Author Archive for namcc

Ballylisk Car Sales Orchard Country Targa Rally – Entries open!

Entries are now open for our Ballylisk Car Sales Orchard Country Targa Rally. The event takes place on Saturday 8th October 2022 and will repeat the well-liked layout of previous years, including the smooth special tests and also one new test are this time. Entries open on the Rallyscore online system only, at 19.00hrs on Sunday 18th September 2022. Entries close at 20.00hrs on Saturday 2nd October 2022, or earlier if numbers reached.

Entries Secretary;

Barry Taggart
Telephone +44 (0)7771 892423

(between 16.00hrs and 22.00hrs please)
e-mail: barry27@sky.com

ENTER HERE

Entries Received

DOWNLOAD REGULATIONS

For all the latest information check out our Virtual Noticeboard

LOUGHGALL RALLY CHAMPION TONER GOING FOR SIXTH WIN

Damian Toner and Denver Rafferty 2021 Loughgall Stages Rally

Damian Toner first won the Loughgall Stages Rally in 2015 and is back again this year looking forward to his sixth-year win in his powerful MK2 Escort.


Hoping to spoil Damian’s run of success is Sam Moffett fresh from his second place in Donegal last weekend, he is entered in his Toyota Starlet.


Taking place on Saturday 2 July, the North Armagh Motor Club Ltd organised event now in its 24th year will be held as usual, within the beautiful confines of County Armagh’s Loughgall Country Park.


PRM Group and RPM Motorsport have agreed to sponsor the event again this year. Managing Director, Philip Morrow, said:


“I am delighted to be associated again with such a high-profile motorsport event in Northern Ireland. It provides the perfect fit for our business interests and as a keen car enthusiast, I am looking forward to seeing some of the fastest drivers in the country compete for the spoils in what is a stunning location.”


Competitors will tackle a total of six stages, all based within the confines of the park. The event’s Clerk of Course, William Fullerton, said:


“We are most grateful to PRM Group and RPM Motorsport for their generous and enthusiastic support, and also to Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council, DAERA and AFBI Government Departments and the N.I. Forest Service for the use of Loughgall Country Park.”


Formerly a two-wheel-drive only event, the Loughgall Stages Rally is now open to four-wheel cars also and along with the dominant two wheel drive cars it should provide an exciting and competitive spectacle for spectators.


Regulations and entry forms are still available from www.rallyscore.net and entries are available up until 10.00pm on Sunday 27th June.


Scrutiny begins at Loughgall Country Park for all Competitors from 4.00pm on Friday 1st July where cars and service vehicles may be left overnight in the service area, which will have security present throughout.


Competitors will have the opportunity to walk or cycle the stages from 4.00-8.30pm on Friday 1st July and from 7.00-8.30am on Saturday morning.


There will be an historic, classic and rally car display in the central arena during the event; anyone wishing to bring a suitable display vehicle, the entry is £10 per car and club contact is Alan Dalzell, 07913 675902.


The action starts at 10.00am with all six stages held on tarmac roads and will conclude at 5.00pm. Admission to the event is £10 for adults (which includes a programme) while accompanied children under the age of 16 are admitted free; public car parking available. For more information, visit www.namcc.com

PRM Group & RPM Motorsports Loughgall Stages 2022 – Regulations and Online Entry Submission!

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

The event, which takes place on Saturday 2nd of July, is sponsored by PRM Group & RPM Motorsports, and will feature six stages based within the confines of Loughgall Country Park.

DOWNLOAD REGULATIONS

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

Entries Secretary;

Barry Taggart
Telephone +44 (0)7771 892423

e-mail: barry27@sky.com

Carryduff’s Jonny Greer Wins Orchard Motorsport Kirkistown Stages Rally!

Jonny Greer in action on the opening round of the McGrady Insurance Northern Ireland Rally Championship today, Saturday 19 Februrary, 2022. The event, organised by North Armagh Motor Club, was held at Kirkistown Racing Circuit in Co. Down. (Photo by Graham Baalham-Curry)
Carryduff’s Jonny Greer Wins Orchard Motorsport Kirkistown Stages Rally! Carryduff’s Jonny Greer and Sligo’s Darragh Mullen secured victory at today’s Orchard Motorsport Kirkistown Stages Rally, round one of the McGrady Insurance Motorsport UK Northern Ireland Rally Championship!

Greer snatched the lead from early leader Stephen Wright after stage two and stayed in front until the finish. Once the reigning champion was out in front, he never let go as he rallied his Citroen C3 home to secure the spoils at what was a tricky day at County Down’s Kirkistown Race Circuit.

Rain in the morning left the track extremely slippery for the North Armagh Motor Club organised event. Even when the clouds dispersed to reveal blue skies during the afternoon, competitors still had to contend with a very slippery surface. Then a splash of rain before the final test dampened the track some more but Greer took it all in his stride to secure the win, getting his title defence off to the best possible start.

“We lost a bit of time on the first stage when another car stopped in front of us,” Greer said. “After that, we had a clean drive and it’s great to get the win!”

The fight for second position went right down to the wire between Phillip Allen and Derek McGarrity. Former champion McGarrity and navigator Graham Henderson really piled on the pressure in their Skoda Fabia R5 during the closing stages with a string of fastest times. Allen and navigator Emily Turkington were being hunted down and they tried to do everything they could to fend off the challenge over the closing miles.

Going into the final stage, it was Allen who held the upper hand by 1.1s from his rival. However, a delighted McGarrity turned the deficit on its head with another fastest time to seal the runner-up spot by just seven-tenths of a second, leaving Allen to settle for third in his Fiesta R5.

“I was trying too hard,” a frustrated Allen said at the finish. “I was overdriving the car and made a few mistakes.”

In fourth overall, two-time Kirkistown winner Stephen Wright was a little bit dejected after a problem on stage two. He and Ger Conway had been fastest on the opening test to lead the rally from Greer, only to get caught behind another competitor on stage two. They lost around 10 seconds as well as any chance to fight for the win.

“I took a chance and entered the last stage with wet compound tyres in the hope it might rain,” Wright said, “but it wasn’t to be. I was really frustrated after that second stage but hopefully we’ll be back for round two at Bishopscourt.”

Such was the ferocity of competition at Kirkistown that just 5.3s separated the top three overall at the end of the event, with winner Greer claiming the victory by 4.6s from McGarrity.

Outside the top four, Darren Gass and Marc McMillan were the best of the rest in their Citroen C3 R5. They survived an overshoot which thrust them over some trackside tyres on stage two. A few lurid slides later, they claimed fifth ahead of the Fiesta WRC belonging to Aaron McLaughlin and Darren Curran. 

On what was his first visit to Kirkistown, McLaughlin gradually improved as the day progressed. After a couple of early trips off the track, he claimed a number of top three stage times to seal sixth from the Fiesta piloted by Mark Massey and Alistair Wyllie.

Joseph McGonigle and Ciaran Geaney were eighth ahead of the Impreza WRC belonging to Alan and Lewis Carmichael, with young Lewis enjoying his maiden event as a navigator. Finally, Michael McGarrity and Damian Garvey completed the top 10 despite a misfire with their Fiesta R5.

Two-Wheel-Drive

In the hotly contested two-wheel-drive category, Andrew White and Paul Hughes quickly got the attention of their rivals when they went fastest out of the blocks during the morning’s wet stages.

However, as the track started to dry, James and Heather Kennedy started to reel them in. The experienced husband and wife team eventually overhauled their rivals with the Kennedys taking the category spoils by just 6.8s, leaving White to settle for second.

“I wish it had stayed wet!” a delighted White said after sealing second position. “We picked the wrong tyres for the middle loop of stages but we really didn’t expect to be up there fighting for the win. It was a great day!”

Jamie Grant and Jonny Chambers finished third in the category with their Starlet, taking 22nd overall in the process. They had to fix a burst brake pipe before the event had even started but survived to tell the tale.

Next event

Round two of the McGrady Insurance Motorsport UK Northern Ireland Rally Championship takes place in a couple of weeks’ time at Bishopscourt Race Circuit. Based near Downpatrick, the Race and Rally Bishopscourt Stages will host another octane-fuelled event on 12 March.

For more information, including stage-by-stage reports from the Orchard Motorsport Kirkistown Stages, visit nirallychampionship.com.

Orchard Motorsport Kirkistown Stages Rally Results (Top 10)

1 Jonny Greer/Darragh Mullen (Citroen C3) 32m38.8s
2 Derek McGarrity/Graham Henderson (Skoda Fabia) +4.6s
3 Phillip Allen/Emily Turkington (Ford Fiesta) +5.3s
4 Stephen Wright/Ger Conway (Ford Fiesta) +15.3s
5 Darren Gass/Marc McMillan (Citroen C3) +17.2s
6 Aaron McLaughlin/Darren Curran (Ford Fiesta WRC) +29.2s
7 Mark Massey/Alistair Wyllie (Ford Fiesta) +37.9s
8 Joseph McGonigle/Ciaran Geaney (Ford Fiesta) 43.9s
9 Alan Carmichael/Lewis Carmichael (Subaru Impreza WRC) +1m04.6s
10 Michael McGarrity/Damian Garvey (Ford Fiesta) +1m37.3s

Full results are available from rallyscore.net.

ENDS.
 

Rally Crews Rev Up for NI Championship Opener at Kirkistown!

Image caption: Fintan McGrady and Aidan Hughes are gearing up for the Orchard Motorsport Kirkistown Stages, round one of the McGrady Insurance Northern Ireland Rally Championship. The event takes place this Saturday 19 February at County Down’s Kirkistown Race Circuit. (Image: Bill Swann)
Motorsport bursts back into action at Kirkistown Race Circuit this Saturday 19 February for round one of the McGrady Insurance Northern Ireland Rally Championship, the Orchard Motorsport Kirkistown Stages Rally!

Organised by North Armagh Motor Club Ltd, Stephen Wright and Ger Conway head a high-quality entry list for the six-stage event, which is open for spectators to attend, but two-times event winner Wright will have his work cut out as he bids to take his third consecutive victory at Kirkistown

A host of former champions and event winners will be eyeing up the crown, including reigning champion, Jonny Greer, in his Citroen C3. Navigated on this occasion by Darragh Mullen, it was Greer who claimed his second N.I. Championship title last year. The Carryduff driver is back to defend his crown at what will be the first of five championship rounds that will take place between February and July.

Also in a Citroen C3 will be Darren Gass and James McCarville. Markethill’s Gass has enjoyed some sporadic outings in recent years and finished runner-up at Kirkistown in 2019. 

Derek McGarrity is an eight-time N.I. champion, with successes that span a 20-year period after his maiden crown was secured in 2002. He and Graham Henderson will be in the Orchard Motorsport mix with their Skoda Fabia while Aaron McLaughlin and Kenny McKinstry have a pair of Fiesta WRCs at their disposal.

Others to keep an eye on include Philip Allen (Fiesta R5), Scottish visitor Nigel Feeney (Fiesta WRC), plus another quartet of Fiesta R5 crews that include Emma McKinstry, Joe McGonigle, Mark Massey and Kieron Graffin.

The two-wheel-drive category adds to the wonderful array of machinery with James Kennedy (Escort MkII), Jamie Grant (Starlet), Niall Carey (BMW) and Championship sponsor, Fintan McGrady, in a brand new historic specification Escort.

McGrady Insurance’s sponsorship of this year’s series marks the Downpatrick based firm’s 30th year of support for motorsport in Northern Ireland. 

McGrady Insurance Director, Fintan McGrady, said:

“The motorsport community in Northern Ireland is a tight-knit and loyal band of enthusiasts which I have had the pleasure of being supported by in both sport and business. I am delighted to support the N.I. Rally Championship as a way of giving back to the community that has made such an important contribution to McGrady Insurance over the years.”

McGrady Insurance’s sponsorship will cover the five main championship events as well as the three-event Forest Challenge that runs separately from the Northern Ireland series.

Timetable

The rally starts at 9.15am with all six stages held within Kirkistown Race Circuit. Admission to the event is £10 per person. Event sponsor, Orchard Motorsport, will be on-site with a display of scale models and clothing.

For more information, including regular updates as Saturday’s rally progresses, visit nirallychampionship.com or follow on Facebook at fb.com/nirallying. Live results will be available from rallyscore.net.

ENDS.

Orchard Motorsport Kirkistown Stages 2022 – Regulations and Online Entry Submission!

2020 Winners Stephen Wright & Gary McKenna / Gary Craig Motorsport Photography

Regulations and Online Entry Submission are now available for round one of the 2022 McGrady Insurance Motorsport UK Northern Ireland Rally Championship, the North Armagh Motor Club Ltd Orchard Motorsport Kirkistown Stages.

The event, which takes place on Saturday 19th February, is sponsored by Orchard Motorsport, and will feature six stages based within the confines of Co.Down’s Kirkistown Motor Racing Circuit.

DOWNLOAD REGULATIONS

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

Please submit your competed online entry form, including the appropriate fees and seeding information promptly in order to allow us as organisers to be able to confirm the running of the event and the availability of all the necessary services and equipment at the earliest date possible.

***YOUR ENTRY WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED UNTIL YOUR ONLINE ENTRY FEE PAYMENT HAS BEEN RECEIVED***

Entries Secretary;

Charlie Deering
Telephone +44 (0)7519 828407
e-mail: kirkistownstagesrally@gmail.com
Enquires only between 6.00pm and 10.00pm weekdays, 1.00pm and 6.00pm weekends

ORCHARD MOTORSPORT SPONSORS N.I. RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP 2022 OPENER!

North Armagh Motor Club is pleased to announce that ORCHARD MOTORSPORT will sponsor the opening round of this year’s McGrady Insurance Motorsport UK N.I. Rally Championship.

Based at Kirkistown Race Circuit on Saturday 19 February, the Orchard Motorsport Kirkistown Stages, which is organised and promoted by North Armagh Motor Club Ltd, will attract the crème de la crème of local rally talent as they battle for the spoils at the popular County Down venue.

Barry Taggart, Clerk of the Course for the event, said: “We are delighted to have secured the support of Orchard Motorsport. We are privileged to be associated with Brian Stinson, a long-standing supporter of North Armagh Motor Club, motorsport in general and rallying in particular.”

Orchard Motorsport was established in 1986 and has become the leading Motorsport & Agri-models and clothing merchandise supplier throughout Ireland from their shop in Armagh, online via www.orchardmotorsport.co.uk and their display stand at major events.

“I’m delighted to have the opportunity to support North Armagh Motor Club and the opening round of the N. I. Rally Championship 2022,” commented Orchard Motorsport Managing Director, Brian Stinson. “There’s always a lot of buzz surrounding the opening round of the championship and Kirkistown is always a well-supported event so it’s great to be a part of it and meet the rally fans at the event.”

Competitors will tackle six stages within the confines of Kirkistown Race Circuit, which will include changes from the 2020 stages (last time ran) to maximise the mileage. In an effort satisfy all competitors’ needs, vehicle scrutiny will be on Saturday morning only, before the rally, with the opening stage set to start around 9.30am. The finish will be around 4.30pm. The stages will be minimum 90% sealed surface.

The rally will comply with current COVID 19 rules and Regulations. Entries can only be made via www.rallyscore.net Regulations and future rally information will be available from the rally virtual noticeboard at www.namcc.com  Entries open on RallyScore on Sunday 23 January 2022 at 7.00pm.

If anyone would be available to marshal, contact Caroline McGuinness on 07792 037441 .

Kirkistown Stages Rally – Saturday 19th February 2022…

2020 Winners Stephen Wright & Gary McKenna / Gary Craig Motorsport Photography

***Regulations and online Entries open for this year’s ‘Kirkistown Stages Rally’ the first round of ‘The McGrady Insurance Motorsport UK N.I. Rally Championship’ on Sunday 23rd of January 2022 @ 19:00hrs***

Ballylisk Car Sales Orchard Country Targa Rally – Entries open!

Entries are now open for our Ballylisk Car Sales Orchard Country Targa Rally. The event takes place on Saturday 9th October 2021 and will be based within Loughgall Country Park and a number of nearby private locations. Entries open on the Rallyscore online system only, at 19.00hrs on Sunday 19th September 2021. Entries close at 20.00hrs on Saturday 2nd October 2021, or earlier if numbers reached.

Entries Secretary:

Barry Taggart, mob: 07771 892423 (between 16.00hrs and 22.00hrs please), email:
barryt27@sky.com

ENTER HERE

Entry List

DOWNLOAD REGULATIONS

Carryduff’s Jonny Greer Claims Loughgall Win to Extend N.I. Rally Championship Lead!

Jonny Greer and Kirsty Riddick secured victory at today’s PRM Group/RPM Motorsport-backed Loughgall Stages Rally, round three of the McGrady Insurance Motorsport UK N.I. Rally Championship!

Based within the beautiful confines of County Armagh’s Loughgall Country Park, a capacity entry of 100 crews tackled six tree-lined stages. Championship leader Greer started the North Armagh Motor Club event as the number one seed in his potent Citroen C3 and was determined to make amends after his round two disappointment at Shackleton.

On that occasion, Greer looked set to win the event until a final stage puncture dropped him down the leaderboard, handing victory to Desi and Mark Henry. And it was Henry who started Loughgall as he finished the previous event – at the top of the timesheets.

The Portglenone driver powered through the opening stage 2.4 seconds faster than reigning champion Stephen Wright and Liam Moynihan, while Greer was a cautious third. However, the tables turned on stage two when Henry lost time with fuel pump troubles.

Greer capitalised on Henry’s woes and powered to the top of the leaderboard, moving in front of both Henry and Stephen Wright. Then, when stage three started, Henry was nowhere to be seen as his mechanics were busy beavering away on his Hyundai, trying to replace the broken pump.

It looked as though the struggling Hyundai pilot was either out of the rally or, if the car was fixed in time, would potentially incur some ‘late arrival’ penalties. But in a twist of fate, stage three was subsequently cancelled as a result of an issue outside of the organising motor club’s control.

A handful of crews had already completed the stage while those competitors who didn’t complete the stage – including Henry – were awarded a notional stage time. According to motorsport rules, this was the time set by the last competitor who successfully completed the cancelled test. That left Henry some 14 seconds adrift of the leaders with little chance of clawing back that time.

Then, in another twist of fate, organisers opted to scrap everyone’s stage three times. Suddenly, the battle between Greer and Henry was back on and by the end of stage five, it appeared as though one-tenth of a second separated the two drivers.

However, after consultation of the motorsport rulebook, organisers opted to reinstate those stage three times before the start of the final stage. That meant rally leader Greer had an advantage of more than nine seconds over Stephen Wright, with Desi Henry in third.

All Greer needed to do was to keep his Citroen neat and tidy through the final miles to claim victory and bolster his N.I. Championship lead. But that was easier said than done. The heavens opened before the test and organisers were forced to postpone the start on safety grounds.

Eventually, crews were allowed to tackle the rain-soaked stage with Greer taking a measured approach to secure the Loughgall spoils!

“The final stage was really difficult,” Greer said. “We were nearly caught out on some standing water. We just had to wait for the car to straighten itself.”

Desi and Mark Henry pulled out all the stops over stage six to reclaim second position from Stephen Wright. In the end, they finished 6.4 seconds behind the rally winners and were left rueing their earlier mechanical troubles.

“I think it’s safe to say we lost the rally on a technicality,” Henry said. “I think we were the fastest here today but it is what it is.”

In third position, Stephen Wright and Liam Moynihan lost time with a couple of minor mistakes throughout the day that may have cost them second position.

“I made a mistake at a square-left on the final stage and the car had a bit of a tank slapper,” Wright revealed. “That was probably the difference between second and third.”

Aidan Wray and Kieran McGrath claimed fourth overall in their Fiesta R5. It was Wray’s first visit to Loughgall and only his second event in the car. A half-spin cost them some time earlier in the day but it made little difference to the result.

In fifth overall, an excellent drive by Damian Toner and Denver Rafferty in their two-wheel-drive Ford Escort MkII saw them net the 2WD category victory. Toner is a five-times consecutive winner of the Loughgall Rally but this was the first time the event hosted a round of the N.I. Championship, which is dominated by powerful 4WD crews.

Toner failed to let the added competition faze him as made his intentions clear from the outset. The Escort pilot led the 2WD category from start to finish and was never outside the top five overall.

It is unusual for a 2WD crew to place so high, especially in the damp conditions experienced at Loughgall. Had it been dry, who knows where he might have finished!

Barry Morris and Dylan Doonan were equally impressive as they secured second in the 2WD class as well as sixth overall in their lightweight Darrian T90. Morris had been embroiled in a battle with Jason Black and Karl Egan until the Starlet crew lost time with multiple punctures. Black even managed to set some fastest 2WD times but was forced to settle for third 2WD and eighth overall.

Sandwiched between the Darrian and the Starlet in seventh were Derek McGarrity and Paddy Robinson. The Fiesta WRC crew were unable to find a rally-winning pace but still picked up some vital championship points.

Peadar Hurson and Damien Connolly recovered from an early spin to finish ninth with their Fiesta WRC, while John Bradley and Ryan Crozier completed the top 10 in their Escort MkII.

Outside the top 10, Aaron McLaughlin and Darren Curran were left rueing a jump-start on stage three. They incurred a one-minute penalty which ultimately dropped them out of a potential fifth-placed finish to 13th overall.

Peter Bennett and Joe Comerford retired their Skoda Fabia S2000 after clipping a tree with a rear-wheel on stage one. Nicky Caughey and Graeme Stewart retired their Evo with mechanical trouble after stage three while Arnie Lutton and Safron Thomas, who made her return to navigating for the first time in more than 10 years, were forced out with driveshaft trouble on stage four.

Next Event

Competitors can now enjoy a two-month break before they are back in action at October’s Tour of the Sperrins Rally. The penultimate round of the N.I. Championship is due to take place on 16 October. Visit nirallychampionship.com for more information.

ENDS.

Results (Top 10)

1 Jonny Greer/Kirsty Riddick (Citroen C3) 24m29.8s
2 Desi Henry/Mark Henry (Hyundai i20 R5) +6.4s
3 Stephen Wright/Liam Moynihan (Ford Fiesta) +9.1s
4 Aidan Wray/Kieran McGrath (Ford Fiesta) +33.0s
5 Damian Toner/Denver Rafferty (Ford Escort MkII) +39.2s
6 Barry Morris/Dylan Doonan (Darrian T90) +50.1s
7 Derek McGarrity/Paddy Robinson (Ford Fiesta WRC) +1m00.3s
8 Jason Black/Karl Egan (Toyota Starlet) +1m06.4s
9 Peadar Hurson/Damian Connolly (Ford Fiesta WRC) +1m11.4s
10 John Bradley/Ryan Crozier (Ford Escort MkII) +1m13.4s

Full results are available from rallyscore.net.

N.I. Rally Championship Battle Heats Up in Loughgall Country Park on Saturday!

Motorsport returns to Loughgall Country Park this Saturday for round three of the McGrady Insurance Motorsport UK N.I. Rally Championship – and for the first time since March last year, spectators will be permitted to attend!

The PRM GROUP and RPM MOTORSPORT backed Loughgall Stages Rally has received a capacity entry of 100 crews that will battle for the spoils within the beautiful confines of the County Armagh park. They will tackle a total of six stages, all based in the park, providing an exciting and adrenaline-fuelled day out for spectators at the North Armagh Motor Club organised event.

It will be the first time that the rally has hosted a round of the Championship and for many of the title contenders, it will be their first visit to the potentially tricky venue. The tree-lined stages can be slippery in places and will favour those brave drivers who are fast and precise.

The Contenders

The battle for the 2021 Championship title is really beginning to heat up with just four points separating the top four crews. All of the contenders have entered Loughgall with former champions, Jonny Greer and Kirsty Riddick, starting the event with the coveted ‘number one’ on the doors of their Citroen C3.

Greer won the opening round of this year’s series at Bishopscourt and was on course to take another win at round two until a final stage puncture dropped him down the order at Shackleton. That disappointment has left him with a two-point championship lead.

Desi and Mark Henry claimed that last gasp win at Shackleton, making up for their opening round retirement in their Hyundai i20 R5. They start Loughgall at number two and can’t afford another non-finish as they bid to get their title campaign back on track.

Reigning champion, Stephen Wright, holds second in the championship battle, only two points adrift of Greer. Navigated by Liam Moynihan in his Fiesta R5, the County Monaghan driver starts at number three ahead of Josh Moffett and Andy Hayes who should be match fit in their Hyundai R5 after their fifth-placed finish at last weekend’s British Championship Grampian Stages.

Derek McGarrity is the most successful driver ever to contest the Northern Ireland series. With eight championship titles to his credit, he is in the hunt for number nine but has had a challenging start to the year. Navigated by Paddy Robinson, misfiring issues with his Fiesta WRC set him back at the second event of the season but he still holds fourth in the series standings, four points adrift of the leaders.

Aaron McLaughlin and Darren Curran have perhaps been the surprise of this year’s series. Two top-five finishes, including second at Shackleton, have left them third in the championship battle with their Fiesta R5. The Redcastle driver starts the Loughgall event at number seven, behind former event winners, Damian Toner and Denver Rafferty.

The Loughgall event has predominantly been a two-wheel-drive-only rally for many years and Toner is the driver who has dominated in recent times. With five consecutive victories to his name, he has intimate knowledge of the venue. He could spring a surprise in his Ford Escort MkII as he fights to stop the dominance of Barry Morris’ Darrian who heads the championship’s two-wheel-drive category standings after very convincing victories at the opening two rounds.

Other leading lights include Peadar Hurson (Fiesta WRC), Niall Henry (Fiesta R5) and Ian Millar (Fiesta R5) while the two-wheel-drive category includes John Bradley (Escort MkII), Adrian Hetherington (Escort MkII), James Kennedy (Escort MkII) and Marty Toner (BMW).

Timetable

The rally starts at 9.30am with all six stages held on tarmac roads within Loughgall Country Park. Admission to the event is £10 for adults (which includes a programme) while accompanied children under the age of 16 will be admitted free of charge.

Competitors please note: North Armagh Motor Club has arranged security at the event service park giving competitors the opportunity to leave their trailers and vehicles overnight.

Regular event updates will be posted throughout the day at nirallychampionship.com while live results will be available from rallyscore.net.

Top 20 Seeds

1 Jonny Greer/Kirsty Riddick (Citroen C3)
2 Desi Henry/Mark Henry (Hyundai i20 R5)
3 Stephen Wright/Liam Moynihan (Ford Fiesta R5)
4 Josh Moffett/Andy Hayes (Hyundai i20 R5)
5 Derek McGarrity/Paddy Robinson (Ford Fiesta WRC)
6 Damian Toner/Denver Rafferty (Ford Escort MkII)
7 Aaron McLaughlin/Darren Curran (Ford Fiesta)
8 Peadar Hurson/Damien Connolly (Ford Fiesta WRC)
9 Niall Henry/Barney Mitchell (Ford Fiesta)
10 Ian Millar/David Burns (Ford Fiesta R5)
11 John Bradley/Ryan Crozier (Ford Escort MkII)
12 Barry Morris/Dylan Doonan (Darrian T90)
14 Adrian Hetherington/Ronan O’Neill (Ford Escort MkII)
15 James Kennedy/Heather Kennedy (Ford Escort MkII)
16 Marty Toner/Kyle Diffin (BMW)
17 Gareth Irwin/Justin McCauley (Ford Escort)
18 Michael McGarrity/Damian Garvey (Ford Fiesta R5)
19 Sean Devine/Niall Devine (Ford Fiesta R5)
20 Peter Bennett/Joe Comerford (Skoda Fabia S2000)

Drivers’ Championship Standings (After Round 2)

1 Jonny Greer 56pts
2 Stephen Wright 54pts
3 Aaron McLaughlin 53pts
4 Derek McGarrity 52pts
5 Peadar Hurson 45pts
6 Barry Morris 44pts

ENDS.