Points after Final Round - DONEGAL
Posted: August 15, 2012 11:09 PM
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National Rally Championship Prizegiving - (Sat) 17 Nov 12
Posted: August 15, 2012 11:08 PM
DUNLOP NATIONAL RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP BEAMING ON TG4
Posted: April 20, 2012 12:01 PM
Irish motorsport has stepped up a gear and each week from now until late October will be beamed around the country on TG4 thus increasing the profile of the sport that also provides a significant boost to the economy of the region where the rally takes place. The Motorsport Ireland Show is a new weekly 30 minute programme aired on TG4 on Wednesday nights at 11pm. This week's programme features the recent third round of the Dunlop National Rally Championship, the Circuit of Kerry.
That event ended in dramatic circumstances when local ace, Thomas Fitzmaurice (Subaru WRC) edged out his Cork rival, Brian O'Mahony (Subaru WRC) on a tie-break after the end of an action packed eight stage event over the roads around Tralee.
The eight round Dunlop series is developing into one of the most exciting championship battles in recent years with former Dunlop champion, Niall Maguire and Dunlop regular, Kevin Barrett, like Fitzmaurice and O'Mahony, also driving S11 Subaru WRC's.
The race for the Motorsport Safety Team Group N award, the inaugural Dunlop National Mark 2 Escort Champions Trophy, the rally.ie award for the top two-wheel drive competitor and the Dunlop Junior Rally Championship ensure there is plenty of variety in the action packed 30 minute programme.
The transmission dates for the remaining five rounds of the Dunlop series are as follows:
Carlow - May 23
Circuit of Munster - June 20
Tipperary Stonethrowers - August 29
Clare - October 3
Donegal - October 31.
Meanwhile, along with the coverage of the Dunlop series, rounds of the Irish Tarmac Championship and the Valvoline National Forestry Championship will also be transmitted on Wednesday nights between now and the end of October.
Alex Sinclair, Chief Executive of Motorsport Ireland, believes this is an important step forward for the sport.
'To be able to offer a quality weekly motorsport programme to Irish supporters is a huge step forward for the sport in Ireland. This will help give exposure to the sport at all levels and hopefully this will entice more sponsors to motorsport that in turn will sustain the sport and help it to grow further over the coming years.' He added, 'We are indebted to our sponsors, Dunlop and Valvoline, and to our clubs for their support in order to make this show a reality. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank Alan Tyndall and Mick Bracken for their assistance in putting the deal together with TG4 and for producing - free to air - some of the best motorsport imagery in the world'.
Ronan Ó Coisdealbha, Head of Sport TG4 remarked,
'TG4 are very pleased to be broadcasting the new Motorsport Ireland series and to give viewers all over Ireland the opportunity to see the best motorsport events from around the country'.
2012 Dunlop National Rally Championship Guide
Posted: February 9, 2012 12:00 PM
Championship Poster
Posted: January 31, 2012 4:32 PM
National Ford Escort Mk. 2 Champions Trophy
Posted: October 27, 2011 9:28 PM
Organisers of the Dunlop National Rally Championship have announced that next season’s series will feature a National title for the popular Mk. 2 Ford Escort that will be known as "The Dunlop National Mark 2 Escort Champions Trophy." This latest announcement, following consultation with title sponsor, Dunlop, follows the recent decision to revamp the 2012 campaign that will feature eight events with the best six to count.
The new award completes a fascinating awards list for the Dunlop series that remains hugely popular in Irish rallying endorsed by the fact that over 140 crews will start next Sunday’s Bantry based Westlodge Hotel Fastnet Rally, the final round of the 2011 Dunlop National Rally Championship. Interestingly, the rally.ie award for the top Modified competitors rests between Ford Escort pair, Frank Kelly and Wesley Patterson.
From its halcyon days in the 1980’s, the MK. 2 Ford Escort has remained extremely popular with both competitors and fans alike. Commenting on the new award, Richard Talbot, Chairman of the Dunlop National Rally Championship Sub-Committee said, “Given the quality and quantity of Mk. 2 Escorts here in Ireland and in the United Kingdom, the new award is a logical progression to acknowledge this particular sector. The Dunlop series is very aware of what is happening at the sharp end of the sport and we have great pleasure in inviting all the Mk. 2 Ford Escort crews to contest the series in 2012, one of which will be Ireland's inaugural National Mk2 Champions.”
The new series will run in tandem with the Dunlop National Rally Championship series that begins in February in Abbeyleix and will conclude some eight months later with the Donegal Harvest Rally.
The Championship format for all the events are as follows:
(1) All one-day events held on a Sunday with reconnaissance on the Saturday - with the exception of the long standing tradition of the Donegal event where the event takes place on Saturday with reconnaissance on Friday.
(2) As in the previous years we intend to have television coverage on all events - TG4 will broadcast in Ireland, the series will also be available worldwide through the satellite channel, Motors TV.
(3) A full online results service will be available worldwide for each event.
(4) Excellent pre and post event press and radio coverage for each event.
(5) Dedicated championship website covering all information pre and post event as well as championship updates and photo gallery on www.nationalirishrallychampionship.com
The 2012 Dunlop series will incorporate the following awards:
1. The Vard Memorial Trophy for the overall winner.
2. Motorsport Safety Team National Group N award.
3. The rally.ie National two-wheel drive award.
4. Dunlop National Junior Rally Championship.
5. Dunlop National Historic award.
POPULAR DUNLOP SERIES REVAMPED FOR 2012 SEASON
Posted: October 18, 2011 9:17 AM
NEXT season’s Dunlop National Rally Championship is set to be ultra-competitive following a decision to reduce the series to eight rounds with the best six events to count.
In addition, a Historic category will be introduced to cater for a growing demand in this particular sector.
The decision to opt for an eight round championship was taken following discussions with the overall sponsor, organising clubs and competitors.
At present, there are fourteen different clubs involved in the popular series with four opting out each season to leave a ten round campaign with the best seven to count.
Last season, the Dunlop National Rally Championship Sub-Committee spoke with competitors and there was universal agreement - given the economic climate - that the series needed to be tweaked. The fourteen events were divided into two groups of seven with the best geographical spread. A “wild card” was drawn to complete the eight round series.
The success of the Dunlop National Rally Championship is built on the desire of the Championship Sub-Committee to evolve with the times thus ensuring that the Dunlop series remains at the forefront of Irish motorsport. Speaking on the new format, Richard Talbot, Chairman of the Dunlop National Rally Championship Sub-Committee remarked,
“A ten round championship is unsustainable in the current climate, this is also the view of the competitors. A compact series will encourage more competitors to get involved and make it even more competitive.”
The current Dunlop campaign will conclude with the Bantry based Westlodge Hotel Fastnet Rally next weekend. The presentation of Dunlop awards is scheduled for November 19th at the Clayton Hotel, Galway.
Championship Rounds
Posted: October 18, 2011 9:15 AM
- Birr Rally (Abbeyleix) - February 26th
- Mayo Rally - March 11th
- Circuit of Kerry - April 1st
- Carlow Rally - May 13th
- Circuit of Munster (Limerick) - June 3rd
- Tipperary Stonethrowers Rally - August 5th
- Clare Rally - September 16th
- Donegal Harvest Rally - October 6th
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