Motorsport runs through the veins of many within Northern Ireland and without an army of volunteers at events, alongside those in the background leading up to an event, drivers simply wouldn’t have a sport to compete in. As a thank you to members of The Motorsport Marshalling Partnership (MMP), who recruit and train marshals, timekeepers, radio personnel and rescue crew, to name just a few roles, drivers from a few motorsport disciplines brought their cars to Kirkistown Racing Circuit on Saturday 2 December to take MMP members for many laps in the passenger seat. This thank you was once a…
Author: Graham Baalham-Curry
After a sabbatical of around five years, Saturday 30 September 2023 saw the return on the ‘Mourne Run’ in what turned out to be a well-supported event, despite the inclement weather. Reignited this year by classic car and rallying enthusiasts, William James and Alistair Gray, this year’s run was opened to a greater selection of vehicles than has been permitted in years gone by. William said, “The Moune Run has been going for about a dozen years now. Originally it was organised by the Irish Escort Owners Club, with Colin Lindsay and Jim Davidson, who are two great fellas, being…
To say that the weather was inclement at Kirkistown on Saturday 30th September would be an understatement. Qualifying sessions for The Martin Donnelly and Emerson Fittipaldi Trophies race meeting, featuring cars and superkarts, took place in dryness but by Midday, the rain had arrived. By the time the first feature race for The Emerson Fittipaldi Trophy was ready to go, the track surface was wet, with many puddles. The trophy was donated to the Irish Formula Vees by the Ex-F1 World Champion, many years ago. Ronan Doherty, from Dunloy, had made his intentions clear by winning the first Formula Vee race…
Parliament Buildings on the outskirts of Belfast reverberated to the sound of rallying for the first time in sixteen years for a very special celebration recognising the achievement of local crew William Creighton and Liam Regan. Back in 2007, this picturesque and historic setting was the location for the start of the World Rally Championships Irish round, when this world-class series last visited Northern Ireland. Marcus Gronholm won the opening stage that year, which was a spectator special around Stormont Estate, aboard his Ford Focus RS World Rally Car. As special and memorable as this event was, Thursday 5 October…
First held eleven years ago Titanic Dubs has become the unofficial closing event of the Northern Ireland car show calendar and it returned to its original historic and picturesque venue on Saturday 7 October 2023. After a sabbatical from Belfast Docks last year, due to building works ongoing at the Titanic Dry Dock and Pump House, thanks to it being transformed into a distillery, the event rebranded and moved to an equally picturesque location at Scarva Demesne in Co. Down. Scheduled to return to Scarva a few weeks ago, plans changed dramatically due to a week-long torrent of precipitation that…
County Down driving ace, William Creighton, navigated by Belfast’s Liam Regan have made history at the Acropolis rally in Greece by becoming the only Northern Ireland crew to become Junior World Rally Champions. Just two years ago we brought you the news that the 25-year-old driver, from Moira, was set to take on the world in the single-make Junior World Rally Championship category which sees all drivers compete in a Ford Fiesta Rally 3 prepared by M-Sport, Poland. After a gruelling season for all crew’s involved, not least Creighton and Regan who retired on the first day of action at…
The KIA Ceed family is one that offers a great model for varying needs be it a 5-door hatch, a more practical estate or more stylish Sportback, KIA even offer the Ceed as a crossover, featuring a more rugged appeal. Launched in 2019, I first drove the XCeed in 2020 and wasn’t disappointed. Size wise, the XCeed is larger than the brands Stonic model, but smaller than it’s ever popular Sportage. The raised right height and rugged styling would fool you into believing that the XCeed is an SUV, but it is just a unique family hatchback. Rivals would include…
According to JPCCNI’s Facebook page, “If you are into Japanese performance cars then the Japanese Performance Car Club Northern Ireland is the place for you,” and having been to a few of their events now, I couldn’t agree more. Established seven years ago, this club is responsible for regular cars and coffee meets at Lisburn’s Applegreen service station, a static show held at Loughgall Country Park, a charity show held at, and in aid of Killard House School, and more recently an indoor event, held at the Titanic Exhibition Centre in Belfast. Attracting a substantial crowd, no matter what they…
GREER CLAIMS FOURTH NI RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP AT DOWN RALLY DESPITE AN OFF… A few weeks ago, Carryduff rally ace, Jonny Greer, clinched his fourth McGrady Insurance Motorsport UK Northern Ireland Rally Championship at the Carrduff Forklift backed Down Rally ran by both Ballynahinch and District Motor Club as well as Rathfriland Motor Club and here’s how the event unfolded: SS2: Cathan McCourt and Brian Hoy lead the Carryduff Forklift Down Rally after they claimed fastest times over the opening two stages in their Fiesta. In a day that could see some changeable conditions, the crew opted for a medium slick…
Adrien Fourmaux etched his name alongside an illustrious list of rallying legends this weekend, [18/19 August] by taking a sensational Modern Tyres Ulster Rally victory and a maximum score in the fourth round of the Motorsport UK British Rally Championship The Pirelli shod Ford Fiesta Rally2 ace stamped his authority on the leaderboard from the opening stage on Friday afternoon and was never headed, to give him and co-driver Alexandre Coria four wins on the bounce in the BRC and tighten their grip on the championship with three rounds remaining. “It was really really nice to win here” said Fourmaux.…
Callum Devine and Noel O’Sullivan clinched their maiden Irish Tarmac Rally Championship title after finishing second on a wet and wild Ulster Rally finale. The title-winning partnership recorded their fifth top points-scoring result of the season when they finished 47.7 seconds behind British Rally Championship visitors Adrien Fourmaux and Alexandre Coria. Devine entered the final round of the 2023 Irish Tarmac Rally Championship knowing a fourth-place finish or higher would seal his first-ever Rally2 title. A series of stunning wins on the Circuit of Ireland, Killarney Rally of the Lakes, Donegal International Rally, and Cork 20 Rally had given him…
As part of this year’s summer festival organised by the Donaghadee Community Development Association the picturesque County Down town came alive on Friday 28th July, 2023. With the Morris Minor Owners Club NI Branch being tasked with the running of this relaxed evening, cars arrived hours in advance of its start time, ensuring they secured a prime position on the towns pier which has remained famous recently thanks to the filming of the crime drama TV series, Hope Street. A great selection of cars ranged from 1920’s Austin’s to a 1993 Toyota Celica convertible. It was the latter that made…