Robert's Rally Buzz - September 2025

Hot Ulster; Hot Devine

He may have missed round one of the 2025 Irish Tarmac Championship in West Cork (to get married), but since then Callum Devine has dominated the series with 4 victories in succession. Wins in Killarney, Circuit of “Dungannon”, Donegal and now the Ulster Rally means the Claudy driver and his co-driver Noel O’Sullivan from Killarney have secured the ITRC with one round, the Cork “20” (4th-5th October) remaining. Job done!

In truth, Devine (the 2023 champion) has had little opposition since round three. 2024 champion Keith Cronin won in West Cork, but failed to appear after crashing out of the Rally of the Lakes in May. Although there were 35 top class Rally2 or R5 cars in Donegal, only 19 started the Ulster Rally.

The Ulster Rally is normally run in “challenging” late-summer weather conditions; Not this year! The 2025 event took place during a really hot and dry spell in Northern Ireland with temperatures peaking in the mid twenties on both days and no rain in sight!

On day one; Friday 15 August, there were three stages run twice, with the second passes finishing in the dark: SS1/4 Slieve Row (11.80 miles) SS2/5 Camlough (4.43 miles) and SS3/6 Slieve Gullion (6.04 miles) The narrow and very bumpy Camlough test hadn’t been used since it was part of the Newry and District MC’s Modern Tyres Mourne Rally back in 2018.

Day 2 a further six day-time stages would complete the rally; SS 7/10 Kernan Lough (5.91 miles) SS8/11 Banbridge North (9.32 miles) and finally SS9/12 Bronte Homeland, the longest of the rally at 12.60 miles.

I was only out on Saturday but lots of BMMC/BRMC members were helping on both days in various rolls. As start radio on Banbridge North I was joined by Rory and the rescue unit. Both stages ran perfectly and to schedule.

There were 87 starters and just 58 finishers on the Modern Tyres Ulster Rally. A separate Ulster Junior Rally/Nissan Micra Challenge on Saturday attracted a further 10 cars of which 7 finished.

Callum Devine led from start to finish in his Skoda Fabia RS Rally2. This was his first Ulster Rally victory. Second were Osian Pryce and Andy Hayes in a Hyundai i20 N Rally2 21.4 seconds down while Declan Boyle/Patrick Walsh finished third in another Skoda Fabia RS Rally2. Best 2WD finishers were Damian Toner and Aodhan Gallagher in 6th place overall with their Ford Escort Mk.2. Andrew Bush/Geraldine McBride won the seven-car Nissan Micra Challenge while just 2 of the 3 juniors finished. The rally, including a service park, was based in Newry at the huge Modern Tyres complex for the fifth consecutive year.

Good Results for NI Drivers

Apart from Callum Devine’s ITRC success, drivers from Northern Ireland have had a good couple of months Internationally. Josh McErlean was seventh and best of the Ford Puma’s on WRC Rally Finland while Jon Armstrong was a sensational second in his Fiesta Rally2, only 10.7 seconds behind local hero (and 12-time winner) Skoda Fabia driver Jan Kopecky on ERC Rally Zlin in the Czech Republic. Meanwhile in the British Rally Championship, William Creighton driving his Toyota Yaris Rally2 scored a dominant win on round four, the Grampian Rally in Aberdeen. All three drivers are supported by Motorsport Ireland’s Rally Academy.

Rally Diary

Sat. 6th September
Lakeland Stages Rally

• Round 1…Brown & Brown MSUK Northern Ireland Forest Rally Challenge
• Round 4…Nissan Micra Challenge
• Round 6…Sligo Pallets Irish Forest Rally Championship

Organised by Enniskillen MC. Sponsored by Trailer parts & spares.com.There are six gravel stages in the Ballintempo Forest area of County Fermanagh. SS1/4 Carrigan (3.6 miles) SS2/5 Ballintempo North (6.81 miles) and SS3/6 Ballintempo South (4.75 miles) We are covering rescue, radio and timekeeping as well as stage marshalling. Service is centralised in Enniskillen. There are a maximum of 100 cars on the entry list, no less than 28 in class one for Rally2 or R5 machines.

Fri. 19th—Sat. 20th Sept.
50th Bushwhacker Rally

• Rounds 2 & 3…Brown & Brown MSUK Northern Ireland Forest Rally Challenge
• Round 5….Nissan Micra Challenge
• Round 7….Sligo Pallets Irish Forest Rally Championship

Organised by Omagh MC and based at Omagh Showgrounds. Sponsored by McKelvey Construction. The two-day 50th anniversary event uses 10 gravel stages in West Tyrone. On Friday evening (Round 2 of the NI Challenge) there are four stages, three of which will run in darkness. Then on Saturday (Round 3 of the Challenge) there are a further six classic stages. We are providing rescue, timekeepers, radio cover and stage marshals. There are due to be a maximum of 120 starters.

2024 Marshal of the Year

Sean Flynn wins the British Rally Marshals Club Marshal of the Year Award 2024 (The Jimmy McRae Award)

The British Rally Marshals Club (BRMC) are proud to announce that the winner of the 2024 Marshal of the Year Award (The Jimmy McRae Award) is Sean Flynn.

Sean has been a member of BRMC for many years and has supported the club. A regular on BRMC stages, ready to jump in and assist with any task needed to ensure events run smoothly and safely. He always leads and encourages his fellow marshals which always results in a safe and well-run sector which means that there are never any worries about spectator or marshal safety. His upbeat attitude and wealth of knowledge have also made him an ideal ambassador for the sport, as he's constantly encouraging new people to get involved and patiently showing them the ropes.