During October there was only one rally event in Northern Ireland. Mid Antrim MC had organised the Glens of Antrim Targa Rally based at Gracehill Golf Club with tests in Ballypatrick Forest. BMMC/BRMC members attended to assist with the timekeeping. Apparently they were well looked after, unfortunately I was unable to attend this one.

LOOKING BACK.......2022

After the covid related problems of the previous two years, it was good to see the rally scene here in NI return to normality. There were five rounds of the McGrady Insurance Motorsport UK Northern Ireland Rally Championship running from February until July. The first two events were held on the race circuits of Kirkistown and Bishopscourt while the other three were the closed-road Maiden City Stages, Tyrone Stages and the Down Rally. The events were all well supported with no less than 112 cars starting the final round. Jonny Greer ran out champion for the third time, this year he was in a new Citroen C3 Rally2. I understand the NI Championship format will remain the same for 2023. More details to come next month.

The McGrady Insurance Northern Ireland Forest Rally Challenge had just three rounds. Fivemiletown in February plus Enniskillen MC’s Lakeland Stages and the Bushwhacker Rally in September. Magherafelt & District MC were forced to cancel the fourth and final round in October due to costs involving in re-grading the forest tracks. Desi Henry won the Challenge, which was well supported, in his Ford Fiesta Rally2. The Bushwhacker had 96 starters and was also the final round of the 2022 Motorsport Ireland Forest Rally Championship. The rally winners, Patrick & Stephen O’Brien, took that title.

As well as all the above events I officiated on three rounds of the 2022 Irish Tarmac Rally Championship. The Circuit of Ireland in the Glens of Antrim at Easter was won by Alastair Fisher in his VW Polo R5. In June I was timekeeping on the Donegal International Rally where after a slow start, Josh Moffett eventually won in his well-used Hyundai i20 R5. Moffett and co-driver Andy Hayes would run out dominant winners of this year’s Irish Tarmac Championship, although Welshman Merrion Evans in his VW Polo won the final round, the Newry-based Ulster Rally in August.

Josh Moffett also dominated the 2022 Motorsport Ireland National Rally Championship. Incidentally the final round of this series was supposed to be the Donegal Harvest Stages Rally based in Northwest Co. Donegal at Gortahork. Unfortunately, due to the tragic incident which happened in nearby Creeslough the day before the rally was due to take place, that event was of course cancelled. In fact, the marshals for the Muckish stage were due to meet on the Saturday morning at the Applegreen filling station where the explosion occurred. My thoughts and those of all of us at BMMC/BRMC are with all the residents of Creeslough at this extremely sad time.

Other clubman events on which I covered radio this year were North Armagh MC’s Loughgall Country Park Rally in July and the Dogleap Rally in Ballykelly back in August.

LOOKING BACK.......20 YEARS AGO

In November 2002 seven of us headed over to marshal on Network Q Rally GB in Wales. On the Saturday we were on a junction on Halfway where we had a good view of three competitors rolling at Dixies crossroads, including the new World Champion Marcus Gronholm’s who wrecked his Peugeot 206. Then on Sunday we covered a junction near the finish of the Margam Park stage where we saw Petter Solberg & Phil Mills in their Subaru Impreza S7 win the rally over Markko Martin’s Ford Focus. Carlos Sainz was third in his Focus.

LATEST NEWS

The Modern Tyres Ulster Rally is set to return to the 2023 British Rally Championship after a years absence. A new look seven-round BRC calendar features events in England, Scotland, Belgium, Northern Ireland and Wales. The first round will be the loose-surface Malcolm Wilson Rally based in Cockermouth on March 11th. Then there are four closed-road rallies. The Jim Clark Rally in Duns (May) followed by Ypres Rally Belgium (June) the Ulster Rally—Newry (August 18-19) and Rali Ceredigion—Aberystwyth (September). The gravel Trackrod Rally Yorkshire—Filey (September) and the Cambrian Rally based in Llandudno (October) complete the championship.

The World Rally Championship Calendar 2023 has yet to be ratified by the FIA. At it’s October meeting the governing body’s rule-making World Motor Sport Council failed to rubber-stamp an proposed 14-round calendar. An announcement is expected this month. Apparently neither Rally Spain nor Ypres Rally Belgium will included in the calendar. As I said before, it is virtually certain that there will NOT be a round of the 2023 WRC in the UK for the fourth year in succession.

Rally Diary

Sat. 5th November......Cookstown MC’s Targa Rally CANCELLED

Thur. 10th—Sun. 13th November.........WRC Rally Japan

The thirteenth and final round of the 2022 World Rally Championship. This asphalt event brings this year’s WRC, which saw Kalle Rovanpera crowned the youngest ever World Champion to an end. Nothing to be decided here as Toyota have already been crowned top manufacturer over Hyundai. M-Sport Ford have been also-rans yet again with their team leader Craig Breen even behind part-time Toyota driver Sebastien Ogier in the standings after the former champion’s Rally Spain win last month. Next year Ott Tanak is leaving Hyundai but the question is who will replace him? A job-swap with Breen or a WRC top-flight return for Kris Meeke or Andreas Mikkelsen are just some of the rumours on the go as I write. More details to come next month.

Sat. 19th November.
Omagh MC’s Targa Rally

No information as I write on this one. Please check with the organisers if you wish to marshal as the event might not happen. Other information could appear on rallyscore.net

Sat. 26th November.
Magherafelt & District MC’s Targa Rally

Again it would be advisable to check if this event will run. No information at all is available as I write.

Sat. 3rd December.
MMP Reward Day @ Kirkistown

The Motorsport Marshalling Partnership (NI) are organising this event. All volunteers will be rewarded for their contributions to ANICC events during 2022 with seats in rally cars driven by lots of well known local competitors. New members are always welcome. Training provided in the morning. 2023 MMP cards available. Running from 8am-1pm at Kirkistown race circuit in Co.Down.