Park attraction – Loughgall hosts Brown & Brown NI Rally Championship

Brown & Brown Northern Ireland Rally Championship leader Aaron McLaughlin heads the RPM & PRM Loughgall Stages on Saturday July 5 as a two-time winner of the County Armagh round, writes William Neill.

Following maximum points at both Bishopscourt and the Tour of the Sperrins only Niall Devine got the better scoop of points from Donegal’s McLaughlin at the last Maiden City outing.

The six park-based stages have been the home of much success for Damian Toner and he will be a challenger for the rally win in a Ford Escort Mk2, under the guidance of Thomas Traynor in car two.

Jason Black’s local rally has attracted him back in a Toyota Starlet with Karl Egan, while the Proton Satria of Marty Toner adds some early variety to the entry of over 60 cars.

Currently second in the Brown & Brown supported series, Conor Wilson and Kyle McDaid will hope to reduce the ten-point advantage McLaughlin holds. The Hyundai i20 R5 starts as car five ahead of Peadar Hurson and Damien Connolly in a Volkswagen Polo R5 before a duo of Ford Fiesta R5s with Shane Murray/Martin Fitzpatrick and Trevor Ferguson/Michael Laverty.

The Ford Escort Mk2 is a fan favourite at the spectator friendly rally and among the top seeded drivers are Newry’s John Gordon, Bushmill’s based Alastair Cochrane and Antrim’s James Kennedy.

Jaye Nevin has shown great form this season with a rear-wheel-drive Peugeot 205 and will likely upset the run of Escorts come the final results.

Other entries include Stranraer visitor Martyn Erskine in a Mitsubishi Lancer, Kenny Anderson from the Birches at his first rally in a Renault Clio and Donna McElherron will round off the starters – and bring us back in time – with an Austin Mini.

Away from the stages spectators can get up close to the cars in the service area held within the Loughgall Country Park, see a static car display and watch radio control car racing. Admission is £10 per adult and includes both parking and programme while stock lasts. Accompanied under 16-year-olds attend for free. Action starts at 9.30am with prizegiving scheduled for 5pm.

1 Aaron McLaughlin/Darren Curran (Volkswagen Polo R5);

2 Damian Toner/Thomas Traynor (Ford Escort Mk2);

3 Jason Black/Karl Egan (Toyota Starlet);

4 Marty Toner/David Wright (Proton Satria);

5 Conor Wilson/Kyle McDaid (Hyundai i20 R5);

6 Peadar Hurson/Damien Connolly (Volkswagen Polo R5);

7 Shane Murray/Martin Fitzpatrick (Ford Fiesta R5);

8 Trevor Ferguson/Michael Laverty (Ford Fiesta R5);

9 John Gordon/Lucy Gordon (Ford Escort Mk2);

10 Alastair Cochrane/TBA (Ford Escort Mk2).

Photo caption: Photos: www.NeillPics.com

1. Conor Wilson sits ten points behind Brown & Brown Motorsport UK Northern Ireland Rally Championship leaders Aaron McLaughlin and Darren Curran with two rounds to go.

Brown & Brown Motorsport UK Northern Ireland Rally Championship 2025

RD1:March 8 Race & Rally Bishopscourt Stages – Ballynahinch & District MC

RD2:April 5 GO Tour of the Sperrins – Magherafelt & DMC

RD3:May 24 Eakin Brothers Brian James Trailers Stages – Maiden City MC

RD4:July 5 PRM Loughgall Stages – North Armagh Motor Club

RD5:July 19 R Kings Down Rally – Rathfriland Motor Club

RD4:October 11 Dogleap Rally – Maiden City MC

RD5:November 15 Fivemiletown – Omagh MC

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Northern Ireland Rally Championships lined up for 2025 season!

The Motorsport UK Northern Ireland Rally Championships will get underway in Fivemiletown later this month with both the gravel and sealed surface events totalling ten rounds at nine rallies in what is set to be a bumper year, writes William Neill.

The NI Forest Rally Challenge opener, supported by Samsonas, already has an almost half-full entry ready to tackle the event prepared by Omagh Motor Club before attention switches to the Northern Ireland Rally Championship schedule that leads us to summer.

The Race & Rally Bishopscourt Stages will return on March 8 with a single-lap format that proved popular last season, using a mix of the main race circuit and surrounding roadways that eliminates splits and merges on the stages. From there it is over to road-closed events starting with the GO Tour of the Sperrins on April 5 and Eakin Brothers Maiden City Stages on May 24.

North Armagh Motor Club has moved its round from Kirkistown to Loughgall for the first time since 2021 and the Down Rally will round out the sealed surfaces where drivers compete alongside the Protyre Asphalt Rally Championship runners.

Heading into the remaining gravel rallies over the course of September and October the event names are familiar but, following the Trailer Parts Lakeland Stages, will be a two-day McKelvey Bushwhacker Rally. Each leg will count as a round in regards to championship points.

The return of the Dogleap Rally last year was a popular decision and Maiden City Motor Club has placed its effort behind the continuation of the event steeped in history.

Rallies themselves will feature the new for 2025 class structure mandated by governing body, Motorsport UK to align regional championships. Additionally the top-spec category eligible for points will be the latest homologated Rally2 and R5 four-wheel-drive cars. Modified cars with larger non-homologated turbocharger restrictors of 34mm (homologated cars use a 32mm restrictor) can take part on individual rallies and compete for class awards, but are not eligible for the championship to keep in line with the Motorsport Ireland Forest Championship set to visit some of the same events.

Motorsport UK Northern Ireland Rally Championship 2025

RD1:March 8 Race & Rally Bishopscourt Stages – Ballynahinch & District MC

RD2:April 5 GO Tour of the Sperrins – Magherafelt & DMC

RD3:May 24 Eakin Brothers Brian James Trailers Stages – Maiden City MC

RD4:July 5 PRM Loughgall Stages – North Armagh Motor Club

RD5:July 19 Down Rally – Rathfriland Motor Club

Motorsport UK Northern Ireland Forest Rally Challenge 2025

RD1:February 22 Samsonas Fivemiletown – Omagh MC

RD2:September 6 Trailer Parts Lakeland Stages – Enniskillen MC

RD3:September 19 McKelvey Bushwhacker Rally – Omagh MC (Leg 1)

RD4:September 20 McKelvey Bushwhacker Rally – Omagh MC (Leg 2)RD5:October 11 Dogleap Rally – Maiden City MC

ATTACHED PHOTOS

Photos may be used free of charge with credit to William Neill / www.NeillPics.com

Captions

DM: The 2024 Northern Ireland Forest Rally Challenge title holder, Derek Mackarel.

JG: Last year’s Northern Ireland Rally Championship winner Jonny Greer.

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Capacity entry for PRM & RPM Motorsport Loughgall Stages Rally

Aaron McLaughlin will start as favourite at the PRM & RPM Motorsport Loughgall Stages Rally on Saturday July 6, with both the spectator-friendly Loughgall Country Park and nearby closed road test on the agenda, writes William Neill.
 
The number one seed will be looking for his third Loughgall win in a row following a switch to a Volkswagen Polo Rally2. Victory, with Darren Curran, has come this year already at St Angelo Stages back in May and the pair arrive in County Armagh following their three-day home rally – the Donegal International. Seat time has been a plenty and will stand the crew well.

Regular visitors to North Armagh Motor Club events will recall a fourth place finish at the Echlinville Distillery Stages Rally that got the McGrady Insurance Northern Ireland Rally Championship underway – a series in which McLaughlin remains in contention of for a podium finish.

Aidan Wray was close to winning last year despite only one fastest stage mid-event. Returning in an IN Sport Volkswagen Polo Rally2, the Strabane driver is joined, on this occasion, by Niall Burns.

In car three, a Skoda Fabia Rally2, Eddie Doherty and Tom Murphy cemented their place as front-running contenders with second at this year’s Circuit of Munster – Callum Devine the only man ahead – after the eight-stage event and now lead the Triton Showers National Rally Championship.

Damian Toner first won Loughgall in 2015 and quickly became the man to beat within the technical but fast park stages. After a taste of a Ford Fiesta R5 last year, the Armagh driver is weighing up options of either the same again or returning to his trusty Ford Escort Mk2 that would see him as top two-wheel-drive runner in car four.

Jason Black, on his local rally, starts at five with Karl Egan alongside in a Toyota Starlet, ahead of Marty Toner and Ben Teggart with a Proton Millington adding to the variety.

Camillus and John Bradley will keep the Escort fans happy before Ben McFall, who leads the Junior category in the Northern Ireland championship, in a Mitsubishi Lancer E9.

Other entries include former winner Norman Armstrong, while Adrian Hetherington debuts a Rallysport Development Ltd Fiat 131 and Graeme Nesbitt, son of two-time Irish champion Andrew Nesbitt, continues his opening year at the wheel. 

Action starts with the first of seven stages at 10am within the park where there will also be a static show, service area for the 80 competitors and the champagne finish at 4.45pm, followed by prize giving.
Admission is £10 per adult with under 16 free and includes a free programme at the entrance. Car parking within the park is also included.

ENTRY LIST:
Full list will be available at www.rallyscore.net

1 Aaron McLaughlin/Darren Curran (Volkswagen Polo Rally2);
2 Aidan Wray/Niall Burns (Volkswagen Polo Rally2);
3 Eddie Doherty/Tom murphy (Skoda Fabia Rally2);
4 Damian Toner/TBA (Ford Escort Mk2);
5 Jason Black/Karl Egan (Toyota Starlet);
6 Marty Toner/Ben Teggart (Proton Millington);
7 Camillus Bradley/Crawford Henderson (Ford Escort Mk2);
8 John Bradley/Ryan Crozier (Ford Escort Mk2);
9 Ben McFall/TBA (Mitsubishi Lancer E9);
10 Gareth Black/Conor Dunlop (Toyota Starlet).

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PRM Group & RPM Motorsports Loughgall Stages Rally 2024 – Regulations and Online Entry Submission!

[Loughgall Country Park stages and Kinnegoe closed public road special stages]

Regulations and Online Entry Submission are now available for the North Armagh Motor Club Ltd PRM Group & RPM Motorsports Loughgall Stages Rally.

The event, which takes place on Saturday 6th of July, is sponsored by PRM Group & RPM Motorsports, and will feature seven stages, four within the confines of Loughgall Country Park. and three on nearby closed Public Roads.

DOWNLOAD REGULATIONS

Entries for the event should be completed online (including Online payment) at www.rallyscore.net

All correspondence will be posted on Digital Notice Board (DNB): Sportity App (Sign in – LGSR)

Online link: https://webapp.sportity.com/channel/LGSR

Entries Secretary;

Barry Taggart
Telephone +44 (0)7771 892423
e-mail: barry27@sky.com

Note: Enquires only between 6.00pm and 9.00pm weekdays

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