National Forestry Rally Championship Awards - (Sat) 26 Nov 16
Posted: August 31, 2016 5:48 AM
Gearing up for Valvoline Championship!
Posted: January 20, 2016 7:31 AM
The 2016 Valvoline Motorsport Ireland National Forest Rally Championship is set to hit the ground running after the overwhelming
success of the previous year. The 2015 series went right down to the wire, both for the overall honours and several of its smaller
classes including the hotly contested Junior category. The final round in the Glens of Antrim saw lots of drama and over the final
loop of stages we seen the fight between the 2 top championship contenders fall in Josh Moffetts favour but unfortunately his title
rival Mick O'Brien was unable to finish the event. Josh was on a great pace throughout the series but it was Omaghs Mark Donnelly
who took the overall event win in Antrim in his newly aquired Subaru Impreza S10 WRC and with his earlier win at his home event,
The Bushwacker Rally in September, we can't help but wonder if Mark will come back to contest the whole series in 2016?
When asked if he would like to compete for the National Forest Rally Championship, Mark told us that he would be very interested
but he hadn't finalised any plans at that time but would seriously look at it. Current Champion Josh Moffett was another man who
wasn't sure what 2016 had in store when we talked to him but he too would like to be heading to Carrick on Suir in February if
possible. Even though the last round of the series wasn't good to Mick O'Brien, he wants to come back to the forests for another
title challenge after buying a new Ford Focus RS WRC. Some of the others that have confirmed their intentions include Niall Henry,
John Gordon, David Crossen, Mickey Conlon, Shane McGirr, Emmet Cronin and Robert Moffett (Josh's Dad), who will be making a return
to the sport after a long break in a Ford Fiesta RS WRC.
There are a lot of new plans and new vehicles in the country right now and with the first event of the Valvoline Series just around
the corner, it could be very interesting to see who chooses to use it as a shake down before the British Rally Championship opener
in March. On the 14th of February, the 2016 Willie Loughman Memorial Carrick on Suir Forest Rally will once again be the first
round of the series and based in the Piltown GAA Complex this time with a centralised service area in the Mill River Business Park.
Clerk of the Course Barry Duggan and his team have once again put together an excellent event comprising of 8 stages (4 run twice)
all in the scenic Suir Valley, offering up 75 stage kilometres in total. For more information on the event you can follow the
Carrick on Suir Motor Club on Facebook and Twitter or just go to the club website @ www.carrickonsuirmotorclub.com
One of the many changes brought into the championship last year was increased media and PR exposure. The new PR team made up of
several people instead of just one press officer had received lots of positive feedback for their work in 2015 and the championship
will offer even more media coverage this year. Once again the Valvoline Irish National Forest Rally Championship will have
dedicated TV Coverage with On The Limit Sports. In 2015 the TV coverage was broadcast over 6 different television networks in over
20 countries and watched by approximately 150,000 viewers per event. Once again we will have dedicated press releases before and
after every round and new to 2016 we hope to have live information / media being published and uploaded to our online services at
every event.
Also new to the series will be the inclusion of the Tour of the Sperrins Rally organised by the Magherafelt & District Motor Club.
Once one of the top Forest Rallies in Northern Ireland and a regular counting round of the Northern Ireland Rally Championship, the
Sperrins event changed its preferred surface to tarmac in 2006 and has run as a closed road event for the last 10 years. 2016 will
hopefully see a return to such classic forest stages as Moydamlaght, Glenshane, Davagh, Goles, Albrittan and the famous Banagher
Stage, which will undoubtly be the most sought after stage of them all.
Another great bonus for competitors taking part in this years championship, is that we will once again be guaranteed a Billy
Coleman Award Nomination for the winner of the Junior Championship Category. The Billy Coleman Award, also known as the Motorsport
Ireland Yound Rally Driver of the Year Award, is the highest accolade in Irish Motorsport. Not only is this award held in such high
esteem across Ireland and right across Europe but also comes with the added bonus of a ?50,000 Euro Cheque towards the winners
future aspirations in the sport. Last years junior championship winner Patrick O'Brien was selected along with overall champion
Josh Moffett, to go through to the final 3 in the 2015 Billy Coleman Award. It was great to see 2 of our championship regulars
being recognised by those involved in our countries most prestigious award.
Championship Rounds
Posted: December 2, 2015 2:54 PM
- Carrick-on-Suir Wm. Loughman Forestry Rally - 14 Feb 16
- Munster CC. Moonraker Forestry Rally - (Sat) 16 Apr 16
- MDMC Tour of the Sperrins - (Sat) 7 May 16
- Cork Jim Walsh Forestry Rally (NEW DATE) - 14 Aug 16
- EMC Lakeland Stages - (Sat) 3 Sep 16
- TBC Forestry Stages - 16 Oct 16
- MAMC Glens of Antrim Rally - (Sat) 5 Nov 16
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