Wright Wins Closest Battle in Championship History at Eurocables Belfast Kirkistown Stages!

Stephen Wright and Ger Conway won the Eurocables Belfast Kirkistown Stages in their Ford Fiesta R5. (Image: Graham Baalham-Curry).

Stephen Wright and Ger Conway emerged victorious at the Eurocables Belfast Kirkistown Stages Rally after one of the closest finishes in the history of the McGrady Insurance Motorsport UK Northern Ireland Rally Championship!

The Ford Fiesta R5 powered crew held off a hard-charging Jonny Greer and Brian Crawford to win the event by just one-tenth of a second after six hard-fought stages around County Down’s Kirkistown Race Circuit.

Organised by North Armagh Motor Club, the event attracted more than 70 entries from some of the country’s top rally talent. With more than 20 top-spec R5 rally cars and a strong two-wheel-drive contingent, a tight battle for the spoils was expected but nobody could have predicted just how close that battle transpired to be.

Reigning champion, Jonny Greer, led the field off the start ramp but it was Stephen Wright who raised eyebrows after the damp opening stage. The two-times event winner set the pace by an impressive 5.1s while his rivals struggled with tyre choice. The gap might well have been even larger, only for Wright to be slowed by another competing car during his second lap of the track.

“We lost a few seconds behind another car,” Wright explained, “so the gap could have been bigger. It’s a good start but I know that Jonny (Greer) usually gets faster as the event progresses so we’ll see how it goes.”

Both second-placed Greer and third-placed Derek McGarrity admitted that they had selected tyres with a compound that was too hard for the conditions. After a brief spell in the service area, their respective cars were fitted with a new set of tyres and they went on the attack.

The new tyres worked a treat and Greer was fastest through stage two, almost halving Wright’s lead in the process. However, Wright was determined to seal his third Kirkistown win and went back on the attack. He claimed the fastest times through stages three and four but only by one-tenth of a second from Greer on both occasions.

By this point, third-placed Derek McGarrity had started to drop back. He was 16 seconds in arrears after his efforts were thwarted by a misfire. Instead of fighting for victory, he was trying to keep a hard-charging Aaron McLaughlin and Gareth Sayers behind him.

As for event leader Wright and second-placed Greer, they both entered the final two stages in determined form. Greer was back to his stage-winning ways on stage five and took a small chunk of time out of his rival to leave the gap at 1.2s with one stage two go.

“We’re already at maximum attack,” Greer said after the stage “It’s a bit more difficult for us because we’re running in class 10 to score championship points. That means we have a bit less power. Second is enough for maximum championship points but I’d still like to win the rally.”

Having less power didn’t stop the Carryduff driver from trying to snatch victory from Wright’s grasp and after another fastest time through the final stage, he almost turned the tables. But it wasn’t quite enough. Wright had also had a strong run through the test and he managed to fend off the challenge – by one-tenth of a second!

“I can’t believe it!” a delighted Wright said at the stage finish. “I did everything I could on the last stage. I’m not doing the championship this year but hopefully I’ll be able to get out on a few more rounds.”

Greer had to settle for second position on this occasion but he still secured a maximum championship points, placing him at the head of the McGrady Insurance N.I. Championship tables. It marked a near-perfect start to his title defence.

In the tussle for third overall, Derek McGarrity’s misfiring troubles continued into the final stages. Suspected to be caused by a fuelling issue, it cost him some precious seconds and he eventually fell into the clutches of both Aaron McLaughlin and Gareth Sayers.

McLaughlin and navigator Darren Curran secured the final podium position while Sayers and Gareth Gilchrist took fourth after a day that saw them struggle with the handling of their Fiesta in the tighter corners.

McGarrity and Graham Henderson just managed to cling on to fifth overall ahead of Stuart Biggerstaff and Anthony Nestor. In his efforts to catch McGarrity, Biggerstaff claimed a couple of top three fastest stage times but had to settle for sixth, just four-tenths of a second adrift.

Joe McGonigle and Ciaran Geaney brought their Fiesta home in seventh with Jason Dickson and Shane Byrne eighth, while an unusually off-pace Darren Gass and Sam Hutchinson were ninth ahead of Michael McGarrity and Damien Garvey who completed the top 10.

Further down the order, James Leckey made a successful return to the sport after a 25-year layoff. With a Fiesta R5 hired from McKinstry Motorsport, the former Killarney Rally of the Lakes winner claimed a top 20 position and is now focussing his attention on next weekend’s Samsonas Rally Fivemiletown.

2WD Category

In the two-wheel-drive category, Jason and Gareth Black brought their stunning Toyota Starlet to a well-deserved category win but it wasn’t all plain sailing for the pair.

Despite using the event as a test session with multiple changes made to the car during the day, the Blacks were fastest from the outset. They set the early pace from the Escort piloted by James and Heather Kennedy, with Kyle White and Sean Topping third in their Peugeot 208.

Then it was all change on stage four. After building up a five-second lead, Black frittered it away with a spin during the test. Suddenly, it was the Kennedy husband and wife team who led the Starlet crew by 4.3s.

Black went into the final two stages with a renewed determination. He managed to reclaim a narrow advantage after stage five and cemented the category win with another strong run through the final stage.

James and Heather Kennedy claimed second on this occasion while Barry Morris and Dylan Doonan got the better of Kyle White and Sean Topping to secure third overall in their Darrian. With White in fourth, Drew Stewart and David White claimed fifth ahead of Adrian Grant and Olivia Chambers in sixth.

Next Event

Round two of the McGrady Insurance Motorsport UK Northern Ireland Rally Championship takes place next month. The Race & Rally Stages at Bishopscourt Race Circuit is scheduled for 11 March.

Results (Top 20)

1 Stephen Wright/Ger Conway (Ford Fiesta R5) 31m13.5s
2 Jonny Greer/Brian Crawford (Citroen C3 Rally2) 31m13.6s
3 Aaron McLaughlin/Darren Curran (Ford Fiesta R5) 31m44.3s
4 Gareth Sayers/Gareth Gilchrist (Ford Fiesta Rally2) 31m45.8s
5 Derek McGarrity/Graham Henderson (VW Polo GTi R5) 31m51.7s
6 Stuart Biggerstaff/Anthony Nestor (Ford Fiesta R5) 31m52.1s
7 Joe McGonigle/Ciaran Geaney (Ford Fiesta Rally2) 32m03.3s
8 Jason Dickson/Shane Byrne (Ford Fiesta R5) 32m17.3s
9 Darren Gass/Sam Hutchinson (Citroen C3 Rally2) 32m21.5s
10 Michael McGarrity/Damian Garvey (Skoda Fabia R5) 32m29.4s
11 Niall Henry/Barney Mitchell (Ford Fiesta Rally2) 32m41.1s
12 Ian Dickson/Kenny Bustard (Ford Fiesta R5) 32m42.6s
13 Darren McKelvey/Dean O’Sullivan (Ford Fiesta R5) 32m57.0s
14 Emma McKinstry/Kenny Hull (Ford Fiesta R5) 33m10.6s
15 Conor McCrossan/David Burns (Ford Fiesta Rally2) 33m12.1s
16 Chris McGurk/Mark McGeehan (Ford Fiesta R5) 33m16.2s
17 Terry Donnelly/Gareth Donnelly (Ford Fiesta R5) 33m17.4s
18 Jason Black/Gareth Black (Toyota Starlet) 33m22.7s
19 James Leckey/Stephen McAuley (Ford Fiesta R5) 33m24.3s
20 Cal McCarthy/Eric Calnan (Citroen C3 Rally2) 33m32.3s

Kirkistown Hosts McGrady Insurance N.I. Rally Championship Opener This Weekend with the Eurocables Belfast Stages Rally!

Image caption: Reigning champion Jonny Greer in action during last year’s Kirkistown Stages Rally. This weekend’s event hosts the opening round of the 2023 McGrady Insurance N.I. Rally Championship and is sponsored by Eurocables Belfast. (Image: Graham Baalham-Curry).

High-octane motorsport action returns to Northern Ireland this Saturday with the opening round of the hotly contested McGrady Insurance Motorsport UK Northern Ireland Rally Championship!

Based within the confines of County Down’s Kirkistown Race Circuit and organised by North Armagh Motor Club, the Eurocables Belfast backed Kirkistown Stages Rally has attracted almost 80 entries.

The return of Eurocables as the event sponsor resumes a long tradition that dates back more than 20 years, while McGrady Insurance confirmed its continued sponsorship of the overall championship at a recent prizegiving event – a relationship that has thrived since 2014.

Leading Entries

If the entry list for this weekend’s event gives an indication of the season ahead, the tussle for the 2023 crown could be one of the closest battles in recent years. More than 20 top-spec R5 rally car powered crews litter the entry list, with reigning champion, Jonny Greer, ready to defend his title.

Three-times champion Greer will be navigated by Brian Crawford in their Citroen C3 and they head a quality field that includes 2019 champion and former event winner, Stephen Wright, who starts at number two in his Ford Fiesta with Ger Conway.

Derek McGarrity is another multiple champion with a record eight titles to his credit. He and Graham Henderson add more variety to the mix with their VW Polo GTi R5 at number three, while former Irish Tarmac Champion, Darren Gass, is sure to be among the front-runners with Sam Hutchinson calling the notes in their Citroen C3.

Joe McGonigle and Aaron McLaughlin finished on equal points last year, with McGonigle getting the nod on the tie-break to claim third overall in the title chase. Both men are back for more in their Fiestas, while Stuart Biggerstaff is another former champion who will be looking to get in the mix too with his Fiesta.

Gareth Sayers could be a dark horse in his latest spec Fiesta while regulars Kieron Graffin (VW Polo), Niall Henry (Fiesta) and Emma McKinstry (Fiesta) could spring a surprise or two.

Further down the order, James Leckey is set to dust off some 25-year-old cobwebs. He was among the fastest competitors in the Irish Tarmac Championship during the ‘90s, trading times with some Irish rallying greats such as Austin MacHale and the late Bertie Fisher.

After hanging up his helmet at the end of 1998 – a season during which he won the Killarney Rally of the Lakes – the Lisburn man is set to return to action on Saturday with a Fiesta R5 hired from McKinstry Motorsport. It will be a far cry from his days behind the wheel of a Group A Subaru Impreza but given his past performances, he will be one to keep an eye on.

“Saturday is really a test session for me,” Leckey said. “I want to get back into a car and see if it’s something I want to do again. I haven’t driven competitively since the end of the 1998 season and Kenny (McKinstry) has told me to be ready to find out how slow I am! So I’m just going to test the car and see if I enjoy it.” 

Two-Wheel-Drive

A strong entry has been received for the two-wheel-drive category too. Jason and Gareth Black are among the front-runners in their Toyota Starlet and will face stiff opposition from the likes of Kyle White (Peugeot 208), Barry Morris (Darrian) and James Kennedy (Escort MkII).

The event also hosts the opening round of the Micra Challenge; a category that aims to provide low-cost competition for those in Micra rally cars. 10 crews have entered the rally, promising another hotly contested category for 2023.

The Event

The Eurocables Belfast Kirkistown Stages will feature six stages, all held within the confines of Kirkistown Race Circuit. The opening stage starts at 9.15am and the finish is expected to be around 4.30pm. Admission to the event is £10 per person.

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

Entry List (Top 20)

1 Jonathan Greer/Brian Crawford (Citroen C3)
2 Stephen Wright/Ger Conway (Ford Fiesta)
3 Derek McGarrity/Graham Henderson (VW Polo GTi)
4 Darren Gass/Sam Hutchinson (Citroen C3)
5 Aaron McLaughlin/Darren Curran (Ford Fiesta)
6 Joseph McGonigle/Ciaran Geaney (Ford Fiesta)
7 Stuart Biggerstaff/Anthony Nestor (Ford Fiesta)
8 Gareth Sayers/Gareth Gilchrist (Ford Fiesta)
9 Niall Henry/Barney Mitchell (Ford Fiesta)
10 Kieron Graffin/Amy Graffin (VW Polo GTi)
11 Emma McKinstry/Kenny Hull (Ford Fiesta)
12 Michael McGarrity/Damian Garvey (Ford Fiesta)
14 James Leckey/Stephen McAuley (Ford Fiesta)
15 Chris McGurk/Mark McGeehan (Ford Fiesta)
16 Ian Dickson/Kenny Bustard (Ford Fiesta)
17 Cal McCarthy/Eric Calnan (Citroen C3)
18 Jason Black/Gareth Black (Toyota Starlet)
19 Kyle White/Sean Topping (Peugeot 208)
20 Barry Morris/Dylan Doonan (Darrian T90 GTR+)

EUROCABLES BELFAST SPONSORS N.I. RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP 2023 OPENER!

North Armagh Motor Club is pleased to confirm that EUROCABLES BELFAST has renewed its previous association with this event, and is backing the opening round of this year’s McGrady Insurance Motorsport UK Northern Ireland Rally Championship.

Based at Kirkistown Race Circuit on Saturday 18 February, the Eurocables Belfast 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. In fact, the entry is filling fast with many of these competitors already entered, bringing the total so far, to over 80 crews.

Barry Taggart, Clerk of the Course for the event, said: “We are delighted to have the renewed support of Eurocables Belfast. We are privileged to be associated with Shane Braniff, a long-standing supporter of North Armagh Motor Club ltd., motorsport in general and rallying in particular.”

Eurocables Belfast was established in 1989 by Shane Braniff and has become a leading supplier of Industrial, Network and Security Products throughout Ireland and beyond.

“I’m delighted to have the opportunity to support North Armagh Motor Club and the opening round of the N. I. Rally Championship 2023,” commented Eurocables Belfast Managing Director, Shane Braniff. “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, with a similar format to last year. 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 at 9.15am. The finish will be around 4.30pm. The stages will be minimum 90% sealed surface.

A limited number of entries can still be made via www.rallyscore.net  Regulations and future rally information will be available from the club’s virtual noticeboard at www.namcc.com 

If anyone would be available to marshal, contact Chief Marshal:

Caroline McGuinness on 07792 037441.

eurocables Belfast Kirkistown Stages Rally 2023 – Regulations and Online Entry Submission!

2022 Winners Jonathan Greer & Darragh Mullen / www.NeillPics.com

Regulations and Online Entry Submission are now available for round one of the 2023 McGrady Insurance Motorsport UK Northern Ireland Rally Championship, the North Armagh Motor Club Ltd eurocables Belfast Kirkistown Stages Rally.

The event, which takes place on Saturday 18th February, is sponsored by eurocables Belfast, 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 / WhatsApp +44 (0)7519 828407

Enquires only between 6.00pm and 9.00pm weekdays, 1.00pm and 6.00pm weekends

e-mail: kirkistownstagesrally@gmail.com

eurocables Belfast Kirkistown Stages Rally –

Saturday 18th February 2023

2022 Winners Jonathan Greer & Darragh Mullen / www.NeillPics.com

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