and with the sun beating down on County Down's Bishopscourt Race Circuit - the same venue that hosted the last event before the pandemic took hold - Greer and Riddick romped home to victory with their Citroen C3 R5. At the Ballynahinch and District Motor Club organised event, their final winning margin was 33.3 seconds over the Ford Focus WRC belonging to Derek McGarrity and Paddy Robinson. McGarrity had been fastest on the opening stage and was one of the favourites for victory but he had no answer to the flying Greer over the remainder of the event. The entry list read like a who's who of motorsport with multiple former champions lining up to do battle. Greer, the 2017 champion, was pitted against eight-time champion McGarrity as well as reigning champion, Stephen Wright, who won the series in 2019. 2010 champion Stuart Biggerstaff was also in the mix with a hired Fiesta R5, as well as three-times champion Kenny McKinstry.
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Motorsport Ireland Academy's Josh McErlean takes third on Rally d'Alba
Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing Junior Driver Josh McErlean secured a sensational third overall at Rally di Alba, with the 21-year-old Co. Derry ace citing the result as “a big step” in his career at the popular Italian asphalt event. McErlean and co-driver Keaton Williams set a string of top-three times in the R5 throughout the 100-kilometre event in the Italian Alps to beat many local experts on home soil, under the watchful eye of Hyundai Motorsport Team Principal Andrea Adamo who was present at the event. McErlean continues his impressive run of form after fifth in the WRC3 category of World Rally Championship Rally de Portugal last month. “I'm very excited to be heading back to the FIA European Rally Championship and Italy in July as we tackle the Rally di Roma Capitale. So this weekend was the perfect preparation and has set us up in the right direction. Everyone is working hard on this project and I`m indebted to them for their unrivalled support of my career. To have the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy behind this project is phenomenal and we will keep working hard; there is plenty more to come.”
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Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing Junior Driver Josh McErlean secured a sensational third overall at Rally di Alba, with the 21-year-old Co. Derry ace citing the result as “a big step” in his career at the popular Italian asphalt event. McErlean and co-driver Keaton Williams set a string of top-three times in the R5 throughout the 100-kilometre event in the Italian Alps to beat many local experts on home soil, under the watchful eye of Hyundai Motorsport Team Principal Andrea Adamo who was present at the event. McErlean continues his impressive run of form after fifth in the WRC3 category of World Rally Championship Rally de Portugal last month. “I'm very excited to be heading back to the FIA European Rally Championship and Italy in July as we tackle the Rally di Roma Capitale. So this weekend was the perfect preparation and has set us up in the right direction. Everyone is working hard on this project and I`m indebted to them for their unrivalled support of my career. To have the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy behind this project is phenomenal and we will keep working hard; there is plenty more to come.”
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TRIUMPH FOR TURKINGTON AT SCORCHING SNETTERTON
Colin Turkington catapulted himself to within 5 points of the championship lead over the weekend with a stunning 50 point performance. Claiming pole on Saturday in qualifying, Colin went on to deliver a textbook lights to flag victory, clocking fastest lap along the way. His 2nd place finish in race 2 and seventh in race 3 were typical of a Turkington weekend, as the Team BMW driver hauled in the points with calculated and composed drives. BTCC fans basked in the banks of a glorious sunny Snetterton, adding to the atmosphere; the first 4000 permitted back since 2019. ‘’Securing the first win of the season was obviously great but I think the highlight was just feeling back in the groove, sharp and fully focused. But I have to say, the fans stole the show! Seeing them lining the banks was fantastic and a huge boost for the series."
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Colin Turkington catapulted himself to within 5 points of the championship lead over the weekend with a stunning 50 point performance. Claiming pole on Saturday in qualifying, Colin went on to deliver a textbook lights to flag victory, clocking fastest lap along the way. His 2nd place finish in race 2 and seventh in race 3 were typical of a Turkington weekend, as the Team BMW driver hauled in the points with calculated and composed drives. BTCC fans basked in the banks of a glorious sunny Snetterton, adding to the atmosphere; the first 4000 permitted back since 2019. ‘’Securing the first win of the season was obviously great but I think the highlight was just feeling back in the groove, sharp and fully focused. But I have to say, the fans stole the show! Seeing them lining the banks was fantastic and a huge boost for the series."
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Moffett marvels in British Rally Championship opener
Irishman Sam Moffett took a nail-biting win at the opening round of the 2021 Motorsport UK British Rally Championship on Bank Holiday Monday (31 May), taking victory by a slender one-second margin at the Neil Howard Stages. Moffett and co-driver Keith Moriarty vaulted their Ford Fiesta Rally2 up the leader board in impressive style during the day, securing their maiden BRC victory by a mere one second. “I cannot believe it; literally cannot believe it,” said Moffett at the finish.“We've had a phenomenal day. We had a real good push this afternoon in stage five and six which managed to put us right ahead at the end of the day; it’s an amazing feeling. It's been good to get in the mix with some new names and fierce competition.’’ Desi Henry/Dale Furniss opened their BRC account with an impressive fifth place in their Hyundai i20. The National Rally Champion title fight fielded another impressive entry, with Garry Jennings/Rory Kennedy making a popular BRC return. Jennings was on fine form in his right-hand-drive Ford Fiesta, leading the way until a puncture on SS6 put paid to a perfect season start.
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Irishman Sam Moffett took a nail-biting win at the opening round of the 2021 Motorsport UK British Rally Championship on Bank Holiday Monday (31 May), taking victory by a slender one-second margin at the Neil Howard Stages. Moffett and co-driver Keith Moriarty vaulted their Ford Fiesta Rally2 up the leader board in impressive style during the day, securing their maiden BRC victory by a mere one second. “I cannot believe it; literally cannot believe it,” said Moffett at the finish.“We've had a phenomenal day. We had a real good push this afternoon in stage five and six which managed to put us right ahead at the end of the day; it’s an amazing feeling. It's been good to get in the mix with some new names and fierce competition.’’ Desi Henry/Dale Furniss opened their BRC account with an impressive fifth place in their Hyundai i20. The National Rally Champion title fight fielded another impressive entry, with Garry Jennings/Rory Kennedy making a popular BRC return. Jennings was on fine form in his right-hand-drive Ford Fiesta, leading the way until a puncture on SS6 put paid to a perfect season start.
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Elfyn Evans wins, Ogier on the podium for TOYOTA GAZOO
The TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team is celebrating its third win and double podium finish from four events so far in 2021 after Elfyn Evans claimed victory at the Rally de Portugal. Sébastien Ogier finished third and continues to lead the drivers’ championship – two points in front of Evans – while the team has extended its lead in the manufacturers’ standings. Along with co-driver Scott Martin, Evans drove a consistent and intelligent rally and was rewarded with the lead on Saturday afternoon. His advantage coming into the final day’s five stages was a narrow 10.7 seconds, but he stormed through the opening test 8.9s quicker than anyone else to almost double his margin. He claimed two further stage wins later during the morning – bringing his tally for the weekend to six – and ultimately sealed victory by 28.3s. It’s the fourth win of his WRC career, and his third since joining Toyota at the start of 2020. The Ford Fiesta of William Creighton broke a driveshaft, forcing him to retire for the day, but re-joining under Rally2 rules and going on to finish fifth in the JWRC category.
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The TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team is celebrating its third win and double podium finish from four events so far in 2021 after Elfyn Evans claimed victory at the Rally de Portugal. Sébastien Ogier finished third and continues to lead the drivers’ championship – two points in front of Evans – while the team has extended its lead in the manufacturers’ standings. Along with co-driver Scott Martin, Evans drove a consistent and intelligent rally and was rewarded with the lead on Saturday afternoon. His advantage coming into the final day’s five stages was a narrow 10.7 seconds, but he stormed through the opening test 8.9s quicker than anyone else to almost double his margin. He claimed two further stage wins later during the morning – bringing his tally for the weekend to six – and ultimately sealed victory by 28.3s. It’s the fourth win of his WRC career, and his third since joining Toyota at the start of 2020. The Ford Fiesta of William Creighton broke a driveshaft, forcing him to retire for the day, but re-joining under Rally2 rules and going on to finish fifth in the JWRC category.
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Motor Racing Returns To Kirkistown.
Having had to cancel the first two meetings of 2021, motor racing finally gets going in 2021, on Saturday 29th May at Kirkistown Race Circuit in County Down. Unfortunately, the General Public are still not allowed to spectate. Only drivers, their team or crew members and 500MRCI club members are permitted access. There is an eleven-race programme featuring FF1600, Saloons & GTs, Roadsports, Kirkistown Fiestas and Mazda MX5s and Superkarts. The front-runners from 2020 have entered the FF1600 races. These include the current champion, David McCullough, from Ballymena and his nemesis neighbour, Alan Davidson, from Randalstown. However, last year, David Parks, from Ballina was shaping up to give both of these men a very hard time, before being struck by the dreaded Covid-19. David and his son, Robbie, are both back, fit and well, thankfully, and raring to get a good start in the championship. At the time of writing the Saloons and GT entry is pitifully small, however, that is not the case with the Roadsports. It is hard to predict who will come out on top! Current champion Steve Morris, from Welling, is back in his Crosslé 42S. Holywood’s John Benson will certainly be at the sharp end in his Crosslé 37S. Bernard Foley, from Blackrock, has acquired a Crosslé 42S that has been round the World and back, during its lifetime. Kieron Smyth, from Moira, got his Stevenson Rocket going extremely well at the end of 2020 so he could well be mixing it at the front as well. The other man who makes it difficult to predict a winner is Niall Fitzsimmons, from Downpatrick, whose Radical Prosport is a match for any of the other cars. In the Mazda MX5s, 2020 Champion Paul Sheridan, from Randalstown, is back in a slightly lighter car. There is also a good field of Superkarts.
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Having had to cancel the first two meetings of 2021, motor racing finally gets going in 2021, on Saturday 29th May at Kirkistown Race Circuit in County Down. Unfortunately, the General Public are still not allowed to spectate. Only drivers, their team or crew members and 500MRCI club members are permitted access. There is an eleven-race programme featuring FF1600, Saloons & GTs, Roadsports, Kirkistown Fiestas and Mazda MX5s and Superkarts. The front-runners from 2020 have entered the FF1600 races. These include the current champion, David McCullough, from Ballymena and his nemesis neighbour, Alan Davidson, from Randalstown. However, last year, David Parks, from Ballina was shaping up to give both of these men a very hard time, before being struck by the dreaded Covid-19. David and his son, Robbie, are both back, fit and well, thankfully, and raring to get a good start in the championship. At the time of writing the Saloons and GT entry is pitifully small, however, that is not the case with the Roadsports. It is hard to predict who will come out on top! Current champion Steve Morris, from Welling, is back in his Crosslé 42S. Holywood’s John Benson will certainly be at the sharp end in his Crosslé 37S. Bernard Foley, from Blackrock, has acquired a Crosslé 42S that has been round the World and back, during its lifetime. Kieron Smyth, from Moira, got his Stevenson Rocket going extremely well at the end of 2020 so he could well be mixing it at the front as well. The other man who makes it difficult to predict a winner is Niall Fitzsimmons, from Downpatrick, whose Radical Prosport is a match for any of the other cars. In the Mazda MX5s, 2020 Champion Paul Sheridan, from Randalstown, is back in a slightly lighter car. There is also a good field of Superkarts.
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Daniel Harper Impresses In Nürburgring
24 Hour Qualifying Race
Daniel Harper is confident that the BMW Junior Team can be challenging for a front-running result in the ADAC TOTAL 24 Hours of Nürburgring after battling for the top ten once again during the event’s qualifying race. After some promising performances during the opening two races of the Nürburgring Endurance Series, Harper was in confident mood as he prepared to team up with regular team-mates Max Hesse and Neil Verhagen, and BMW factory driver Augusto Farfus. “Overall, I’m very happy with how the weekend went,’’ Daniel said. ‘’It was important to have a clean race and maximise our track time ahead of the 24 hours and we did exactly that, whilst also being able to showcase again the potential we have in the BMW Junior Team. I’m happy with the lap times I posted and felt I pieced together a consistent and competitive stint in the race. While we ended up finishing lower than our pace deserved, we still have lots of positives to take away and will come back stronger as a team. We’ve shown in the shootout and the race that we have the pace to be fighting for top positions in the 24 hour race.” Harper now prepares to focus to the 24 Hours of Nürburgring, one of the most prestigious events in world motorsport.
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24 Hour Qualifying Race
Daniel Harper is confident that the BMW Junior Team can be challenging for a front-running result in the ADAC TOTAL 24 Hours of Nürburgring after battling for the top ten once again during the event’s qualifying race. After some promising performances during the opening two races of the Nürburgring Endurance Series, Harper was in confident mood as he prepared to team up with regular team-mates Max Hesse and Neil Verhagen, and BMW factory driver Augusto Farfus. “Overall, I’m very happy with how the weekend went,’’ Daniel said. ‘’It was important to have a clean race and maximise our track time ahead of the 24 hours and we did exactly that, whilst also being able to showcase again the potential we have in the BMW Junior Team. I’m happy with the lap times I posted and felt I pieced together a consistent and competitive stint in the race. While we ended up finishing lower than our pace deserved, we still have lots of positives to take away and will come back stronger as a team. We’ve shown in the shootout and the race that we have the pace to be fighting for top positions in the 24 hour race.” Harper now prepares to focus to the 24 Hours of Nürburgring, one of the most prestigious events in world motorsport.
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Jack Young scores solid points as
TCR Europe season kicks off in Slovakia
Belfast racer Jack Young kicked off his 2021 racing season with a pair of charging recovery drives at the Slovakia Ring that proved he will be a force to be reckoned with in TCR Europe this year. Making his first appearance in a Honda Civic Type R TCR for the Brutal Fish Racing Team, the 19-year-old Northern Irishman proved his credentials as one of the best wheel-to-wheel racers in the field and scored useful points in each race at the circuit near Bratislava. “The weekend started so well with third place in wet practice,’’ Jack said: ‘’and the car felt good in the dry qualifying too and I’m sure we were on for a top-five spot at the very least, even if Slovakia Ring is a track that suits some of the other cars better than the Honda Civic Type R TCR. Unfortunately I was hit during qualifying before I’d got a really good lap in and that broke my steering and put me in the pits. That put me 18th on the grid for both races and that was the weekend gone. The Brutal Fish Racing Team have made me feel so welcome and did a fantastic job to fix the car for Race One, but I had a touch on the first lap that damaged the wheel hub and gave me a big vibration. I was 11th in that one, but I felt I hadn’t been aggressive enough, so I got my elbows out a bit more on Sunday and it came out well. The race pace was better and while I still finished 11th, I was closer to the leaders on lap times and just missed the top 10 by a few tenths. I think Paul Ricard should be a bit better for us because of the tight, twisty sections at either end of the track in which the Honda should excel.”
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TCR Europe season kicks off in Slovakia
Belfast racer Jack Young kicked off his 2021 racing season with a pair of charging recovery drives at the Slovakia Ring that proved he will be a force to be reckoned with in TCR Europe this year. Making his first appearance in a Honda Civic Type R TCR for the Brutal Fish Racing Team, the 19-year-old Northern Irishman proved his credentials as one of the best wheel-to-wheel racers in the field and scored useful points in each race at the circuit near Bratislava. “The weekend started so well with third place in wet practice,’’ Jack said: ‘’and the car felt good in the dry qualifying too and I’m sure we were on for a top-five spot at the very least, even if Slovakia Ring is a track that suits some of the other cars better than the Honda Civic Type R TCR. Unfortunately I was hit during qualifying before I’d got a really good lap in and that broke my steering and put me in the pits. That put me 18th on the grid for both races and that was the weekend gone. The Brutal Fish Racing Team have made me feel so welcome and did a fantastic job to fix the car for Race One, but I had a touch on the first lap that damaged the wheel hub and gave me a big vibration. I was 11th in that one, but I felt I hadn’t been aggressive enough, so I got my elbows out a bit more on Sunday and it came out well. The race pace was better and while I still finished 11th, I was closer to the leaders on lap times and just missed the top 10 by a few tenths. I think Paul Ricard should be a bit better for us because of the tight, twisty sections at either end of the track in which the Honda should excel.”
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THREE TOP TEN FINISHES FOR TURKINGTON AT THRUXTON THRILLER
Colin Turkington secured three top ten results at the 2021 BTCC season opener at Thruxton, with penalties, red flags and challenging conditions spicing up the entertainment. ’’I tweaked my back, out running in the week previous, so I arrived a bit tender on Friday but nothing serious,’’ said Colin. ‘’After the first few laps of practice though I knew I was in trouble. Qualifying was a real challenge but with the help of a chiropractor and the BTCC doctor, I was straightened out and ready to go on Sunday.’’ Despite suffering from back issues, the 4-time champion drove a stormer in qualifying to secure P3 around a difficult and drying circuit. Held behind closed doors, the season opener delivered another TV classic for fans at home. ‘’When you weigh up the weekend with the number of incidents, penalties, and challenging weather,’’ said Colin, ‘’three top ten scores is a good result. Given the level of competition, increased success ballast and the return of option tyres, it will be very difficult to secure big point hauls like we saw in 2020. More than that, I'm so happy with the people around me and the passion we all have to achieve success. This counts for a lot.’’
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Colin Turkington secured three top ten results at the 2021 BTCC season opener at Thruxton, with penalties, red flags and challenging conditions spicing up the entertainment. ’’I tweaked my back, out running in the week previous, so I arrived a bit tender on Friday but nothing serious,’’ said Colin. ‘’After the first few laps of practice though I knew I was in trouble. Qualifying was a real challenge but with the help of a chiropractor and the BTCC doctor, I was straightened out and ready to go on Sunday.’’ Despite suffering from back issues, the 4-time champion drove a stormer in qualifying to secure P3 around a difficult and drying circuit. Held behind closed doors, the season opener delivered another TV classic for fans at home. ‘’When you weigh up the weekend with the number of incidents, penalties, and challenging weather,’’ said Colin, ‘’three top ten scores is a good result. Given the level of competition, increased success ballast and the return of option tyres, it will be very difficult to secure big point hauls like we saw in 2020. More than that, I'm so happy with the people around me and the passion we all have to achieve success. This counts for a lot.’’
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ANDREW WATSON IN THE POINTS AT
SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS
Six Hours of Spa-Francorchamps marked Watson’s first race with D’station Racing when a tricky qualifying session left the #777 crew starting at the back of the field. Race day brought better fortunes, with the team battling their way up the order, an impressive performance which saw them finish P7 in the LMGTE Am class. “As a team, we’ve had a really positive first weekend together,’’ said Andrew. ‘’We battled through the issues we had and we’re all very pleased with our performance in the race. After a difficult day on Friday, we were determined to give it our all on Saturday, which we definitely did. My stints went really well and I was happy with what I was able to achieve in them. To come away with points in the team’s first race in the championship is a great achievement and means we have some real potential to build on.’’
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SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS
Six Hours of Spa-Francorchamps marked Watson’s first race with D’station Racing when a tricky qualifying session left the #777 crew starting at the back of the field. Race day brought better fortunes, with the team battling their way up the order, an impressive performance which saw them finish P7 in the LMGTE Am class. “As a team, we’ve had a really positive first weekend together,’’ said Andrew. ‘’We battled through the issues we had and we’re all very pleased with our performance in the race. After a difficult day on Friday, we were determined to give it our all on Saturday, which we definitely did. My stints went really well and I was happy with what I was able to achieve in them. To come away with points in the team’s first race in the championship is a great achievement and means we have some real potential to build on.’’
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McERLEAN STUNS AT OLYMPUS IN THE US
Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy team member Josh McErlean ensured his impressive run of form continued into 2021, by storming to an inspirational third overall and first in class at the Dirtfish Olympus Rally in the United States. Not only did the 21-year-old from Kilrea, Co.Derry take his Hyundai i20 R5 to an impressive podium result, but McErlean and co-driver Keaton Williams also gave the Hyundai Motorsport car its first overall stage win in America, beating much more powerful machinery across the seventh test of the rally. The star-studded entry list boasted global icons such as Ken Block and Travis Pastrana with McErlean lining up as one of the main contenders in the RC2 category alongside fellow Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy team member Callum Devine. McErlean wasted no time in getting used to the unfamiliar surroundings, but It would be on the 29-km Wildcat test near Seattle, Washington, that McErlean would shine – taking his i20 to a storming stage victory despite the deficit in horsepower to the open category front runners. His stage win handed the young ace a podium position overnight and a trouble-free run over Sunday’s leg saw McErlean consolidate his position to secure a remarkable third overall on his US debut. McErlean won't have long to relish the result, as he heads straight to Portugal for another outing on gravel, Rali Terras D'Aboboreira (30 April – 2 May).
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Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy team member Josh McErlean ensured his impressive run of form continued into 2021, by storming to an inspirational third overall and first in class at the Dirtfish Olympus Rally in the United States. Not only did the 21-year-old from Kilrea, Co.Derry take his Hyundai i20 R5 to an impressive podium result, but McErlean and co-driver Keaton Williams also gave the Hyundai Motorsport car its first overall stage win in America, beating much more powerful machinery across the seventh test of the rally. The star-studded entry list boasted global icons such as Ken Block and Travis Pastrana with McErlean lining up as one of the main contenders in the RC2 category alongside fellow Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy team member Callum Devine. McErlean wasted no time in getting used to the unfamiliar surroundings, but It would be on the 29-km Wildcat test near Seattle, Washington, that McErlean would shine – taking his i20 to a storming stage victory despite the deficit in horsepower to the open category front runners. His stage win handed the young ace a podium position overnight and a trouble-free run over Sunday’s leg saw McErlean consolidate his position to secure a remarkable third overall on his US debut. McErlean won't have long to relish the result, as he heads straight to Portugal for another outing on gravel, Rali Terras D'Aboboreira (30 April – 2 May).
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ARMSTRONG CLAIMS HOTLY CONTESTED JWRC VICTORY
Armstrong’s victory came following an eventful series of stages proving that the 2021 FIA Junior WRC Championship could be the most unpredictable yet. The 2018 Esports WRC Champion delivered consistent and mature stage times on Friday, eventually ending the day third. At the end of Saturday Armstrong led the Junior field by 22.5 seconds over Lauri Joona, with Sesks third, Koci fourth and William Creighton Fifth. Joona would try to fight back on Sunday’s stages but wasn’t able to match Armstrong’s pace. A mistake on stage 18 saw the Finn slip to third as Martins Sesks slotted into second. Stage 19 was ultimately cancelled for the Junior WRC crews which meant Armstrong had a 37.9 second lead going into the final stage of the rally, alleviating the pressure slightly in guiding his Fiesta Rally4 home to his debut FIA Junior WRC event victory. Armstrong only finished sixth on the final stage, but it was enough to seal his maiden FIA Junior WRC victory on Croatia Rally.
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Armstrong’s victory came following an eventful series of stages proving that the 2021 FIA Junior WRC Championship could be the most unpredictable yet. The 2018 Esports WRC Champion delivered consistent and mature stage times on Friday, eventually ending the day third. At the end of Saturday Armstrong led the Junior field by 22.5 seconds over Lauri Joona, with Sesks third, Koci fourth and William Creighton Fifth. Joona would try to fight back on Sunday’s stages but wasn’t able to match Armstrong’s pace. A mistake on stage 18 saw the Finn slip to third as Martins Sesks slotted into second. Stage 19 was ultimately cancelled for the Junior WRC crews which meant Armstrong had a 37.9 second lead going into the final stage of the rally, alleviating the pressure slightly in guiding his Fiesta Rally4 home to his debut FIA Junior WRC event victory. Armstrong only finished sixth on the final stage, but it was enough to seal his maiden FIA Junior WRC victory on Croatia Rally.
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Creighton secures valuable Junior WRC debut result
Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy member William Creighton made a positive start to his debut in the FIA Junior World Rally Championship, securing fifth place at Croatia Rally (22-25 April). Despite being his maiden World Rally Championship outing outside of the UK, Creighton, 23 from Moira in Co. Down overcame several time-zapping issues to secure an all-important finish on the opening round of the season in his M-Sport Ford Fiesta Rally4. The ultra-competitive single-make formula was littered with action throughout the weekend, with Creighton and co-driver Liam Regan bagging second fastest Junior WRC time on the final Wolf Power Stage to round out a positive weekend for the rapid duo. As a new round of the WRC, Croatia Rally was a largely unknown quantity for the eight Junior pilots who started the Zagreb based event. With 300km of special stage spread across three days of action ahead, each special test would offer a unique characteristic with narrow countryside roads, mixed with high-speed sections and undulating asphalt segments. “I’m definitely pleased with the finish,'' said William, ''and it's been mission accomplished as far as the goals we had set out at the start of the rally. We always said we didn’t know what pace we would be on and that it would be a steep learning curve - the rally was extremely tough even for the top boys. The points on the board are valuable and I`m feeling very positive for the next round.'' Round 2, Rally de Portugal, takes place on gravel.
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Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy member William Creighton made a positive start to his debut in the FIA Junior World Rally Championship, securing fifth place at Croatia Rally (22-25 April). Despite being his maiden World Rally Championship outing outside of the UK, Creighton, 23 from Moira in Co. Down overcame several time-zapping issues to secure an all-important finish on the opening round of the season in his M-Sport Ford Fiesta Rally4. The ultra-competitive single-make formula was littered with action throughout the weekend, with Creighton and co-driver Liam Regan bagging second fastest Junior WRC time on the final Wolf Power Stage to round out a positive weekend for the rapid duo. As a new round of the WRC, Croatia Rally was a largely unknown quantity for the eight Junior pilots who started the Zagreb based event. With 300km of special stage spread across three days of action ahead, each special test would offer a unique characteristic with narrow countryside roads, mixed with high-speed sections and undulating asphalt segments. “I’m definitely pleased with the finish,'' said William, ''and it's been mission accomplished as far as the goals we had set out at the start of the rally. We always said we didn’t know what pace we would be on and that it would be a steep learning curve - the rally was extremely tough even for the top boys. The points on the board are valuable and I`m feeling very positive for the next round.'' Round 2, Rally de Portugal, takes place on gravel.
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Craig Breen wins Rallye San Remo for the second time.
Craig Breen and Paul Nagle had beaten fellow Hyundai i20 R5 driver Andrea Crugnola by 4.8 seconds after eight stages of the former WRC event, Rallye San Remo, but a late check-in to Time Control 8A had handed him a 10-second penalty which would have cost him the rally win. However, rally organizers reinstated Breen as the winner of the event – his second Sanremo success in three years – after receiving a phone call from the competitor relations officer regarding a traffic jam on Via Nino Bixio in Milan which was the reason behind Breen and Nagle arriving to the final control one minute late. This gave the victory back to the Waterford driver, but changed the Drivers’ championship with Crugnola losing important points, while Breen relaunches himself after the accident that knocked him out at the Il Ciocco and Valle del Serchio Rally
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Craig Breen and Paul Nagle had beaten fellow Hyundai i20 R5 driver Andrea Crugnola by 4.8 seconds after eight stages of the former WRC event, Rallye San Remo, but a late check-in to Time Control 8A had handed him a 10-second penalty which would have cost him the rally win. However, rally organizers reinstated Breen as the winner of the event – his second Sanremo success in three years – after receiving a phone call from the competitor relations officer regarding a traffic jam on Via Nino Bixio in Milan which was the reason behind Breen and Nagle arriving to the final control one minute late. This gave the victory back to the Waterford driver, but changed the Drivers’ championship with Crugnola losing important points, while Breen relaunches himself after the accident that knocked him out at the Il Ciocco and Valle del Serchio Rally
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Daniel Harper Retains BRDC SuperStars Status
BMW Junior Team driver Daniel Harper has been chosen to continue as a member of the British Racing Drivers Club’s coveted SuperStars programme for 2021. Recognised by the prestigious club as one of the most exciting young talents in British motorsport, the Northern Irishman extends an association with the BRDC that began when he was selected to join their Rising Stars programme three years ago. BRDC SuperStars receive tailored help with mental and physical training, sponsorship, media and public relations. Daniel Harper said,“I’m really excited to be part of the BRDC SuperStars again this year. It’s a fantastic programme to be part of, and with only 13 drivers selected from across British motorsport, it’s an honour to be part of it. Harper continues preparing for the 2021 season as he steps up to the highest class in modern GT racing for the first time. The 20 year old will contest a full Nürburgring Endurance Series season and the 24 Hour race in a BMW M6 GT3. The opening round of the Nürburgring Endurance Series is on Sat 27 March.
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BMW Junior Team driver Daniel Harper has been chosen to continue as a member of the British Racing Drivers Club’s coveted SuperStars programme for 2021. Recognised by the prestigious club as one of the most exciting young talents in British motorsport, the Northern Irishman extends an association with the BRDC that began when he was selected to join their Rising Stars programme three years ago. BRDC SuperStars receive tailored help with mental and physical training, sponsorship, media and public relations. Daniel Harper said,“I’m really excited to be part of the BRDC SuperStars again this year. It’s a fantastic programme to be part of, and with only 13 drivers selected from across British motorsport, it’s an honour to be part of it. Harper continues preparing for the 2021 season as he steps up to the highest class in modern GT racing for the first time. The 20 year old will contest a full Nürburgring Endurance Series season and the 24 Hour race in a BMW M6 GT3. The opening round of the Nürburgring Endurance Series is on Sat 27 March.
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Hyundai victory in style with 1-3 result in Arctic Rally
Hyundai took their first victory of the 2021 WRC season in style with a 1-3 result in Arctic Rally Finland, the second round of the championship. Estonian crew Ott Tanak and Martin Järveoja led the rally from start to finish, securing their second victory with the team by 17.5-seconds. For Irish team Craig Breen and Paul Nagle, second place in the afternoon’s Power Stage showed important signs of progress after a tough weekend. “It definitely gives me motivation,” said Craig. “We spent time in the regroup to analyse where I was losing time compared to the others. Thanks to the engineers, we were able to identify a few things. I knew the speed was there, so it was nice to score some points for the team in the Power Stage and to end the weekend on a positive note.” Thierry Neuville and Martijn Wydaeghe picked up their second consecutive podium result with a fine run to third, one place ahead of Craig and Paul who ensured all three of i20 Coupe WRC cars completed the rally inside the top-four. The result means Hyundai hold second place in the manufacturers’ championship on 77 points. WRC will head to Croatia for the third round of the season at the end of April for a pure tarmac round – and another new addition to the calendar
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Hyundai took their first victory of the 2021 WRC season in style with a 1-3 result in Arctic Rally Finland, the second round of the championship. Estonian crew Ott Tanak and Martin Järveoja led the rally from start to finish, securing their second victory with the team by 17.5-seconds. For Irish team Craig Breen and Paul Nagle, second place in the afternoon’s Power Stage showed important signs of progress after a tough weekend. “It definitely gives me motivation,” said Craig. “We spent time in the regroup to analyse where I was losing time compared to the others. Thanks to the engineers, we were able to identify a few things. I knew the speed was there, so it was nice to score some points for the team in the Power Stage and to end the weekend on a positive note.” Thierry Neuville and Martijn Wydaeghe picked up their second consecutive podium result with a fine run to third, one place ahead of Craig and Paul who ensured all three of i20 Coupe WRC cars completed the rally inside the top-four. The result means Hyundai hold second place in the manufacturers’ championship on 77 points. WRC will head to Croatia for the third round of the season at the end of April for a pure tarmac round – and another new addition to the calendar
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Wayne Boyd's United Autosports team wins the 2021 Asian Le Mans Series LMP3 Championship
After the crew of Wayne Boyd, Manuel Maldonado and Rory Penttinen won the final race of the series in Abu Dhabi, the United Autosports team won the 2021 Asian Le Mans Series LMP3 Championship. The Boyd, Maldonado and Penttinen crew won the race from second on the grid, marking their third visit to the top step of the podium in the championship, after a disappointing DNF in yesterday’s race. “What a day. My 50th race with United. A race win and the Asian Le Mans Series Championship win – it couldn’t have gone any better. A fantastic job by everyone. Both Rory and Manuel did great stints and the guys gave us a fantastic car – everyone played their part. Fantastic for United to have a podium lockout. It’s not very often you see that and it speaks volumes about the team. They’ve done a phenomenal job throughout this series and they always do. A huge thanks to everyone.”
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After the crew of Wayne Boyd, Manuel Maldonado and Rory Penttinen won the final race of the series in Abu Dhabi, the United Autosports team won the 2021 Asian Le Mans Series LMP3 Championship. The Boyd, Maldonado and Penttinen crew won the race from second on the grid, marking their third visit to the top step of the podium in the championship, after a disappointing DNF in yesterday’s race. “What a day. My 50th race with United. A race win and the Asian Le Mans Series Championship win – it couldn’t have gone any better. A fantastic job by everyone. Both Rory and Manuel did great stints and the guys gave us a fantastic car – everyone played their part. Fantastic for United to have a podium lockout. It’s not very often you see that and it speaks volumes about the team. They’ve done a phenomenal job throughout this series and they always do. A huge thanks to everyone.”
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TURKINGTON CELEBRATES GREEN LIGHT AS BMW CONTINUE SUPPORT FOR WEST SURREY RACING
“The continued support from BMW UK for their Team BMW programme allows WSR and I to launch our 14th BTCC season together. It’s not always easy to put these campaigns together year on year, but to have done so for 14 years and collected numerous titles along the way, is something I’m incredibly proud of. We’ve grown together throughout this time, sharing a great deal of ambition, respect and trust along the way. Every year I want to go the extra mile for this team, and every year they do the same for me. What we achieved together last season was phenomenal. The pace of the BMW was blistering and we really were the ones to beat all year. It didn’t have the fairytale ending we all wanted, but believe it or not you can learn a great deal from defeat, so I’m convinced I will bring an even better package to the table this year. We have high hopes for the new season and the series is in great shape. The rule tweaks and driver shuffles over the winter have further spiced up the championship, so I’m certain it will be as exciting as ever!"
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“The continued support from BMW UK for their Team BMW programme allows WSR and I to launch our 14th BTCC season together. It’s not always easy to put these campaigns together year on year, but to have done so for 14 years and collected numerous titles along the way, is something I’m incredibly proud of. We’ve grown together throughout this time, sharing a great deal of ambition, respect and trust along the way. Every year I want to go the extra mile for this team, and every year they do the same for me. What we achieved together last season was phenomenal. The pace of the BMW was blistering and we really were the ones to beat all year. It didn’t have the fairytale ending we all wanted, but believe it or not you can learn a great deal from defeat, so I’m convinced I will bring an even better package to the table this year. We have high hopes for the new season and the series is in great shape. The rule tweaks and driver shuffles over the winter have further spiced up the championship, so I’m certain it will be as exciting as ever!"
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Daniel Harper set for GT3 graduation with BMW Team
Motorsport rising star Daniel Harper will be moving up to the highest class in modern GT racing this season as he prepares to race a BMW M6 GT3 during his second season as a manufacturer-backed driver in the BMW Junior Team. After enjoying a brilliant title victory in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB, the Northern Irishman was hand-picked to be part of their exclusive young driver development programme for two years. Harper went on to enjoy a superb 2020 season with team-mates Max Hesse and Neil Verhagen. The trio shone on circuit as they got to grips with the iconic 13- mile Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit in the Nürburgring Endurance Series. Starting in a BMW M240i Racing, they recorded a maiden class win on the Nordschleife in only their third race. Further success followed when they stepped up to a BMW M4 GT4, with the highlight being a sensational class victory in their first attempt at the 24 Hours of Nürburgring. Having shown superb speed, race craft and consistency throughout his first season the 20-year-old ready to get behind the wheel of the BMW M6 GT3 for a full 2021 Nürburgring Endurance Series season and the 24 Hour race. Harper has started his 2021 preparations for a ten-week training camp in Italy focusing on improving his physical and mental performance ahead of the new campaign. “I’m delighted to be part of the BMW Junior Team again this year and moving into GT3 machinery is a fantastic step for my career. It’s one of the most competitive classes in motorsport and will be a huge challenge for us.’’ The BMW M6 GT3 is powered by a 4.4 litre V8 engine generating up to 585hp and is renowned for its speed, handling and reliability. Image: BMW Motorsport.
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Motorsport rising star Daniel Harper will be moving up to the highest class in modern GT racing this season as he prepares to race a BMW M6 GT3 during his second season as a manufacturer-backed driver in the BMW Junior Team. After enjoying a brilliant title victory in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB, the Northern Irishman was hand-picked to be part of their exclusive young driver development programme for two years. Harper went on to enjoy a superb 2020 season with team-mates Max Hesse and Neil Verhagen. The trio shone on circuit as they got to grips with the iconic 13- mile Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit in the Nürburgring Endurance Series. Starting in a BMW M240i Racing, they recorded a maiden class win on the Nordschleife in only their third race. Further success followed when they stepped up to a BMW M4 GT4, with the highlight being a sensational class victory in their first attempt at the 24 Hours of Nürburgring. Having shown superb speed, race craft and consistency throughout his first season the 20-year-old ready to get behind the wheel of the BMW M6 GT3 for a full 2021 Nürburgring Endurance Series season and the 24 Hour race. Harper has started his 2021 preparations for a ten-week training camp in Italy focusing on improving his physical and mental performance ahead of the new campaign. “I’m delighted to be part of the BMW Junior Team again this year and moving into GT3 machinery is a fantastic step for my career. It’s one of the most competitive classes in motorsport and will be a huge challenge for us.’’ The BMW M6 GT3 is powered by a 4.4 litre V8 engine generating up to 585hp and is renowned for its speed, handling and reliability. Image: BMW Motorsport.
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Eastwood has no doubts of achieving strong results
Belfast driver Charlie Eastwood joins reigning 24 Hours of Le Mans GTE-Am winner TF Sport which will make its LMP2 debut competing in this year’s European Le Mans Series under the Racing Team Turkey banner. TF Sport, which finished second in class in the 2019-20 FIA World Endurance Championship, has confirmed a program running an Oreca 07 Gibson for Turkish Bronze-rated driver Salih Yoluc. IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship DPi front-runner and reigning Le Mans GTE-Pro class winner Harry Tincknell headlines the team’s lineup. The British driver will share the wheel with TF Sport’s Le Mans class winners Yoluc and Charlie Eastwood, and will soon start testing ahead of its LMP2 debut in April’s 4 Hours of Barcelona season-opener. “We are really excited about the challenge,” said team owner Tom Ferrier. “We don’t underestimate that it’s going to be tough, but it’s somewhere we have always wanted to progress to. “Very happy to keep Charlie, as both him and Salih are known quantities to us and we’re really pleased to have Harry alongside us. A driver of Harry’s quality and experience will speed up the learning process and bring us some strong results.” Eastwood added: “Prototypes are a completely different animal to GT cars; our brief test in an LMP2 went really well and Salih impressed us with his pace. “I have no doubts that we are capable of achieving some strong results this year.”
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Belfast driver Charlie Eastwood joins reigning 24 Hours of Le Mans GTE-Am winner TF Sport which will make its LMP2 debut competing in this year’s European Le Mans Series under the Racing Team Turkey banner. TF Sport, which finished second in class in the 2019-20 FIA World Endurance Championship, has confirmed a program running an Oreca 07 Gibson for Turkish Bronze-rated driver Salih Yoluc. IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship DPi front-runner and reigning Le Mans GTE-Pro class winner Harry Tincknell headlines the team’s lineup. The British driver will share the wheel with TF Sport’s Le Mans class winners Yoluc and Charlie Eastwood, and will soon start testing ahead of its LMP2 debut in April’s 4 Hours of Barcelona season-opener. “We are really excited about the challenge,” said team owner Tom Ferrier. “We don’t underestimate that it’s going to be tough, but it’s somewhere we have always wanted to progress to. “Very happy to keep Charlie, as both him and Salih are known quantities to us and we’re really pleased to have Harry alongside us. A driver of Harry’s quality and experience will speed up the learning process and bring us some strong results.” Eastwood added: “Prototypes are a completely different animal to GT cars; our brief test in an LMP2 went really well and Salih impressed us with his pace. “I have no doubts that we are capable of achieving some strong results this year.”
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Bridgestone Tyres Selected by Lamborghini for Supercar
Bridgestone has developed a tailor-made Potenza tyre for the Huracán STO. The company engineered a high-performance tyre capable of maximising the Huracán STO’s traction, handling, control, and extreme overall performance. Bridgestone’s Potenza tyres, specifically developed for Lamborghini’s Huracán STO supercar, are the result of a new collaboration between two industry leaders. Like the Lamborghini Huracán STO, the custom-engineered Bridgestone Potenza tyres are the perfect fusion of technology and design. Key to the tyre’s success in maximising the supersports car’s performance is the combination of pattern and cavity design and the use of the latest state of the art technologies. The Potenza tyres apply an asymmetric tread design for enhanced steering response and cornering stability, and an internal crown structure that distributes footprint pressure evenly when cornering. These features, combined with a newly developed tread compound that enhances grip, help to bring the Huracán STO’s track-level performance to road users.
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Bridgestone has developed a tailor-made Potenza tyre for the Huracán STO. The company engineered a high-performance tyre capable of maximising the Huracán STO’s traction, handling, control, and extreme overall performance. Bridgestone’s Potenza tyres, specifically developed for Lamborghini’s Huracán STO supercar, are the result of a new collaboration between two industry leaders. Like the Lamborghini Huracán STO, the custom-engineered Bridgestone Potenza tyres are the perfect fusion of technology and design. Key to the tyre’s success in maximising the supersports car’s performance is the combination of pattern and cavity design and the use of the latest state of the art technologies. The Potenza tyres apply an asymmetric tread design for enhanced steering response and cornering stability, and an internal crown structure that distributes footprint pressure evenly when cornering. These features, combined with a newly developed tread compound that enhances grip, help to bring the Huracán STO’s track-level performance to road users.
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Evans’ misfortune hands WR crown to team-mate Ogier
Elfyn Evans’ dreams of becoming the first Welsh driver to win the FIA World Rally Championship were dashed when he crashed out of the title-decider in northern Italy. The 31-year-old arrived at the ACI Rally Monza holding a 14-point advantage over his Toyota team-mate Sébastien Ogier and, despite some atrocious weather conditions, at the mid-point seemed on target to become only the third British driver to lift the WRC crown. Caught out by the tricky conditions in the Italian Alps, on treacherous snow-covered roads, his Toyota Yaris slid wide on a corner, slipped down a bank and into a tree. Although the damage was minimal, he and co-driver Scott Martin were unable to get the car back on the road to complete the stage. Sportingly, Evans ran back to warn Ogier of the impending hazard and prevented his title rival experiencing a similar fate. “Where Elfyn went off, it could have happened to anybody,” agreed the Frenchman. “They slowed me down and I just made the corner. The grip change on that corner was just impossible to anticipate – it was like being on ice.” Evans’ sad demise and his generous gesture, effectively handed the rally victory and a seventh world title to a relieved Ogier and his co-driver Julien Ingrassia.
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Elfyn Evans’ dreams of becoming the first Welsh driver to win the FIA World Rally Championship were dashed when he crashed out of the title-decider in northern Italy. The 31-year-old arrived at the ACI Rally Monza holding a 14-point advantage over his Toyota team-mate Sébastien Ogier and, despite some atrocious weather conditions, at the mid-point seemed on target to become only the third British driver to lift the WRC crown. Caught out by the tricky conditions in the Italian Alps, on treacherous snow-covered roads, his Toyota Yaris slid wide on a corner, slipped down a bank and into a tree. Although the damage was minimal, he and co-driver Scott Martin were unable to get the car back on the road to complete the stage. Sportingly, Evans ran back to warn Ogier of the impending hazard and prevented his title rival experiencing a similar fate. “Where Elfyn went off, it could have happened to anybody,” agreed the Frenchman. “They slowed me down and I just made the corner. The grip change on that corner was just impossible to anticipate – it was like being on ice.” Evans’ sad demise and his generous gesture, effectively handed the rally victory and a seventh world title to a relieved Ogier and his co-driver Julien Ingrassia.
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McErlean impressed on WRC 3 debut at Monza
Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy star Josh McErlean delivered a remarkable drive at the final round of the FIA World Rally Championship, to take seventh place in the WRC 3 category at an unforgiving ACI Rally Monza in a Hyundai i20 R5. The reigning Billy Coleman Award winner coped with biblical-like conditions in Italy throughout the weekend, tackling thick snow, heavy rain, and mud strewn stages to secure his maiden WRC finish on his debut in the category. With co-driver Keaton Williams alongside, the young pairing impressed the entire service park with a series of top stage times, beating many WRC regulars in the process to take his Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing-built i20 R5 to 17th overall in an impressive field of almost 100 starters. Just a week beforehand, McErlean had returned another impressive performance in the FIA European Rally Championship, taking 21st overall on only his second ever event in the series, on the fast and flowing Rally Islas Canarias. “It’s been one of the toughest weekend’s I’ve ever had in the sport but I`m absolutely thrilled to have made it to the end of such a gruelling event and secure such a great result, for me, the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy and Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing,” said McErlean.
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Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy star Josh McErlean delivered a remarkable drive at the final round of the FIA World Rally Championship, to take seventh place in the WRC 3 category at an unforgiving ACI Rally Monza in a Hyundai i20 R5. The reigning Billy Coleman Award winner coped with biblical-like conditions in Italy throughout the weekend, tackling thick snow, heavy rain, and mud strewn stages to secure his maiden WRC finish on his debut in the category. With co-driver Keaton Williams alongside, the young pairing impressed the entire service park with a series of top stage times, beating many WRC regulars in the process to take his Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing-built i20 R5 to 17th overall in an impressive field of almost 100 starters. Just a week beforehand, McErlean had returned another impressive performance in the FIA European Rally Championship, taking 21st overall on only his second ever event in the series, on the fast and flowing Rally Islas Canarias. “It’s been one of the toughest weekend’s I’ve ever had in the sport but I`m absolutely thrilled to have made it to the end of such a gruelling event and secure such a great result, for me, the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy and Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing,” said McErlean.
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Veteran motor sport enthusiast remembered
Cecil Molyneaux, aged 96, has passed away on 14th October 2020 in hospital after a long illness. I had the pleasure to know Cecil from the early 60s when he supplied our wholesale business with clothing. Cecil’s kindness and fairness in business was exceptional and we both shared a common interest in motorsport and golf. Cecil rallied throughout both the North & South of Ireland with success, and his wife Daphne often navigated, while he also took part in Hillclimbs and enjoyed Mud-plugging. My thanks are due to Cecil for encouraging me to take up motorsport - he loaned me his Cooper S 1070cc to do an Autotest. Cecil retired at the age of 55 and in retirement at his home he repaired damaged cars and was helpful to many motorists. Thanks Cecil for your friendship for over 60 years. Ken Shields
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Cecil Molyneaux, aged 96, has passed away on 14th October 2020 in hospital after a long illness. I had the pleasure to know Cecil from the early 60s when he supplied our wholesale business with clothing. Cecil’s kindness and fairness in business was exceptional and we both shared a common interest in motorsport and golf. Cecil rallied throughout both the North & South of Ireland with success, and his wife Daphne often navigated, while he also took part in Hillclimbs and enjoyed Mud-plugging. My thanks are due to Cecil for encouraging me to take up motorsport - he loaned me his Cooper S 1070cc to do an Autotest. Cecil retired at the age of 55 and in retirement at his home he repaired damaged cars and was helpful to many motorists. Thanks Cecil for your friendship for over 60 years. Ken Shields
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John Lyons achieved unique historic result
Back in 1974 John Lyons from Castlederg set out to achieve what many thought was a logistical impossibility, to win all four major autotest titles in one year, the Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, and the two British championships. John had made his autotesting comeback following 18 months in hospital after a severe car accident. Tossing his crutches in the back of the car, he was determined to re-establish himself and went out to win. By June the young bank official had two already under his belt, the British, and the RAC, and in August added the Northern Ireland title. Only the Eire championship remained to be decided. As the reigning title-holder he held off a strong challenge in the final from Dermot Carnegie to add the Republic of Ireland championship to a memorable year. He had completed more than 40 events since January in the Mini 1275GT. His sheer determination coupled with his natural skill at car manoeuvreablity had brought him a unique distinction – a feat which has not been repeated in the past forty-six years! Read the whole story in Carsport Yearbook..
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Back in 1974 John Lyons from Castlederg set out to achieve what many thought was a logistical impossibility, to win all four major autotest titles in one year, the Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, and the two British championships. John had made his autotesting comeback following 18 months in hospital after a severe car accident. Tossing his crutches in the back of the car, he was determined to re-establish himself and went out to win. By June the young bank official had two already under his belt, the British, and the RAC, and in August added the Northern Ireland title. Only the Eire championship remained to be decided. As the reigning title-holder he held off a strong challenge in the final from Dermot Carnegie to add the Republic of Ireland championship to a memorable year. He had completed more than 40 events since January in the Mini 1275GT. His sheer determination coupled with his natural skill at car manoeuvreablity had brought him a unique distinction – a feat which has not been repeated in the past forty-six years! Read the whole story in Carsport Yearbook..
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BMW Junior Team brings home an impressive class win
Learn, keep driving, don’t make any mistakes were the objectives of the BMW Junior Team as they made their debut in the 24 Hours Nürburgring. Northern Ireland’s Dan Harper, Max Hesse (GER) and Neil Verhagen (USA) not only ended up meeting these objectives, they also brought home a class win in an impressive manner and, finishing 19th in the overall rankings, were the best non-GT3 team in the whole field. A visit to the Nürburgring didn't go so well for another Ulster teenager, Jack Young. He crashed his Renault Megane in the first of two World Touring Car Cup races.
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Learn, keep driving, don’t make any mistakes were the objectives of the BMW Junior Team as they made their debut in the 24 Hours Nürburgring. Northern Ireland’s Dan Harper, Max Hesse (GER) and Neil Verhagen (USA) not only ended up meeting these objectives, they also brought home a class win in an impressive manner and, finishing 19th in the overall rankings, were the best non-GT3 team in the whole field. A visit to the Nürburgring didn't go so well for another Ulster teenager, Jack Young. He crashed his Renault Megane in the first of two World Touring Car Cup races.
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Covid–19 pandemic locked the brakes on the 2020 Autotest Championship
Back in March, 40 of the best Irish drivers lined up to commence battle on the McMillan Specialist Cars ANICC 2020 Autotest Championship. Steven Ferguson, driving his Vauxhall powered Mini Special, soon found the form that has netted him more titles than any other driver in the history of the sport. He stroked the yellow light-weight missile over the finish line 28 seconds ahead of the field. The next four drivers were separated by only 1.2 seconds! The classes were won by Trevor Ferguson, Striker; Sam Bowden, Mini Saloon; and Mark King, Large saloon. The initiative pioneered by the ANICC Autotest Specialist Committee to introduce the Clubman Challenge to encourage more entrants into the sport was equally competitive. Young Jack Gillis drove his self-prepared Vauxhall Nova to victory by nearly 15 seconds. In the Advanced Clubman Class, the flamboyant Gareth Dillon powered his way to a win in his road-going Mazda MX5 over Liam Shaw’s similar car. Everyone was anticipating that the competition would resume on 21st March with round 2 to be hosted by Dungannon Motor Club. Unfortunately it wasn’t to be as the Covid–19 pandemic locked the brakes on the remainder of the 2020 Championship.
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Back in March, 40 of the best Irish drivers lined up to commence battle on the McMillan Specialist Cars ANICC 2020 Autotest Championship. Steven Ferguson, driving his Vauxhall powered Mini Special, soon found the form that has netted him more titles than any other driver in the history of the sport. He stroked the yellow light-weight missile over the finish line 28 seconds ahead of the field. The next four drivers were separated by only 1.2 seconds! The classes were won by Trevor Ferguson, Striker; Sam Bowden, Mini Saloon; and Mark King, Large saloon. The initiative pioneered by the ANICC Autotest Specialist Committee to introduce the Clubman Challenge to encourage more entrants into the sport was equally competitive. Young Jack Gillis drove his self-prepared Vauxhall Nova to victory by nearly 15 seconds. In the Advanced Clubman Class, the flamboyant Gareth Dillon powered his way to a win in his road-going Mazda MX5 over Liam Shaw’s similar car. Everyone was anticipating that the competition would resume on 21st March with round 2 to be hosted by Dungannon Motor Club. Unfortunately it wasn’t to be as the Covid–19 pandemic locked the brakes on the remainder of the 2020 Championship.
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Class win for Eastwood at the Le Mans 24 Hours
Charlie Eastwood became the first Northern Irish winner at the Le Mans 24 Hours race in 10 years after taking victory in the GTE Am class. The win puts the Aston Martin crew in the lead of the World Endurance Championship. Andrew Watson, in his first Le Mans, finished fifth in the Gulf Racing Porsche. Belfast driver Eastwood, taking the start of his third Le Mans, ran second in the early stages, just ahead of the #86 Porsche, in the hands of Watson's team-mate Ben Barker, in fourth. The Aston Martin remained throughout the top three as the teams cycled through pitstops. Scotland's Adam and Turkish driver Yoluc both had stints at the front of the class before Eastwood took the lead from the factory Aston Martin of Ross Gunn in the 10th hour. Watson began his maiden Le Mans stint as darkness fell around the Circuit de La Sarthe, helping the car up to eighth, with further improvements through the night as the Gulf Racing car emerged in fifth position at sunrise thanks to more stellar stints from the Northern Irishman, Barker and Michael Wainwright. Blistering stints from Adam and Eastwood extended TF Sport's lead to over three minutes over the #83 Ferrari of Emmanuel Collard, Nicklas Nielsen and Francois Perrodo. Yoluc extended that lead to a lap with six hours remaining before stints from Adam and Aston Martin factory driver Eastwood helped the car across the line to take a dominant GTE Am victory, with the crew finishing 24th overall. It's another step towards the World Championship, Eastwood's ultimate goal, and it puts him in pole position with one round remaining in Bahrain in November.
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Charlie Eastwood became the first Northern Irish winner at the Le Mans 24 Hours race in 10 years after taking victory in the GTE Am class. The win puts the Aston Martin crew in the lead of the World Endurance Championship. Andrew Watson, in his first Le Mans, finished fifth in the Gulf Racing Porsche. Belfast driver Eastwood, taking the start of his third Le Mans, ran second in the early stages, just ahead of the #86 Porsche, in the hands of Watson's team-mate Ben Barker, in fourth. The Aston Martin remained throughout the top three as the teams cycled through pitstops. Scotland's Adam and Turkish driver Yoluc both had stints at the front of the class before Eastwood took the lead from the factory Aston Martin of Ross Gunn in the 10th hour. Watson began his maiden Le Mans stint as darkness fell around the Circuit de La Sarthe, helping the car up to eighth, with further improvements through the night as the Gulf Racing car emerged in fifth position at sunrise thanks to more stellar stints from the Northern Irishman, Barker and Michael Wainwright. Blistering stints from Adam and Eastwood extended TF Sport's lead to over three minutes over the #83 Ferrari of Emmanuel Collard, Nicklas Nielsen and Francois Perrodo. Yoluc extended that lead to a lap with six hours remaining before stints from Adam and Aston Martin factory driver Eastwood helped the car across the line to take a dominant GTE Am victory, with the crew finishing 24th overall. It's another step towards the World Championship, Eastwood's ultimate goal, and it puts him in pole position with one round remaining in Bahrain in November.
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1-2 in Estonia for Tanak and Breen triumph
Six months after the last round of the WRC, Hyundai were back to winning ways with a 1-2 result. Estonians Ott Tanak and Martin Järveoja, taking part in their fourth event for the team – and their home event – earned their first victory in the i20 Coupe WRC. It was a masterful performance and the result marked the crew’s third consecutive podium, after second places in Sweden and Mexico, and lifted Ott up to third in the drivers’ table. “We had to use this chance to catch back points for the championship, and thankfully we were able to use it well,” he said. Irish crew Craig Breen and Paul Nagle finished in second to score their debut podium for the team, and that special 1-2 feeling. “What an incredible weekend,” said Craig. “From the opening kilometres of the rally, everything just clicked. The car has done absolutely everything I’ve asked of it and has given me the confidence I needed.” The 2020 WRC season continues its revised schedule with the gruelling gravel roads of Rally Turkey from September 18-20, the fifth event of the season. Seb Ogier and J. Ingrassia in the Toyota Yaris WRC finished third.
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Six months after the last round of the WRC, Hyundai were back to winning ways with a 1-2 result. Estonians Ott Tanak and Martin Järveoja, taking part in their fourth event for the team – and their home event – earned their first victory in the i20 Coupe WRC. It was a masterful performance and the result marked the crew’s third consecutive podium, after second places in Sweden and Mexico, and lifted Ott up to third in the drivers’ table. “We had to use this chance to catch back points for the championship, and thankfully we were able to use it well,” he said. Irish crew Craig Breen and Paul Nagle finished in second to score their debut podium for the team, and that special 1-2 feeling. “What an incredible weekend,” said Craig. “From the opening kilometres of the rally, everything just clicked. The car has done absolutely everything I’ve asked of it and has given me the confidence I needed.” The 2020 WRC season continues its revised schedule with the gruelling gravel roads of Rally Turkey from September 18-20, the fifth event of the season. Seb Ogier and J. Ingrassia in the Toyota Yaris WRC finished third.
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ESLER CRAWFORD BSc.,PhD
We are mourning the loss of our friend Esler Crawford, whose fantastic photography over sixty years encaptured a unique era of motoring throughout Ireland and beyond. He was a contributor to CarSport magazine for many years and leaves a legacy of motor sport history which will never be repeated.
He was the ultimate motor sport enthusiast, and a competent navigator, winning the Circuit of Ireland back in 1963 with Ian Woodside in an Austin Sprite. He enjoyed fast cars, and driving fast, and, as well as running a successful commercial photographic service, was happy to spend much of his spare time photographing motor sport for the benefit of others.
He died on 3rd September 2020, passing away peacefully at hospital. Formerly of Whitehead, Co Antrim, he was the beloved husband of the late Barbara, loving father of Caroline, David and Jane, devoted grandfather of Megan and Tom, Felix and Jasmin, Alexander and Jessica, and a brother of Beatty Crawford.
He will be fondly remembered by the staff and management of Greer Publications who offer their sympathies to his family and friends on their loss.
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We are mourning the loss of our friend Esler Crawford, whose fantastic photography over sixty years encaptured a unique era of motoring throughout Ireland and beyond. He was a contributor to CarSport magazine for many years and leaves a legacy of motor sport history which will never be repeated.
He was the ultimate motor sport enthusiast, and a competent navigator, winning the Circuit of Ireland back in 1963 with Ian Woodside in an Austin Sprite. He enjoyed fast cars, and driving fast, and, as well as running a successful commercial photographic service, was happy to spend much of his spare time photographing motor sport for the benefit of others.
He died on 3rd September 2020, passing away peacefully at hospital. Formerly of Whitehead, Co Antrim, he was the beloved husband of the late Barbara, loving father of Caroline, David and Jane, devoted grandfather of Megan and Tom, Felix and Jasmin, Alexander and Jessica, and a brother of Beatty Crawford.
He will be fondly remembered by the staff and management of Greer Publications who offer their sympathies to his family and friends on their loss.
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Dominant victory for Eastwood team at Paul Ricard
Paul Ricard hosted round two of the International GT Open, where TF Sport stormed to victory in the opening race. Drivers Charlie Eastwood and Salih Yoluc then managed to overcome the success handicap in race two, to finish on the podium once again. It was Turkish driver Salih who set the tone in the first free practice session. Charlie affirmed that confidence by placing No 34 at the top of the time sheets on his first flying lap. The pole position was the first of the season in GT Open for the UK-based team. Pole man Eastwood, stormed the race one start and was promptly far enough up the road to leave the two Optimum Motorsport McLarens tripping over each other for P2 behind, gifting his teammate with a 10 sec buffer at the stop. Yoluc’s race pace saw the gap to second position almost double by the time he crossed the line to comfortably take the win. The victory was not only the first for both Charlie and Salih at the Le Castellet circuit, it was the first win for the Aston Martin AMR V8 Vantage GT3 in 2020. Charlie Eastwood said, “Very good weekend for us! it was great to get our first GT Open victory. It was always going to be difficult on Sunday with the 15 second handicap, but Salih made good ground up to third place. Great result with the double podium and our first win!”
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Paul Ricard hosted round two of the International GT Open, where TF Sport stormed to victory in the opening race. Drivers Charlie Eastwood and Salih Yoluc then managed to overcome the success handicap in race two, to finish on the podium once again. It was Turkish driver Salih who set the tone in the first free practice session. Charlie affirmed that confidence by placing No 34 at the top of the time sheets on his first flying lap. The pole position was the first of the season in GT Open for the UK-based team. Pole man Eastwood, stormed the race one start and was promptly far enough up the road to leave the two Optimum Motorsport McLarens tripping over each other for P2 behind, gifting his teammate with a 10 sec buffer at the stop. Yoluc’s race pace saw the gap to second position almost double by the time he crossed the line to comfortably take the win. The victory was not only the first for both Charlie and Salih at the Le Castellet circuit, it was the first win for the Aston Martin AMR V8 Vantage GT3 in 2020. Charlie Eastwood said, “Very good weekend for us! it was great to get our first GT Open victory. It was always going to be difficult on Sunday with the 15 second handicap, but Salih made good ground up to third place. Great result with the double podium and our first win!”
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WATSON HEADS TO SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS FOR WEC RESTART
Andrew Watson will be back in action with the Gulf Racing team as the 2019-20 FIA World Endurance Championship restarts at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. The Total 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps marks the first event since Lone Star Le Mans in February owing to the coronavirus pandemic. At that race Andrew, and his #86 Gulf Racing Porsche 911 RSR teammates Michael Wainwright and Ben Barker, finished sixth in GTE Am and claimed a third-placed podium finish at the the 8 Hours of Bahrain in December - marking their best result of the season to date. Andrew currently sits sixth in the GTE Am championship standings as he heads to Belgium, with 49 points to his name.
“I’m very excited to be getting back in the Porsche 911 RSR,” Andrew said. “It’s been a long six months but Spa-Francorchamps is the perfect place to get the season back up and running. It’s an amazing track to drive and we’re confident of a good showing. It’ll be a busy weekend with lots of track time from Thursday to Saturday which will be vital as we all readjust to the car after such a long time away.”
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Andrew Watson will be back in action with the Gulf Racing team as the 2019-20 FIA World Endurance Championship restarts at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. The Total 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps marks the first event since Lone Star Le Mans in February owing to the coronavirus pandemic. At that race Andrew, and his #86 Gulf Racing Porsche 911 RSR teammates Michael Wainwright and Ben Barker, finished sixth in GTE Am and claimed a third-placed podium finish at the the 8 Hours of Bahrain in December - marking their best result of the season to date. Andrew currently sits sixth in the GTE Am championship standings as he heads to Belgium, with 49 points to his name.
“I’m very excited to be getting back in the Porsche 911 RSR,” Andrew said. “It’s been a long six months but Spa-Francorchamps is the perfect place to get the season back up and running. It’s an amazing track to drive and we’re confident of a good showing. It’ll be a busy weekend with lots of track time from Thursday to Saturday which will be vital as we all readjust to the car after such a long time away.”
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Surprise last moment win for Donagh Kelly in his Polo
Donagh Kelly and Conor Foley won the opening round of the Triton Showers National Rally Championship. For seven of the nine stages, reigning Triton Showers National Rally champions Josh Moffett and Andy Hayes looked set for a comfortable victory in this year’s opening round, the TF Royal Hotel Mayo Stages Rally in Castlebar, to give them the best possible start in their title defence. However, on the eighth stage, problems slowed their Hyundai and second placed Donagh Kelly and Conor Foley reduced the lead from 21 seconds to just nine. When Moffett was then unable to contest the final stage, the Donegal driver took a surprise last moment win in his Polo, 31 seconds ahead of the Fiesta of Roy White and James O’Brien. Another former National title holder, Peadar Hurson, held third position starting the final loop but his Fiesta WRC crashed heavily on the penultimate test and he, too, was a late retirement. Cavan’s Gary Kiernan/Ryan Moore brought their two wheel drive Escort home in third place after a day-long duel with the similar car of former Scottish champion David Bogie, with just four seconds separating them.
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Donagh Kelly and Conor Foley won the opening round of the Triton Showers National Rally Championship. For seven of the nine stages, reigning Triton Showers National Rally champions Josh Moffett and Andy Hayes looked set for a comfortable victory in this year’s opening round, the TF Royal Hotel Mayo Stages Rally in Castlebar, to give them the best possible start in their title defence. However, on the eighth stage, problems slowed their Hyundai and second placed Donagh Kelly and Conor Foley reduced the lead from 21 seconds to just nine. When Moffett was then unable to contest the final stage, the Donegal driver took a surprise last moment win in his Polo, 31 seconds ahead of the Fiesta of Roy White and James O’Brien. Another former National title holder, Peadar Hurson, held third position starting the final loop but his Fiesta WRC crashed heavily on the penultimate test and he, too, was a late retirement. Cavan’s Gary Kiernan/Ryan Moore brought their two wheel drive Escort home in third place after a day-long duel with the similar car of former Scottish champion David Bogie, with just four seconds separating them.
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McGarrity Returns to Winning Ways at Bishopscourt Rally
Derek McGarrity and Damian Garvey sealed victory at the McGrady Insurance Stages Rally, round two of the McGrady Insurance Motorsport UK Northern Ireland Stage Rally Championship. Driving his newly acquired Ford Fiesta World Rally Car, Glengormley's McGarrity led the Ballynahinch and District Motor Club-organised event from start to finish with Draperstown's father and son Mini WRC crew, Derek and Mark McGeehan, arriving home in second. Another all-family crew claimed third - Kieron Graffin and his 16-year-old daughter, Amy, who was competing in her first rally, nabbing the position after the final stage. McGarrity was fastest from the outset in his Fiesta as he laid down the benchmark. He was determined to give his 2020 title chances a major boost as pre-event series leader, Stephen Wright, was forced to miss the Bishopscourt Race Circuit-based event due to work commitments. A McGeehan challenge faded after stage three when they had a big sixth-gear moment, hitting one of the trackside lorry tyres, losing around 10 seconds with the incident. The battle for the prestigious McGrady Insurance N.I. Championship spoils will resume at the Maiden City Stages on 25 April.
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Derek McGarrity and Damian Garvey sealed victory at the McGrady Insurance Stages Rally, round two of the McGrady Insurance Motorsport UK Northern Ireland Stage Rally Championship. Driving his newly acquired Ford Fiesta World Rally Car, Glengormley's McGarrity led the Ballynahinch and District Motor Club-organised event from start to finish with Draperstown's father and son Mini WRC crew, Derek and Mark McGeehan, arriving home in second. Another all-family crew claimed third - Kieron Graffin and his 16-year-old daughter, Amy, who was competing in her first rally, nabbing the position after the final stage. McGarrity was fastest from the outset in his Fiesta as he laid down the benchmark. He was determined to give his 2020 title chances a major boost as pre-event series leader, Stephen Wright, was forced to miss the Bishopscourt Race Circuit-based event due to work commitments. A McGeehan challenge faded after stage three when they had a big sixth-gear moment, hitting one of the trackside lorry tyres, losing around 10 seconds with the incident. The battle for the prestigious McGrady Insurance N.I. Championship spoils will resume at the Maiden City Stages on 25 April.
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Latvian Visitors Win Samsonas Fivemiletown Rally
Latvia's Janis Vorobjvos and Ivo Pukis won the Samsonas Fivemiletown Rally, round one of the McGrady Insurance NI Forest Rally Challenge! Driving their BMW M3X for the first time, the crew claimed a last gasp victory by five seconds after an intense battle with the Fiesta R5 of Cathan McCourt and Barry McNulty. Going into the final loop of stages, just eight-tenths of a second separated the two crews with McCourt out in front. Then Vorobjvos reduced the gap to one-tenth of a second and a blast through the final stage saw the visitors secure the win! "It's our first time at this rally and our first time in the car," said winning navigator Pukis at the finish. "The competition was very tough so it couldn't be better!" McCourt was left hugely disappointed with the result. He arrived at the finish believing he was victorious, only to discover he had dropped to second, with Callum Devine and Brian Hoy winning the battle for third over the closing miles. David Condell and Paul Kelly enjoyed a clean run through the final stage to seal the top two-wheel-drive award.
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Latvia's Janis Vorobjvos and Ivo Pukis won the Samsonas Fivemiletown Rally, round one of the McGrady Insurance NI Forest Rally Challenge! Driving their BMW M3X for the first time, the crew claimed a last gasp victory by five seconds after an intense battle with the Fiesta R5 of Cathan McCourt and Barry McNulty. Going into the final loop of stages, just eight-tenths of a second separated the two crews with McCourt out in front. Then Vorobjvos reduced the gap to one-tenth of a second and a blast through the final stage saw the visitors secure the win! "It's our first time at this rally and our first time in the car," said winning navigator Pukis at the finish. "The competition was very tough so it couldn't be better!" McCourt was left hugely disappointed with the result. He arrived at the finish believing he was victorious, only to discover he had dropped to second, with Callum Devine and Brian Hoy winning the battle for third over the closing miles. David Condell and Paul Kelly enjoyed a clean run through the final stage to seal the top two-wheel-drive award.
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NEW JIM CLARK TRAIL ‘DRIVING ADVENTURE’ ANNOUNCED FOR VISITORS TO MUSEUM
Ahead of the new Jim Clark Motorsport Museum opening from 1 March a new driving adventure has been announced by The Jim Clark Trust. The Jim Clark Trail is a 50 mile scenic driving tour celebrating the beauty of the Scottish Borders, the rich heritage of motorsport in the area and cultural local attractions. The new initiative aims to enhance the experience of visitors to discover the places and stories behind the double Formula One World Champion and famous Berwickshire farmer, Jim Clark.
The Scottish Borders is one of the most beautiful, historic and rural parts of the UK where the River Tweed forms a natural boundary between Scotland and England, with a backdrop of the rolling hills of the Cheviots and Lammermuirs. The area includes some of the quietest, most scenic roads in the UK where Jim Clark learnt to drive both on his farm and local roads. The Jim Clark Trail starts and finishes at the new Jim Clark Motorsport Museum in Duns where visitors can discover the story of Clark’s life and racing career with an exciting interactive experience, featuring trophies, memorabilia, film, imagery and two of his iconic race cars.
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Ahead of the new Jim Clark Motorsport Museum opening from 1 March a new driving adventure has been announced by The Jim Clark Trust. The Jim Clark Trail is a 50 mile scenic driving tour celebrating the beauty of the Scottish Borders, the rich heritage of motorsport in the area and cultural local attractions. The new initiative aims to enhance the experience of visitors to discover the places and stories behind the double Formula One World Champion and famous Berwickshire farmer, Jim Clark.
The Scottish Borders is one of the most beautiful, historic and rural parts of the UK where the River Tweed forms a natural boundary between Scotland and England, with a backdrop of the rolling hills of the Cheviots and Lammermuirs. The area includes some of the quietest, most scenic roads in the UK where Jim Clark learnt to drive both on his farm and local roads. The Jim Clark Trail starts and finishes at the new Jim Clark Motorsport Museum in Duns where visitors can discover the story of Clark’s life and racing career with an exciting interactive experience, featuring trophies, memorabilia, film, imagery and two of his iconic race cars.
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Tributes to Manus Kelly following Tragic accident in Donegal
Tributes have been paid to rally driver Manus Kelly who was killed in a crash at the annual Donegal International Rally. Mr Kelly, 41, a married father of five, was a three-time winner of the competition and also a newly-elected Fianna Fáil councillor in Donegal. His co-driver, Donall Barrett, was injured in the incident, which happened at about 12:20pm on Sunday.at the Fanad Head loop on the final day of the three-day event. Affectionately known as 'Mandy', Mr Kelly was a businessman in Letterkenny.who had just embarked on a promising career in local politics. Damian Crawford from Donegal Motor Club praised Mr Kelly's talent as a rally driver. "He was a hugely gifted driver, one of the best drivers we have ever seen," he said. Motorsport Ireland announced that an investigation is now under way into the cause of the incident. "The entire motorsport community extends its fullest sympathy to the family of the bereaved," a spokesperson for Motorsport Ireland added.
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Tributes have been paid to rally driver Manus Kelly who was killed in a crash at the annual Donegal International Rally. Mr Kelly, 41, a married father of five, was a three-time winner of the competition and also a newly-elected Fianna Fáil councillor in Donegal. His co-driver, Donall Barrett, was injured in the incident, which happened at about 12:20pm on Sunday.at the Fanad Head loop on the final day of the three-day event. Affectionately known as 'Mandy', Mr Kelly was a businessman in Letterkenny.who had just embarked on a promising career in local politics. Damian Crawford from Donegal Motor Club praised Mr Kelly's talent as a rally driver. "He was a hugely gifted driver, one of the best drivers we have ever seen," he said. Motorsport Ireland announced that an investigation is now under way into the cause of the incident. "The entire motorsport community extends its fullest sympathy to the family of the bereaved," a spokesperson for Motorsport Ireland added.
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Current positions in the rally were declared final following accident
The final stages of the three-day International Donegal Rally were cancelled and a convoy of subdued crews returned to Letterkenny. The positions in the rally were declared final with Monaghan’s Sam Moffett taking the victory by 14 seconds from Craig Breen, the first time the former Citroen World Championship driver has been beaten in the Irish Tarmac series. Callum Devine was in third place in his R5 Fiesta, the former British Junior champion from Co Derry, just 27 seconds behind Breen and ahead of the WRC Subaru of Garry Jennings. Josh Moffett was fifth with Alastair Fisher sixth.
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The final stages of the three-day International Donegal Rally were cancelled and a convoy of subdued crews returned to Letterkenny. The positions in the rally were declared final with Monaghan’s Sam Moffett taking the victory by 14 seconds from Craig Breen, the first time the former Citroen World Championship driver has been beaten in the Irish Tarmac series. Callum Devine was in third place in his R5 Fiesta, the former British Junior champion from Co Derry, just 27 seconds behind Breen and ahead of the WRC Subaru of Garry Jennings. Josh Moffett was fifth with Alastair Fisher sixth.
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The TROA/Irish Tarmac Rally Championship offer condolences
The TROA/Irish Tarmac Rally Championship are devastated and saddened to hear the terrible news of the death of our esteemed registered competitor Manus (Mandy) Kelly. Three times Donegal International winner Manus had only competed in selected rallies up to 2019 but decided to register and compete in all rounds of the Tarmac Championship this year. Manus was a unique individual who bestowed his incredible warmth of character upon everyone he met. His enthusiasm for rallying was infectious and the rally community will mourn the loss of not only a true competitor, but of a great man. Our thoughts, prayers and sincere condolences go out to his wife Bernie, his five children, parents, sisters, brother and his extended family and friends. Ar dheis De go raibh a anam.
We would also like to wish Manus’s friend and co-driver Donall Barrett a speedy recovery and are thinking of him at this very sad time.
Paddy Flanagan, TROA Championship Manager
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The TROA/Irish Tarmac Rally Championship are devastated and saddened to hear the terrible news of the death of our esteemed registered competitor Manus (Mandy) Kelly. Three times Donegal International winner Manus had only competed in selected rallies up to 2019 but decided to register and compete in all rounds of the Tarmac Championship this year. Manus was a unique individual who bestowed his incredible warmth of character upon everyone he met. His enthusiasm for rallying was infectious and the rally community will mourn the loss of not only a true competitor, but of a great man. Our thoughts, prayers and sincere condolences go out to his wife Bernie, his five children, parents, sisters, brother and his extended family and friends. Ar dheis De go raibh a anam.
We would also like to wish Manus’s friend and co-driver Donall Barrett a speedy recovery and are thinking of him at this very sad time.
Paddy Flanagan, TROA Championship Manager
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'Heroes of the Hills' launched in Donegal
A new 80 page book – ‘Heroes of the Hills’, about the winners of the Donegal International Rally (1972 – 2018), was launched at the start of the 2019 event. Broadcaster and journalist Alan (Plum) Tyndall and Ireland’s acclaimed photographer Dr. Esler Crawford, who have been enthusiastic followers of the Donegal Rally since its inception, have combined to put into words and pictures, a record of the winners in the rally’s forty-six year history. From Cathal Curley (1972) to Manus Kelly (2018) there have been twenty-three drivers who have triumphed and top of that list comes Andrew Nesbitt, a six time winner, who is featured on the cover. There has also been three World Rally Champions in ‘The Hills’ - Ari Vatanen and Sebastien Loeb who came to win, and did, and Colin McRae who came along just for the craic. Between Curley and Kelly’s three wins apiece there have been many ‘Heroes in the Hills’ and sadly some of them are no longer with us. But none have been more popular than the four local drivers who have taken the top honours - Vincent Bonner (1983), James Cullen (1991 – 1999) and Manus Kelly (2016 – 2017 – 2018). ‘Heroes of the Hills’ will be on sale for £15 (€19) online on www.rpm-motorsport.com
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A new 80 page book – ‘Heroes of the Hills’, about the winners of the Donegal International Rally (1972 – 2018), was launched at the start of the 2019 event. Broadcaster and journalist Alan (Plum) Tyndall and Ireland’s acclaimed photographer Dr. Esler Crawford, who have been enthusiastic followers of the Donegal Rally since its inception, have combined to put into words and pictures, a record of the winners in the rally’s forty-six year history. From Cathal Curley (1972) to Manus Kelly (2018) there have been twenty-three drivers who have triumphed and top of that list comes Andrew Nesbitt, a six time winner, who is featured on the cover. There has also been three World Rally Champions in ‘The Hills’ - Ari Vatanen and Sebastien Loeb who came to win, and did, and Colin McRae who came along just for the craic. Between Curley and Kelly’s three wins apiece there have been many ‘Heroes in the Hills’ and sadly some of them are no longer with us. But none have been more popular than the four local drivers who have taken the top honours - Vincent Bonner (1983), James Cullen (1991 – 1999) and Manus Kelly (2016 – 2017 – 2018). ‘Heroes of the Hills’ will be on sale for £15 (€19) online on www.rpm-motorsport.com
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KEEP THE REVS UP! Plum's Petrolhead Ponderings -
Alan (Plum) Tyndall has been the television voice of Irish motorsport for more than a quarter of a century, but did you know that he is the son of a Bishop; He survived a major rail disaster in London; Was Irish Saloon Car Racing Champion; Went 'behind the lines' during the Troubles; mingled with the motoring mighty; and became a rumoligist in Barbados.
His lighthearted biography tells you a lot more about the RPM man and the characters he has consorted with, and the title 'Keep the Revs Up'. That's 'Revs' for the roaring engines that he has so revered, and 'Revs' for the reverend gentlemen that he was surrounded by in his early years.
Copies of the book are available from www.rpm-motorsport.com .
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