2014 Tarmac Rally Championship

Sponsorship contract signed between TROA and Clonakilty Blackpudding

Posted: February 3, 2014 7:22 PM

With the first round of the Clonakilty Blackpudding Irish Tarmac Rally Championship, the Colm Quinn BMW Galway International Rally looming, things are gathering momentum nicely for what could be a classic year. An important pre Galway function took place in Clonakilty last weekend when some TROA delegates met with Colette & Edward Twomey of Clonakilty Blackpudding to sign the sponsorship contract. It is a very big year for the championship having secured a title sponsor for the first time in four years and a sense of expectation and excitement is building. David Gray, chairman of the TROA, commented that “it’s great that a home grown Irish company such as Clonakilty Blackpudding have come on board to sponsor Irish rallyings major championship, and we look forward to a great working relationship with them”.

Gerard Seaman, Championship Manager of the TROA, was equally enthusiastic “being from the West Cork area myself, I know that Clonakilty Blackpudding is a very recognisable brand and I look forward to having them on board as title sponsors for 2014. Other TROA members who were present for the function included Alan Verso, vice chairman of the TROA, Dermot Healy & Colman Hegarty. The Championship which began in 1978 has six rounds of which five are to count for registered drivers in homologated cars taking in the Galway, Circuit of Ireland, Rally of the Lakes, Donegal, Ulster & Cork 20 International Rallies.
Edward Twomey of Clonakilty Blackpudding will campaign a newly acquired Fiesta during the year in the series.

Also taking place on the same day the TROA met with Martin Godfrey, Clerk of the Course of the Quality Hotel Clonakilty West Cork Rally, to welcome that event into the Irish Tarmac Modified Championship. This is the first time that Cork Motor Clubs flagship event has been included in the championship and there is a lot of excitement being generated in the area over its inclusion. The Modified Championship takes place over seven rounds with all of the International rallies having a national section plus West Cork as the extra round for non- homologated cars.

A TV Deal has also been reached with Sportsvision which will see the championship televised by one provider throughout the year beginning in Galway.

You can keep up to date with all of the happenings on www.irishtarmac.com, on Twitter @IrishTarmacTROA and on Facebook at Irish Tarmac Championship. Also keep an eye out for a new Championship App which will be available shortly on both iOS and Android which will merge all of the information sources above into one easy to find location.

New TV Deal for 2014 Clonakilty Blackpudding Irish Tarmac Championship

Posted: January 9, 2014 4:14 PM

The Tarmac Rally Organisers Association (TROA), the body that organises the Clonakilty Blackpudding Irish Tarmac Rally Championship are today delighted to announce that Sportsvision Ltd. are to cover all rounds of the 2014 championship. After a long and detailed tendering process Sportsvision were awarded the deal in an attempt to bring the championship back to the highs of previous times. This will not be the first time that Sportsvision L.T.D will have covered rallying as they have covered events such as the Rally of the Lakes among other rallies in the past.

Speaking today from his West Cork base, Gerard Seaman, the Championship Manager said that
“We are delighted to welcome Sportsvision Ltd. on board to cover this year’s Clonakilty Blackpudding Irish Tarmac, Modified and Historic Championships. This gives our registered crews and their sponsors as well as our own sponsors Clonakilty Blackpudding the coverage that they deserve. The coverage is to be shown on TG4, UTV, Sky Sports and Motors TV as well as other satellite channels. We felt that Sportsvision were the right fit for the Championship as a whole considering the previous experience they have in the rally scene”.

David Gray Chairman of T.R.O.A stated that
“We did not grant this deal easily as we expect a high level of professionalism and at the end of the day Sportsvision covered all the bases we were looking for.” This year’s main Championship gets underway on 8th & 9th February with the Colm Quinn BMW Galway International Rally which is always a great test of man and machine and the interest even at this early stage is really gathering momentum.

Championship Regulations

Posted: December 4, 2013 1:52 PM

Available at:

Tarmac Championship Official Site

Irish Tarmac Championship announces title sponsor for 2014

Posted: November 6, 2013 11:32 AM

A season which began at the Galway International Rally in early February came to a conclusion at the Stormont Hotel Belfast on Saturday 2nd November with the Irish Tarmac Championship Gala Awards Ceremony. Garry Jennings repeated the feat of his fellow Fermanagh driver, the late Bertie Fisher, by claiming overall honours to become Irish Tarmac Rally Champion for 2013. This year’s champion co-driver is Donegals own Kevin Flanagan who was rewarded for a consistent year alongside championship runner up Donagh Kelly.

There are of course other important categories in the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship such as the Modified Challenge which was won by the Killarney pairing of Noel O’Sullivan and Nicky Burke in their Escort after a long tough season which proved that consistency pays huge dividends in a championship. In the Historic Championship the Volvo crew of James O’Mahony & Kerrie Barry took overall honours.

The Armagh Bowl was presented on the night to Rory Kennedy in recognition for his unwavering support of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship over the years, including a long career co-driving for Bertie Fisher, winning four tarmac championship titles in the process between 1990 & 1996. This year’s awards ceremony was hosted by the Ulster Automobile Club close to the Parliament Buildings at Stormont.

The main announcement on the night was that the Clonakilty Blackpudding Company are to be the title sponsors of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship, Irish Tarmac Modified Challenge & Irish Tarmac Historic Rally Championships for 2014. Gerard Seaman, Championship Manager, said
“These are exciting times for the Championship and we are delighted to have a title sponsor on board for the coming year. It’s great that the Clonakilty Blackpudding Company have the faith in the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship to sponsor the series for 2014”. David Gray, Chairman of the T.R.O.A. said
“We are particularly delighted to have a sponsor on board after a drought of several years. In particular it is great that a prestigious Irish family owned has decided to come on board to sponsor the Irish Tarmac Championship. Edward Twomey from Clonakilty Blackpudding Company commented “Clonakilty Blackpudding as a company are delighted to be the new title sponsor of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship. It is a great honour to share our name with such a prestigious and historic championship which has such a large following throughout the island of Ireland and beyond these shores”.

Championship Rounds

Posted: November 6, 2013 11:31 AM

Killarney Historic Rally (Historic Only) - 7th December 2013

1. Galway International Rally - 8th & 9th February 2014
   West Cork Rally (Modified Only) - 15th & 16th March 2014
2. Circuit of Ireland Rally - 18th & 19th April 2014
3. International Rally of the Lakes - 3rd & 4th May 2014
4. Donegal International Rally - 20th - 22nd June 2014
5. Ulster Rally / Rally NI - 15th & 16th August 2014
   Rally Isle of Man (Historic Only) - 11th - 13th September 2014
   
6. Cork 20 International Rally - 4th - 5th October 2014

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