rally.ie - Stories - Down Rally (Tarmac)

Ryan Bradley RIP

Posted: October 18, 2014 6:25 PM

Down Rally: Ryan Bradley, from Kilrea, dies after car goes into water

Statements from Rathfriland Motor Club

Posted: October 18, 2014 6:22 PM

Down Rally Statement 3. 18:20 18th October 2014
The organisers of the Down Rally can confirm that a competitor has lost his life after an accident on Stage 1 of the Rally.

One other member of the competing crew has been taken to Hospital for precautionary checks.

The thoughts of Rathfriland Motor Club, and everyone involved with the event are with the family and friends of the deceased at this time.

As with all incidents of this nature, an investigation is now being carried out by the PSNI and appropriate Local Authority. Rathfriland Motor Club together with the sport’s governing body, the Motor Sports Association (MSA), are co-operating fully with the investigation.

Statement 2.
The organisers of the Down Rally have decided to cancel the event at the first service halt. The incident on Stage 1 is still being investigated.
A further statement will be made in due course.

Statement 1 12:30 18th October 2014
The organisers of the Down Rally are currently dealing with an incident on Stage 1.
The Emergency services are currently at the scene.
Further details will be released when available.

Past winners return to do battle on the Down Rally…

Posted: October 13, 2014 11:49 AM

Two past winners are included in the entry list for the 2014 tarmac FMCCL Down Rally, the final round of the McGrady Insurance NI Rally Championship, which kicks off from Lower Square in Castlewellan on Saturday morning.

Derek McGarrity has been joined by local hero Kenny McKinstry and both will be eager to add to their previous wins on the County Down based event. For 2014, McGarrity brings his Mini WRC in place of the Subaru Impreza which he used to great effect in 2012 when he took a last stage victory by just 1 second from Donegal driver Donagh Kelly. McKinstry has remained loyal to Subaru down the years and he will wheel out his Impreza S14 to try and take a fourth win on this the tenth running of the Down rally.

Joining the previous winners in the starters list is another Mini WRC of Alan Carmichael at number three who starts ahead of the leading two wheel drive contenders Wesley Patterson, Camillus Bradley and Alister Cochrane, all in Ford Escort MkII’s. At number seven is Keith White in his older, but no less rapid MKI Escort with David Armstrong, Emma McKinstry with a new generation Skoda Fabia S2000 of Joseph McGonigle rounding out the top ten.

Looking further down the entry list, some of the local drivers vying for glory on their local event include Paul Killen, Martin Teggart, NI Rally Championship sponsor Fintan McGrady, Niall Braniff, John Devlin, Gerry McPolin, JT Warnock, Barry Savage, Paddy Milligan and Dermot Murray.

The entry list also includes an amazing variety of machinery including Sunbeams, Vauxhalls, Mitsubishi’s, Audi’s and BMW’s to name a few. One car of interest which makes its competition debut on the Down Rally is the brand new Toyota GT86 of Jonny Greer. Jonny returns to the event that he made his rally debut on when he competed on the first Down Rally back in 2005.

The 2014 FMCCL Down Rally, which again enjoys support from Down District Council, starts from Lower Square, Castlewellan at just before 10am on Saturday morning. Council Chairman, Councillor William Walker will flag off around 70 crews before they head the short distance to the first test at Loughisland Reavy and then on to Katesbridge before returning to Castlewellan Forest Park for service.

After the short break the drivers will move on to Annaclone, and then back to Katesbridge before a second service break in Castlewellan. The final loop sees the repeated Loughisland Reavy and Annaclone tests before the ceremonial finish in Lower Square at around 4 pm.

The organisers have again produced a free Spectator Information Guide which will be available from the Kings Inn, Lower Square, the Fresh Food Centre, both in Castlewellan and from the Ballydown Filling Station in Banbridge from Thursday 16th onwards.

Seeded Entry List

Posted: October 13, 2014 11:32 AM

Down Rally (Tarmac) - (Sat) 18 Oct 14 - SEEDED ENTRY LIST

FREE training on how to deal with a serious traffic accident - (Wed) 1 Oct 14

Posted: September 30, 2014 6:19 AM

WOULD YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO IF COME ACROSS A SERIOUS TRAFFIC ACCIDENT ?......

Rathfriland Motor Club are providing a FREE training night on Wednesday 1 October in Drumadonnell Primary School, Moneyslane, starting at 7.30pm. The training is aimed at rally marshals for the club’s big event, the Down Rally, held on closed public roads around Castlewellan on Saturday 18th October, but competitors and members of the public are more than welcome to attend.

Rallying is very much about safety, and there will be presentations from paramedics on what to do at an accident scene before professional medical help arrives, as well as the PSNI on accident prevention, and presentations on the other duties of a marshal. You can look round several rally cars as part of the training.

This year is the tenth anniversary of the Down Rally, which has grown to one of the top motorsports events in Northern Ireland. Top crews from all over NI and beyond will be competing on closed public roads, and if you would like to be part of the action, why not come along to the training night and put your name down to marshal on the event. Even if you have never been to an event before, the training will tell you what you need to do – and it’s free!

Even if you don’t intend to marshal, why not come along anyway and listen to the presentations. Would you know what to do?

For further details contact 07799 711681 or 07834 315859 (+44 7799 711681 or +44 7834 315859)