Robert's Rally Buzz - October 2026

Bushwhacker Delivers a Classic Battle!

Omagh MC were the organisers of the Bushwhacker Rally last month. With 10 short-but-fast gravel stages run twice in the Co.Tyrone forests, the event attracted a huge entry of 111 starters (32 in Rally2/R5 cars). The legendary rally, known locally as the “Tyrone Grand Prix”, was a counting round of three 2026 championships: Round 3 of the NI Forest Rally Challenge, round six of the Irish Forest Rally Championship and the fifth and final round of the Nissan Micra Challenge.

My job was to cover start radio on two stages in the Killeter Forest complex of West Tyrone. SS2/7 Glenderg was only 4 miles long, but still a classic smooth and very fast Bushwhacker test. Both of our stages ran almost to schedule and without any stoppages. On the first run we had 107 starters. The weather was mixed, heavy rain to start with followed by dry conditions and sunshine in the afternoon. By the time the cars returned for stage seven, 95 remained.

Josh Moffett and Andy Hayes in their ever-reliable-now-aging Hyundai i20 R5 won the 2026 Bushwhacker Rally by just 04.6 seconds from Mark Donnelly/Martin Brady in one of ELEVEN latest Skoda Fabia RS Rally2’s to start the event. Third place went to a similar car crewed by Jordan and Paul Hone, 09.4 seconds back. Best 2WD crew were Paddy McToal/Connor O’Loan who’s Mk2 Escort finished way down in 14th place!

Mark Donnelly led after the first two stages, but then, the winners for the past five years, brothers Patrick and Stephen O’Brien in their older Skoda Fabia R5 went in front for the following six tests. On the penultimate stage nine, Lough Bradan, O’Brien spun and Josh Moffett found himself in front by half-a-second. Moffett then managed to hold off a hard charging Mark Donnelly on the final 4.45 mile stage at Glengawna, to claim his second Bushwhacker victory. The O’Brien’s dropped from second to fourth on stage ten, but were later excluded from the results at the finish of the event.

Regarding the various gravel championships: Josh Moffett took maximum points in the Irish Forest series and leads that with two rounds to come. Mark Donnelly was top of the NI Forest Challenge contenders. He has 61 points, but David Condell, who finished 9th on the Bushwhacker, leads with 76 points going into the final round, the Dogleap Rally later this month. Jamie McLaughlin won the 2026 Nissan Micra Challenge of which the Bushwhacker was the final round.

Incidentally, Josh Moffett won the 2026 Irish Tarmac Rally Championship just a week after the Bushwhacker. He and Andy Hayes switched back to their Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 and finished second to the Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 of Eddie Doherty on the Cork 20 Rally which was enough to secure another title.

Great to see current Northern Ireland Rally Champions, Jonny Greer and Niall Burns, contest the Bushwhacker for the first time in the Toyota GR Yaris Rally2. The pair had a few issues on leg one, but overcame them to eventually finish 7th overall. A few weeks earlier they finished a brilliant 3rd on the Lakeland Stages gravel rally. Currently Jonny is fifth in the Forest Challenge standings.

Terry Harryman

Northern Ireland lost one of its rally heroes last month. Bangor resident, Terry Harryman pasted away at the age of 87. Perhaps Terry was best remembered as co-driver to former World Rally Champion, Ari Vatanen, whom he partnered for many years back in the eighties. Just watch the classic video of them in an Opel Manta on the 1983 Manx Rally. Ari got a puncture and charged on at full speed through a narrow cattle grid, Terry, calling the pace notes, famously shouts “Dear God” as they almost hit a wall but survived and carried on!

Vatanen and Harryman won six rounds of the WRC including the 1985 Monte Carlo Rally in the ultra fast Peugeot 205 T16. They were leading the world championship that year until a horrific accident in Argentina almost killed Ari and resulted in Terry braking his back. Remarkably, Harryman recovered within three months and he would go on to win the 1986 German Rally Championship with Michelle Mouton in a Peugeot.

Ari Vatanen was among the many who attended a celebration of Terry Harryman’s life in Bangor following his passing. My huge condolences to his son Allan-himself a decorated co-driver-and all the family circle at this sad time.

Evans Has One Hand on World Title

The “Little Welsh Wizard” Elfyn Evans and co-driver Scott Martin should claim the 2026 World Rally Championship on Rally Italia in Sardinia this coming weekend (2-4 October) The Toyota Yaris Rally1 pair are 17 points ahead of teammate Sami Pajari and 21 ahead of other teammate Oliver Solberg. Only a “very bad” result on this the final round of the championship would deny Evans success. Rally Italia became the final round of the 2026 World Championship because the Saudi Arabia event, due to take place in November, was cancelled for obvious reasons. Surprisingly, no replacement event was organised.

Runner-up five times, Elfyn Evans would be the first British World Rally Champion since Englishman Richard Burns sealed the title way back in 2001! Of course before that, the legendary Colin McRae won for Scotland and became the first Brit to win the World Rally Championship in 1995.

The 2027 WRC is to be televised live on the BBC for the first time since 2001. Most of the coverage will be on BBC iPLAYER. Apparently 5 stages from all rounds plus the final powerstage will be shown live on this format. Rally Scotland, due to take place in the Autumn, will receive extensive coverage across all four days on the free-to-air network. More details to follow once the 2027 calendar is announced. The new cars and rules for next year have yet to be finalised!

Rally Diary

Sat. 17th October
Dogleap Rally

• Round 4…Brown & Brown Motorsport UK NI Forest Rally Challenge
• Round 8…Trailer Parts & Spares Irish Forest Rally Championship

Organisers Maiden City MC have secured sponsorship once again from Premier Car Parts. The Dogleap is the final round of both the above championships. There are eight gravel stages (four run twice) in Co.Derry.

We will be covering radio, rescue and stage marshalling on this our final stage rally of the year. Sign-on via rallyscore.net.

2025 Marshal of the Year

David Hodgkinson wins the British Rally Marshals Club Marshal of the Year Award 2025 (The Jimmy McRae Award)

The British Rally Marshals Club (BRMC) are proud to announce that the winner of the 2025 Marshal of the Year Award (The Jimmy McRae Award) is David Hodgkinson.

David became a member of BRMC on visiting our stand at Autosport International some 10 years ago and has supported the club ever since. A regular on BRMC stages, he can usually be found around stage time controls working enthusiastically whatever the situation. Always willing to help and assist.

The Jimmy McRae Award is presented each January and recognises a current BRMC member who has best represented the club throughout the preceding year. It is not intended simply to reward attendance, but to mark someone who has made a real difference.

So, if you know a BRMC club member who stands out, who really makes a difference? Why not nominate them to become the next recipient of the Jimmy McRae Award. You can do this at any time by completing the on-line nomination form, HERE. Just remember they must be a current BRMC member.