Jonny’s Late Late Show @ Bishopscourt

Jonny Greer was the red-hot-favourite to win the Race & Rally Stages at Bishopscourt last month. Indeed the current NI Champion eventually won the rally, but it wasn’t easy. Donegal men Aaron McLaughlin and Darren Curran in their VW Polo GTI R5 led from the first stage and stayed there until a slight mistake on the penultimate test allowed second placed Greer and his co-driver Niall Burns to get ahead by 1.9 seconds. Jonny kept his Citroen C3 Rally2 in front and was 3.7 seconds ahead of Aaron at the end of the eighth and final stage. This was Greer’s fourth straight win at Bishopscourt, all of those victories in Citroen C3’s.

It was a long, cold and very busy day for us marshals. Having arrived at the Co.Down race circuit for 07.30, Goff, Nigel and myself covered all eight stage starts. We started the first car at 09.03 and the last one at 17.09. As well as timekeeping, there were BMMC/BRMC members covering stage marshalling. The only breaks in the action were when the stages were changed round allowing us to catch a short lunch break. Although it was dry for most of the event, we did have a rain shower midway through.

The single-venue, sealed-surface, Bishopscourt event, was organised as usual by Ballynahinch and District Motor Club. This year, subtle changes at the race circuit meant there were no stage “merges”, meaning that competitors were not impeded or “held up” by other cars as they tackled the eight single-lap-four-and-a-half-mile tests. Due to these changes there were no complaints nor indeed any major incidents. The total stage mileage was 35.84 miles, almost exactly the same as in 2023 when there were six two-lap stages totalling 35.80 miles.

There were 84 starters (19 Rally2/R5 cars) and 65 finishers on this the second round of the 2024 McGrady Insurance Motorsport UK Northern Ireland Rally Championship. Derek McGarrity, third on round one, was a non-starter and Kirkistown runner-up Stuart Biggerstaff’s Fiesta R5 ground to a halt on SS3. All this left Kyle White/Sean Topping third in their Hyundai i20 R5, 36.8 seconds behind McLaughlin. Philip Allen/Dale Furniss finished fourth in their VW Polo GTI R5 and Jason Dickson/Martin Brady fifth in a Ford Fiesta Rally2. Best 2-wheel-drive car was the Darrian T90 GTR+ of Barry Morris and Martin Harte who were 6th overall. In the Nissan Micra Challenge there were 8 starters and they all finished, with Steve Whitford and Jonny Hart taking the win and finishing 28th overall in the process.

Going into the next round of the NI Championship, the Claudy-based Maiden City Stage Rally on April 27th, Jonny Greer leads with a maximum of 60 points while Aaron McLaughlin is next on 54 and Jason Dixon third with 51 points.

Don’t forget; highlights of the Race & Rally Bishopscourt Stages can be found on the dedicated McGrady Insurance Motorsport UK 2024 Northern Ireland Rally Championship channel on YouTube. There is excellent separate coverage of each round of the Northern Ireland Nissan Micra Challenge, also on YouTube.

Edwards Wins Compact Circuit

Round 3 of the 2024 Irish Tarmac Championship, the Circuit of Ireland Rally took place on Easter Saturday 30th March. Just eight stages (4 repeated) totalling 67 miles in and around a service park in Dungannon, Co.Tyrone were on offer. In fact the event was almost identical in competitive miles to last year’s rally, based not far away in Cookstown. The stages this year hadn’t been used for a number of years.

Running without a title sponsor, the organising Ulster Automobile Club decided to stick with the compact format for 2024 and as a direct result they had attracted a large entry of 102 competitors. Looking forward, the UAC hope to join forces with a Southern Irish club and bring the “Circuit of Ireland” element back into what was an iconic event in the past.

The rally was a great success, with a huge battle for the win between Welshman Matt Edwards and Keith Cronin from Ballylickey in Co.Cork in a pair of Ford Fiesta Rally2’s. At one time there was only a tenth of a second between them as they shared fastest times with 4-apiece on the eight tests. In the end Edwards and his Irish co-driver David Moynihan came through to take the victory by 14.4 seconds from Cronin and Mikie Galvin after an inspired tyre choice for the second loop of stages. Josh Moffett/Andy Hayes finished third in a Citroen C3 Rally2. Cathan McCourt/Brian Hoy were fourth and Garry Jennings/Rory Kennedy fifth, both of them also in Fiesta Rally2 machines. Top 2WD finishers were Jason Black/Karl Egan in sixth position with their Toyota Starlet. There were 91 starters and only 56 made it to the Dungannon finish after a challenging day’s rallying in the narrow and twisty lanes of South County Tyrone. Leading retirements included Callum Devine, Jonny Greer and Desi Henry who all succumbed to the tricky and slippery conditions.

BMMC/BRMC members were out in force on the Circuit of Ireland. We covered rescue, timekeeping, radio points, stage marshalling plus other official duties on the event. I was acting as finish radio on SS4/8 Ivy Hill, the final 7.32 mile stage in each loop. The weather was typical for an early Easter, we had sunshine, hail, thunder and rain but both runs ran without any problems. Despite stage four starting some twenty minutes late, by the time the cars returned for the final stage eight the rally was back on schedule.

British Rally Championship

Former ERC champion, Chris Ingram won round one of the 2024 Probite Motorsport UK British Rally Championship. The VW Polo GTI R5 driver and co-driver Alex Kihurani finished the closed-road North West Stages In Lancashire ahead of Ulster crew and JWRC champions William Creighton and Liam Regan in their Ford Fiesta Rally2. Meirion Evans was third in the first British Isles appearance of the new Toyota Yaris GR Rally2. The revitalised 2024 BRC had a massive 130 starters on the North West Stages, no less than 44 crews in top class Rally2/R5 cars! Amazingly 102 finished the 8-stage (57.5 miles) event. Of course the British Rally Championship will NOT be visiting Ireland this year, unfortunately.

Looking Back

40 YEARS AGO

The five-day 1984 Rothmans Circuit of Ireland Rally (19-24 April) was supposed to be a benefit for the Rothmans Porsche 911 SC RS driven by Henri Toivonen. It didn’t turn out that way. The rally started in Belfast on Good Friday with around 80 cars. After a two-night halt in Waterford and 54 stages later, 36 cars finished back in Belfast on Easter Tuesday. Billy Coleman and Ronan Morgan eventually won the rally in their Dealer Opel Team Ireland Manta 400, but only after nine of the top-ten cars retired. It was one of the toughest Circuit of Ireland’s ever!

Jimmy McRae set the early pace, but crashed on the second run over Hamiltons Folly on day one (I was spectating close by). He consequently retired his AC Delco Manta with a blown head gasket. Bertie Fisher’s Manta then led for nine stages as the rally headed south before he too retired with a broken half-shaft.

Henri Toivonen took over in front for 15 stages, but an accident while taking part in a charity kart race on Sunday evening in Waterford left the Finnish superstar with leg injuries. Henri continued, but dropped to third place and then eventually retired his Porsche after SS44 in Co. Sligo when the gearbox completely failed after he “crashed” the gears due to his injuries. I remember timekeeping on the finish of SS40 in the Partry Mountains on the Galway/Mayo border late on Monday night. When Toivonen arrived I asked him how things were going, his response was quote “I have only one gear left and it is fifth!” The extraordinary driver was still ninth fastest on that classic 11 mile stage.

After that it was an almighty battle for the lead between Austin McHale and DOTI Manta team-mate Billy Coleman through Mayo, Sligo and Donegal which was only resolved when the leading McHale car suffered a blown engine with just three stages left to run! Coleman was then able to cruise to the win in Belfast on the Tuesday afternoon. Ernest Kidney was second in his Sunbeam Lotus and former World Hot Rod Champion Davy Evans (on his first ever rally) third in a Nissan 240RS.

Rothmans sponsored the Circuit of Ireland for six years (1983-88) but failed to win the classic event with any of their cars.

Rally Diary

Sat. 27th April.
Eakin Bros. BJT Stage Rally

Round 3 of the 2024 McGrady Insurance NI Rally Championship. The first of three closed-road events, this one is organised by Maiden City Motor Club. The action takes place over three stages in the Dunamanagh and Claudy areas. Sponsored once again by Eakin Bros. Brian James Trailers. There are six stages totalling 41 miles, SS1/4 Lisbunny SS2/5 Altishane SS3/6 Calhoun's Dip. Rally HQ and the service park will be at Robinsons Concrete in Claudy. Of course BMMC/BRMC will be providing rescue, radio cover and other marshals on the day.

Sat. 18th May.
GO! Tour of the Sperrins

Round 4 of the 2024 McGrady Insurance NI Rally Championship. Based in Magherafelt and organised by Magherafelt & District MC. There are due to be three repeated closed-road stages. Once again BMMC/BRMC will provide rescue, radio cover and other marshals on the event. More details next month.

NI Season Starts With Two Events

Last month Stormont went back to work (not before time and probably too late to help bring WRC to the province), but the big news here in Northern Ireland was the start of the 2024 rally season. The Echlinville Stage Rally at Kirkistown Race Circuit was first off the mark on the 17th February. We were out in force marshalling the newly branded 90% sealed-surface single venue event which as usual was organised by North Armagh Motor Club.

Round 1 of the McGrady Insurance Motorsport UK Northern Ireland Rally Championship, the Echlinville Stage Rally had 75 starters, headed by 2023 champions Jonny Greer and Niall Burns in their Citroen C3 Rally2. In changeable conditions Greer led from start to finish, the Carryduff driver was fastest on four of the six stages. Total stage mileage was just 26.2.

The podium places were completed by two former NI Champions. The 2010 champion Stuart Biggerstaff and Anthony Nestor were second,15.3 seconds back, in their older Ford Fiesta R5 which went well in the wetter tests. Eight-times champion and Kirkistown expert, Derek McGarrity and his co-driver Paddy Robinson finished third (19.3 seconds behind Stuart) in a Skoda Fabia R5 Evo. Best of the two-wheel-drive finishers were Colin Price and Billy Regan who were 11th overall in their Toyota Starlet.

For my part, Victor and I were marshalling at Fisherman’s bend. Thankfully we were able to shelter from the rain in a new permanent marshal’s hut. The rally started at 9am in damp and misty conditions but, after very heavy rain during stages three and four, the final tests took place in much drier conditions. All six stages ran to schedule and without any major incidents, despite the bad weather. We and all the other marshals were well fed and looked after by the organisers. A total of 61 cars finished the event.

By the way, you can watch highlights of each round of the NI Championship, hosted by the BBC’s Stephen Watson, on YouTube following the events. Just search for the 2024 McGrady Insurance Motorsport UK Northern Ireland Rally Championship.

A week after Kirkistown, I was deep in the woods of County Tyrone for round one of the 2024 McGrady Insurance Motorsport UK NI Forest Rally Challenge. The Samsonas Rally Fivemiletown was organised by Omagh Motor Club on 24th February. There were 8 special stages totalling 31 miles spread over three forests south of Fivemiletown, SS1/4/7 Jenkin SS2/5/8 Crocknagrally and SS3/6 Doon.

A smaller than usual entry of 54 cars started and 43 finished. Winners were Niall McGonigIe and Caolan McKenna in a Fiesta R5. The Clady driver, who has helped to organise this event in the past, finished just 2.8 seconds ahead of the VW Polo R5 of Vivian Hamill and Lorcan Moore after a rally-long battle. McGonigle led from the start but then Hamill went ahead by two tenths of a second on the penultimate stage. On the final 3.05 mile Crocknagrally test, Niall pulled out all the stops and claimed a popular win.

Derek Mackarel and Darren Curran were third in their Fiesta R5 but they claimed top NI Forest Challenge points as they were the first registered competitors to finish. Best of the 2-wheel-drive cars was the Escort Mk.2 of Hugh McQuaid/Martin Byrne who finished 9th overall.

I was on radio at the finish of Crocknagrally. The weather was cold to start but warmed up as the event progressed. We had a heavy localised shower before the final stage. There were no major problems for us, all three stages ran to schedule with just a few retirements. Other BMMC marshals were timekeeping and also covering rescue on the Doon stages.

Looking Back

40 Years Ago

Ronnie White won the second round of the 1984 Belfast Car Ferries Rallycross Championship at Boyd’s Quarry, organised by Larne Motor Club. The Ford Fiesta driver was fastest all day and finished the A final ahead of Denis Biggerstaff’s Mini. Jimmy Peak was third also in a Mini. We were marshalling as usual and the weather was kind to us for a change!

A healthy entry of 72 competitors took part in the first round of the 1984 NI Loose Sprint Championship. Held at Craigmore Quarry and organised by Mid Antrim MC the winner was David Francis in his Escort Mk.2 who was just two tenths of a second ahead of Bertie Law’s Vauxhall Chevette. Dominic McNeill was third in his Escort while Stanley Orr gave the Corry Cultra it’s NI debut and finished a respectable fourth. BMRMC (as we were back then) provided marshals at the Randalstown venue.

34 Years Ago

It’s now been 34 years since the first time North Armagh Motor Club organised a rally at Kirkistown. The Kittle Brothers Stages on Saturday 3rd March was round one of the 1990 Adair-Singleton Northern Ireland Rally Championship. Winners were Fred Cameron and Dale McNeill in their Ford Escort G4. Second were the father and daughter combination of Derek and Roisin Boyd in their Mazda RX7 4-wheel-drive while Stephen Mawhinney and Ian Beasant were third in a Talbot Sunbeam Lotus. There were 6 stages. Not sure how many started, but 48 finished.

20 Years Ago

The first two rounds of the 2004 British Rallycross Championship took place in Northern Ireland. Round 1 was held on Saturday 27th March at Kirkistown for the first time. In fact the venue hadn’t been used for rallycross for 10 years. Round 2 was at Nutts Corner the next day. Will Gollop won at Kirkistown and Dermot Carnegie was top dog at Nutts Corner, both of them were in Ford Focus’s. Local man Lawrence Gibson was second on both days in his Metro 6R4. There were 50 races on Saturday and 40 on Sunday. We supplied marshals on both days. After a total of 10 rounds, Dermot Carnegie went on to become 2004 British Rallycross Champion for the second consecutive year. Unfortunately, the British Rallycross Championship has never returned to Northern Ireland since that doubleheader in 2004.

10 Years Ago

Belfast City Centre came to a standstill on Saturday 22 February 2014 when a cavalcade of 200 classic rally cars (mostly Minis) made their way from Parliament Buildings at Stormont via. the City Hall to the new Titanic Belfast museum. It was all to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Paddy Hopkirk’s 1964 Monte Carlo Rally win.

Hopkirk himself, now 81, led the cavalcade in a replica of 33 EJB, the Mini Cooper S which he drove to the surprise victory. Others including Ari Vatanen driving a Ford Fiesta he used on the Monte and Jimmy McRae in the 1980 Circuit of Ireland winning Vauxhall Chevette joined in. Northern Ireland’s current WRC star, Kris Meeke drove a DGM Citroen DS3 R3. An autograph session proved very popular. I was able to have a word with old friend John Lyons who attended the event in a Mini.

A celebration knockout autotest was staged on the Titanic slipway and large crowds saw Paul Blair take victory in his powerful Westfield, but only after pre-event favourite Steven Ferguson’s Mini Special hit a pylon in the final run. The event concluded with a gala dinner in the Titanic Suite.

Rally Diary

Sat 9th March.
Race & Rally Stages @ Bishopscourt

Round 2 of the 2024 NI Rally Championship, this Ballynahinch and District MC event takes place as usual within the confines of Bishopscourt Race Circuit in South Co.Down. We are providing timekeepers and stage marshals. The rally starts at 9am and runs until approximately 5pm. Sign-on up until 8am at the venue if you haven’t already done so on rallyscore.net Hot food will be provided. Leading entrants include championship contenders Jonny Greer, Derek McGarrity and Stuart Biggerstaff.

Sat 30th March.
Wastewater Solutions Circuit of Ireland Rally

Round 3 of the 2024 Irish Tarmac Rally Championship. Organised by the Ulster Automobile Club and based this year in Dungannon Co.Tyrone. There are four stages run twice. We will be covering rescue, stage marshals, timekeepers and radio points. Sign-on via rallyscore.net or on the one-day event.

Sun 7th April.
BMMC (NI) Marshals Training Day

To be held once again this year at Transport Training Services, Nutts Corner. The day starts at 9.30am and should finish around 4pm. Lunch will be provided but please confirm your attendance with Rory O’Neill. Jim Whittaker is lead trainer. The event is supported and promoted once more by the MMP and ANICC. All motorsport disciplines will be covered.

Ireland On Course For 2025 WRC

It would appear that there could indeed be a round of the 2025 WRC in Southern Ireland. As I mentioned a few months ago, Motorsport Ireland president Aiden Harper had put out a request for motor clubs throughout Ireland to submit a proposal for a 10,000 square metre area which would house a service park and Rally HQ, meeting the criteria required of a World Rally Championship event.

In turn three proposals (surprisingly all in the province of Munster) were submitted. They were from Carrick-on-Suir, Kerry and Limerick Motor Clubs. The venues would be Waterford City, Tralee and Limerick Racecourse respectively.

Apparently neighbouring motor clubs would be prepared to assist the chosen venue in the running of the event. I am sure even clubs from further afield, including NI, would be available to help. The winning proposal was due be announced imminently. It would be a fitting tribute to the memory of Craig Breen, a former Carrick-on-Suir MC member, if Waterford was chosen. The Waterford quays area was the Southern base for the Rothmans Circuit of Ireland Rally in its hay day way back in the mid 1980’s.

Perhaps the biggest snag for MI will be the funding of such an event. Around £10m is the figure required by WRC promoter to secure a three-year deal. The Irish Government have been approached to assist but a decision from them will not be forthcoming until late February or early March. Communication is ongoing and according to Harper, MI are meeting all the criteria. Hope they have better luck than Bobby Willis’s attempt to run a Rally Northern Ireland.

Cold Turkey

The final event for us in 2023 was the annual Turkey Run Rally at the Shackleton Complex in Ballykelly. When I say “us” our presence included the BMMC Rescue unit plus a few stage marshals. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to attend.

There were scheduled to be six stages on the runways of the old airfield but due to heavy rain and standing water, stage one was cancelled. A total of 76 cars started but only 34 finished the remaining 5 stages. Winners were Aaron McLaughlin and Darren Curran in their VW Polo GTI R5 while Derick McGarrity/ Conor Duffy were second in a Skoda Fabia Rally2 Evo. Maiden City MC were the organisers for this the last time the Shackleton facility will be used for 12 months. In April the closed-road Maiden City Stages Rally is due to take place in the Dunamanagh area as part of the NI Rally Championship and then the Dogleap Rally returns to the forests of Co.Derry in October after some year’s absence.

A Classic Monte Kicks off 2024

Round 1 of the 2024 WRC, the Monte Carlo Rally (January 25-28) was a cracking event! The season opener attracted just 8 top-tier Rally1 cars on the 68 strong entry list. Thierry Neuville was the star of the weekend. The Belgian driver won the rally for the second time in his Hyundai i20 and he claimed maximum championship points in the process. The Toyota Yaris’s of Sebastien Ogier and Elfyn Evans were second and third. Evans took an early lead on the two Thursday evening stages and continued to led through Friday, but by Saturday afternoon Neuville had assumed control. Ogier tried to catch the Belgian but eventually resigned himself to the runner up position. Ott Tanak on his return to Hyundai was fourth and Adrien Fourmaux fifth for M-Sport in his Puma. All 8 Rally1 cars finished. The pace of the leading cars all rally long was phenomenal!

There were 28 Rally2 machines competing in the WRC2 category. Three drivers were in contention for the win going into the final power stage stage which finished on the top of the famous Col de Turini. It was a fantastic battle all rally long with the lead changing after almost every stage between Lopez and Gryazin. Yohan Rosell had been in third place but on Sunday he was flying and passed Gryazin for second. Starting that final test he was just 0.9 seconds behind leader Lopez.

Rosell was fastest on the last stage and so the Frenchman won WRC2 in his Citroen C3 but just by 4 seconds from Pepe Lopez’s Skoda Fabia. Nikolay Gryazin was third in his Citroen C3 a further 11.4 seconds back. These three were in a class of their own. A great advert for WRC2. There was no snow on the Monte this year, just some damp and icy patches which caught out some of the competitors, but in general, conditions on most of the 17 tarmac stages were dry and very good. There were only 4 retirements from the 68 starters.

New Rally Ireland Dependant on Funding

Plans for a 2025 WRC Rally Ireland are gathering momentum. All Motorsport Ireland now need is the small matter of 15 million euro funding required from the Irish Government to be confirmed. A three-year-deal will allow the Rally to alternate its base and service park between three different Munster locations. Tralee, Limerick and Waterford are the chosen venues. All are suitable and Motorsport Ireland have decided to give them all the opportunity to host this prestigious event.

What stages will Rally Ireland use? Remote servicing may be allowed in 2025 meaning classic stages such as those in Donegal could be brought into the equation during the three-day event. As the rally will be organised by Motorsport Ireland the event wouldn’t be able to cross the border into Northern Ireland. Let’s see what happens then, but if MI don’t get the funding then Rally Ireland 3 won’t happen!

The first time WRC Rally Ireland ran in November 2007 there were 84 cars on the entry list, but that included 26 World Rally Cars (the top-tier at that time). Sadly when the event ran for the second time as the opening round of the 2009 WRC, there were only 36 starters, although 18 were World Rally Cars.

Looking Back

Marshalling Memories

40 Years Ago……1984

The UAC were appealing for marshals for the Circuit of Ireland Rally due to take place on 20-24 April. Back then the rally was a 5-day Friday to Tuesday event with scrutinering taking place on Thursday 19th. A total of 1500 volunteers would be required to marshal the rally. The Ulster Motor Show was held on 13-18 February at the Kings Hall in Belfast. Following his purchase of the Davrain Sports Car company in Wales, local Ballynahinch businessman Will Corry unveiled the new Corry Cultra. A Rally version would be campaigned by Stanley Orr in the 1984 BTRDA Championship.

30 Years Ago……1994

A team representing BMMC won the Northern Ireland Area Final of the Shell Helix National Motor Club Challenge. The event was held at Neville Johnston Garages on the Boucher Road in Belfast. Around 12 teams from throughout NI took part.

20 Years Ago……2004

The New Year Stages at Kirkistown on January 17th was our first rally of 2004. Jointly organised by the 500 MRCI and UAC, Kevin Lynch won in his new-to-him Impreza S9 which Petter Solberg had used to win WRC Corsica in 2003. Second was Nigel Hicklin and Michael Curran third and top Group N car. 40 competitors started at 09.30 and we had the sixth and final stage completed by 14.35.

We were back at Kirkistown on February 21st for the Eurocables Rally. Round 1 of the 2004 Pacenotes NI Rally Championship. North Armagh MC were the organisers.

Also in February, Carsport Magazine sponsored a Rally Time Trial at the original Balmoral Showgrounds in Belfast. We covered rescue, flag and fire points. Carsport provided welcome shelter for all marshals plus tea and sandwiches throughout the two-day event. Mark Doyle was the star of the show in his little Peugeot 106, he won on both days!

Then a week later we ran a stage of Mid Antrim Motor Club’s Clubmans Championship Rally in Tardree Forest. The day passed without incident.

10 Years Ago…..2014

Frank Kelly was named as BMMC NI Driver of the Year 2013. The Moy man had been entertaining everyone on the national rally scene in Ireland for years as he hurled his “Baby Blue” Ford Escort Mk.2 around the stages. Kris Meeke was third on the 2014 Monte Carlo Rally with his first full-time drive for the Citroen factory team. The Dungannon man received the NI Motorsport Award for 2013 at the ANICC Prize giving dinner in Armagh where our Chairman John Cunningham also presented Frank with our BMMC NI trophy.

Rally Diary

Sat. 3rd—Sun. 4th February.
Galway International Rally

Round 1 of the 2024 Irish Tarmac Rally Championship. The Galway entry of 130 cars includes 2023 Champion Callum Devine who sticks with his Volkswagen Polo R5 and the Moffett brothers Josh & Sam in a pair of Hyundai i20’s. NI champion Jonny Greer is out in his Citroen C3 Rally2 while interesting entries come from two former British Champions. Matt Edwards (who intends to do the full championship) and Keith Cronin are both in Ford Fiesta Rally2’s. The legendary Austin MacHale makes a one-off return to the stages in his 2003 Ford Focus WRC.

Round 2 of the ITRC will be the West Cork Rally based in Clonakilty, now a three-day event and running from 15-17th March. The Circuit of Ireland Rally is Round 3 and will be based in Dungannon this year. Just a one-day rally again in 2024 the Circuit takes place on Easter Saturday 30th March. It appears that the Ulster Rally will also be a single day ITRC event in August.

Sat. 17th February.
Echlinville Distillery Stage Rally

Round 1 of the 2024 McGrady Insurance Northern Ireland Rally Championship. Organised by North Armagh Motor Club this six-stage 90% tarmac event takes place entirely within the confines of Kirkistown Race Circuit in Co.Down. The traditional championship opener starts at 9am and should finish around 5pm. We are providing marshals. Food will be provided. Sign-on at the circuit on the day or on-line at rallyscore.net

Sat. 24th February.
Samsonas Rally Fivemiletown

Round 1 of the 2024 McGrady Insurance NI Forest Rally Challenge. Organised by Omagh Motor Club this eight-stage gravel rally uses the usual stages south of Fivemiletown in Co.Tyrone, namely Crocknagrally, Jenkin and Doone. We are providing rescue, radio cover and stage marshals. Sign-on on the day in Fivemiletown or on-line at rallyscore.net

Sat. 9th March.
Race & Rally Bishopscourt Stages

Round 2 of the McGrady Insurance Northern Ireland Rally Championship

Organised by Ballynahinch & District MC. We are providing timekeepers and stage marshals for this 6-stage sealed surface single venue rally, held entirely within the confines of the Bishopscourt Race Circuit near Downpatrick in South Co.Down. Sign-on at the venue on the day or on-line via rallyscore.net. Food will be provided for all marshals & officials. Rally starts at 9am and finishes at around 5pm.

Season’s Greetings

First of all, let me wish all of you RallyBuzz readers a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Time to look forward to 2024 so here are a few important Irish rallying dates for your diary.

2024 McGrady Insurance Motorsport UK Northern Ireland Rally Championship

Kirkistown Stages.………17th February (Single Venue)
Bishopscourt Stages…….9th March (Single Venue)
Maiden City Stages………27th April (Closed Road)
Tour of the Sperrins………18th May (Closed Road)
Tyrone Stages Rally….……20th July (Closed Road)

2024 McGrady Insurance NI Forest Rally Challenge

Fivemiletown Rally.………..24th February
Lakeland Stages Rally…….7th September
Bushwhacker Rally………...21st September
Dogleap Rally……….………19th October

2024 Irish Tarmac Rally Championship

Circuit of Ireland……..…………...29/30 March (Easter)
Donegal International Rally……..21–23 June
Ulster Rally…………………………16/17 August

McCormack Masters Marathon RAC

Marty McCormack and Barney Mitchell have won the 2023 Roger Albert Clark Rally. The Magherafelt Motor Club members headed home a one-two for Northern Ireland drivers in Ford Escort Mk.2’s. Omagh’s Cathan McCourt, on his first RAC, and Irish co-driver Liam Moynihan were second 5 minutes and 30 seconds back while Welshman Jason Pritchard and Phil Clarke finished third in their Escort Mk.2 a further 1 minute and 26 seconds behind.

This was McCormack’s fourth victory on the R.A.C. Rally, extending his record. The most successful driver in the rally’s 20-year history paced himself throughout the long event but was never lower than 4th overall, despite sliding into a Scottish ditch on Saturday. Marty knew it wasn’t a sprint and when others hit trouble, he found himself in front when it mattered, at the finish of the final 39-mile stage! A fantastic achievement for the 38-year-old Draperstown driver and co-driver Mitchell from Magherafelt. They totally epitomised the old saying “To finish first, first you must finish”.

Marty McCormack’s previous RAC Rally wins were in 2012, 2017 and 2019. All of them in BDA-powered Ford Escort Mk.2’s.

Meanwhile there was more top 10 success for NI drivers. Vivian Hamill/Andrew Grennan were seventh in their Escort Mk.2 and Robert Woodside/Dean Beckett finished tenth and won their class in a Porsche 911.

The biennial Roger Albert Clark gravel rally for historic cars, which recreates the gruelling RAC Rally GB’s of the 1970’s and 80’s, attracted an entry of 155 of which 70 were Ford Escort Mk.2’s. To celebrate its 20th anniversary, the marathon RAC had scheduled no less than 33 special stages totalling well over 300 miles. Leading entries included WRC stars Kris Meeke, Oliver Solberg and Chris Ingram plus 2022 British Champion Osian Pryce, but they all failed to finish.

Pryce was in front after SS1 Crychan, then Meeke led after SS4 Glasfynydd, but retired his Escort MK.2 with a blown engine on the very next test. Pryce led again but the Welshman eventually retired his Escort from second place behind Oliver Solberg in Scotland. After this Solberg led McCormack and increased his lead to 5 minutes until day four. The Swedish WRC star had looked unstoppable, but he went off on SS28 Harewood 2 dropping to fourth. Oliver eventually retired his Viking Motorsport Escort Mk.2 on the fifth and final day. Chris Ingram had earlier retired his fabulous Triumph TR7 V8 from 36th place on SS10 Sweet Lamb Hafren 1 with mechanical problems.

The 2023 Roger Albert Clark Rally ran for five days from Thursday 23rd to Monday 27th November in Wales, Scotland and England.

There were 14 classic stages in Wales on Thursday and Friday including Crychan, Walters Arena, Sweet Lamb-Hafren and Myherin. In Scotland on Saturday the 6 tests included two runs over Ae, Dalbeattie and Glengap. Unfortunately, two 9-mile stages in Arroch Hill (SS19/22) had to be cancelled due to accessibility problems. Then in England on Sunday there were 3 repeated stages in the central block of Kielder including Kershope and Mount Common, both 16 miles long, and the second longest stages in the event. On Monday the remaining 5 stages were also in the Kielder Forest complex.

The final stage of the rally was a huge “sting-in-the-tail”. SS33 The Big One in Pundershaw was 39 miles long, and it produced a major casualty. Seb Perez and Garry McElhinney were cruelly denied second place when their glorious Lancia Stratos ground to a halt mid-stage, the fabulous sounding Ferrari power unit which had entertained the appreciative crowds all rally long had unfortunately overheated.

The 2023 RAC Rally was a massive success. Huge crowds attended the event right from the Carmarthen Town Centre start in Wales on Wednesday evening through to the Carlisle finish on the Monday afternoon. For example, in Wales all the stage car parks on Friday morning had to be closed early when they filled to capacity.

Big Chance for Evans

Elfyn Evans had been handed a golden opportunity to become 2024 World Rally Champion, now that Kalle Rovanpera has announced he will go part time. Evans, the “Little Welsh Wizard”, will start his 5th season next year with Toyota in the WRC. The 8-time rally winner has been championship runner up three times, in 2020 and 2021(behind Ogier) and of course this year when he finished second to his Yaris teammate Rovanpera.

Elfyn and co-driver Scott Martin’s only full-time teammate next year will be Takamoto Katsuta who has yet to win a rally. The “Wee Japanese Man” will again have Ulsterman Aaron Johnston alongside him in the Yaris Rally1.

Realistically though, Elfyn Evans only challengers for the 2024 WRC title will be the Hyundai i20 pairing of Thierry Neuville and Ott Tanak, who has returned to the South Korean manufacturer after just one year at M-Sport Ford in which he failed to tame the Puma.

Toyota should have the best car yet again in 2024. Unless Hyundai can make serious improvements to the i20 Rally1 ASAP, it is difficult to see them challenging the Japanese mark, who have won the manufacturers prize for the past three years. Meanwhile M-Sport Ford have yet to announce their WRC team for 2024. Kalle Rovanpera and Sebastien Ogier will drive on selected events for Toyota.

Apparently Rovanpera will return to a full-time drive in 2025. The 13-round 2024 World Rally Championship starts with Rallye Monte-Carlo, running from 25th to 28th January.

Rally Diary

Friday 29th December.
Turkey Run Rally

Maiden City Motor Club are the organisers of this annual clubman Single Venue Rally which is sponsored by MCEVOYMOTORSPORT.COM. Comprising of five stages and based entirely within the Shackleton Complex in Ballykelly. The first car starts at 9.15am. Sign on via rallyscore.net or at the venue on the day. We are providing rescue plus stage marshals and possibly radio cover.