All Quiet On Rally NI Front

Despite being given an extended deadline until the end of May to find funding, there has been no announcement to date regarding the possibility of a WRC round in Northern Ireland next year. Bobby Willis and his team had been hoping to secure the required financing for a Rally NI project, but with Tourism NI cutbacks and a lack of local government it would appear that there is not much hope of that happening. The only sporting event that Tourism NI say they can support in the foreseeable future will be the 2025 Open Golf Championship at Portrush. It’s not looking good for Rally Northern Ireland then.

McLaughlin Wins Again In Loughgall

Apparently it’s been 25 years since the first Loughgall Country Park Rally took place. We as a club first became involved providing timekeepers in 2000. To celebrate their anniversary, organisers North Armagh Motor Club tried something different this year. Up until now the event consisted of six sealed surface stages held entirely within the confines of the Country Park. Originally for 2-wheel-drive cars only, the clubman event opened up to include 4-wheel-drive machines a few years ago.

For the 2023 PMR & RPM Motorsport Loughgall Stages Rally, North Armagh MC had obtained a road-closing order and ran three stages over a 5.93 mile Kinnegoe test, close to Loughgall village. As well as this there were four stages in the Country Park giving a total of approximately 30 stage miles. We provided radio cover on Kinnegoe and all three stages ran faultlessly. Other stage marshals helped out during the day which was dry throughout. The rally was a huge success.

Last year’s winner Aaron McLaughlin, this time with Darren Curran alongside, won again in his usual Ford Fiesta R5, but it was very close. After stage one in the park McLaughlin headed Aidan Wray and Martin Brady’s VW Polo R5 by just 2.5 seconds with Garry Jennings/Brian Hoy third in their Fiesta Rally2. Wray was in front after the first run over Kinnegoe (SS2) but by only 7 tenths of a second over McLaughlin.

These two continued to battle all rally long for the lead. After stage five Wray was 1 tenth ahead but then McLaughlin hit back and was 1 second in front going into the  seventh and final stage. The Donegal man finished 2.4 seconds ahead of Wray with Damian Toner/Martin McGowan third (13.3 seconds down on the winner) in the local drivers first outing in a Fiesta Rally2. Toner had previously won the event 5 years in-a-row driving a Ford Escort Mk.2.

Leading retirements included Garry Jennings whose Fiesta didn’t appear after stage three. Top 2-wheel-drive finishers were Jason Black/Karl Egan whose Toyota Starlet was seventh overall. As far as I was concerned, from my radio point on a very fast section of the Kinnegoe stage, the entertainer of the day was Marty Toner who finished 11 in his rear-wheel-drive BMW M1. There were 80 starters and 57 finishers.

I may be wrong, but I think a Ford product (Escort or Fiesta) has won the Loughgall Rally every year since it started, with one exception. In 2021 the event became a one-off round of the covid-curtailed NI Rally Championship and Jonny Greer won in a Citroen C3.

Looking Back

Marshalling Memories

20 Years Ago……2003

During the month of May, Victor and I marshalled a very wet Drumquin Rallysprint. We were up to our knees in a muddy quarry but no major incidents were recorded. Then accompanied by Richard Donaldson and the Hughes family we helped with timekeeping on a very wet and curtailed Tour of the Sperrins Rally. Trevor Moore won for the third time on the extremely rough gravel event. Also in May four of us covered timing on the Glendun stage of Mid Antrim MC’s Ballypatrick Stages Rally.

In June we marshalled four events. First up was the Maiden City Summer Stages Rally where John, Victor, Andy Gibson and I were finish timekeepers on a closed-road stage near Aghadowey stadium (which was also used). Again all went smoothly. Next was the NI Championship Mourne Rally. I was Chief Timekeeper and had lots of club members helping me out. With a total of 12 stages the sealed-surface event organised by Newry and District Motor Club ran faultlessly. There were no less than 101 cars starting. Eugene Donnelly won with championship leader Denis Biggerstaff finishing fourth.

The 2003 Donegal International Rally took place in mid-June. We were covering finish time controls for the three days and were blessed with good weather. All 22 stages ran in spite of a few delays on Saturday as officials struggled to manage a record crowd of spectators on Knockalla as usual. Only a few minor incidents were recorded on the event which was dominated by Andrew Nesbitt in a Subaru Impreza S8. Eugene Donnelly was second in his older Subaru while Derek McGarrity finished third in his S8. Our club ran two stages of the Mid Antrim Festival Stages at Nutts Corner in late June. Victor was Stage Commander as all the usual suspects turned out on a hot summer’s evening (which was my birthday) to assist. The event ran smoothly.

Mark Lovell and co driver Roger Freeman were both killed when their Subaru crashed on a round of the 2003 North American Rally Championship. The car hit a six foot wide tree just a few miles into stage one of the event.

July 2003 was also a busy month for us. On Saturday 5th we covered radio and rescue on the Loughgall Country Park Rally. North Armagh MC looked after us well and the event ran without incident. Then on Bank Holiday Monday 14th Ballynahinch and District MC ran their usual Clubman Rally. This year instead of the normal gravel stages the rally moved to the tarmac and concrete runways of Bishopscourt. Winner here was Martin Elliot in his unique Sydney Meeke built four-wheel-drive Vauxhall Corsa, unbeatable on the twisty stages.

The following Saturday Victor, Ross, John and Anna Hughes plus yours truly found ourselves in Co. Donegal for the Maiden City MC’s Lark in the Park. This year the event started in St. Columb’s Park in Londonderry but then headed for an 8-mile closed road stage near Muff where we were the finish timekeepers. Eugene Donnelly scored his tenth rally victory of the year on this one. Adam Hughes and Neil Anderson provided excellent radio cover at the start and finish of the Donegal stage which meant that between us all car accountability was second to none. The weather for all three July events was excellent.

Rally Diary

Sat. 22nd July.
Carryduff Forklift Down Rally

Fifth and final round of the 2023 Motorsport UK McGrady Insurance Northern Ireland Rally Championship. Based in Lisburn at Lagan Valley Island, the event uses 8 closed-road stages (4 repeated) including the classic Hamilton’s Folly running at almost 9 miles. The Down Rally is also round six of the Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship. The seeded entry list is published at 18.00 on Tuesday 4th July @ rallyscore.net. Jonny Greer won last year and must be favourite again for the win and possibly a third NI Championship in a row.

After four rounds Derek McGarrity leads the championship with 110 points, Aaron McLaughlin has 98, Derek’s son Michael is third on 95 and Greer has 91. When dropped scores are applied, Jonny Greer still can win as he and everyone else can drop their worst scores, only 4 out of the 5 events count. We are providing timekeepers, radio cover, rescue and stage marshals on this event which is organised jointly by Rathfriland & Ballynahinch MC’s. Sign-on @ rallyscore.net

Sat. 5th August.
Premier Car Parts Rally Time Trial

Maiden City MC are the organisers of this new clubman event. Based in Ballykelly at the Shackleton Complex. The event (for rally cars only) will consist of 6 timed runs over a three mile stage, the best 2 runs to count. We are providing rescue, radio cover and stage marshals. Sign-on @ rallyscore.net

Fri. 18th—Sat. 19th August.
Modern Tyres Ulster Rally

Round 4 of the 2023 British Rally Championship

Round 7 of the 2023 Irish Tarmac Rally Championship

Based in Newry the event has four closed-road stages (2 repeated) on Friday and six (3 repeated) on Saturday in Counties Armagh and Down.

Organised by the Northern Ireland Motor Club. We are providing timekeepers, marshals, officials, radio cover, rescue and recovery. 

Leading Ulster entries include Callum Devine in his Polo R5 and Adrien Fourmaux in the latest Fiesta Rally2. Devine leads the ITRC (after his Donegal victory) Fourmaux has won all three rounds so far in the British Championship. Both of these drivers have had failed European and WRC adventures in the past but having returned to “domestic” events are on top form at the moment. More on the Ulster Rally next month.