Northern Ireland Rally Championships lined up for 2025 season!
- Updated: 3 February 2025
The Motorsport UK Northern Ireland Rally Championships will get underway in Fivemiletown later this month with both the gravel and sealed surface events totalling ten rounds at nine rallies in what is set to be a bumper year, writes William Neill.
The NI Forest Rally Challenge opener, supported by Samsonas, already has an almost half-full entry ready to tackle the event prepared by Omagh Motor Club before attention switches to the Northern Ireland Rally Championship schedule that leads us to summer.
The 2024 Northern Ireland Forest Rally Challenge title holder, Derek Mackarel.
The Race & Rally Bishopscourt Stages will return on March 8 with a single-lap format that proved popular last season, using a mix of the main race circuit and surrounding roadways that eliminates splits and merges on the stages. From there it is over to road-closed events starting with the GO Tour of the Sperrins on April 5 and Eakin Brothers Maiden City Stages on May 24.
Last year’s Northern Ireland Rally Championship winner Jonny Greer.
North Armagh Motor Club has moved its round from Kirkistown to Loughgall for the first time since 2021 and the Down Rally will round out the sealed surfaces where drivers compete alongside the Protyre Asphalt Rally Championship runners.
Heading into the remaining gravel rallies over the course of September and October the event names are familiar but, following the Trailer Parts Lakeland Stages, will be a two-day McKelvey Bushwhacker Rally. Each leg will count as a round in regards to championship points.
The return of the Dogleap Rally last year was a popular decision and Maiden City Motor Club has placed its effort behind the continuation of the event steeped in history.
Rallies themselves will feature the new for 2025 class structure mandated by governing body, Motorsport UK to align regional championships. Additionally the top-spec category eligible for points will be the latest homologated Rally2 and R5 four-wheel-drive cars. Modified cars with larger non-homologated turbocharger restrictors of 34mm (homologated cars use a 32mm restrictor) can take part on individual rallies and compete for class awards, but are not eligible for the championship to keep in line with the Motorsport Ireland Forest Championship set to visit some of the same events.
Motorsport UK Northern Ireland Rally Championship 2025
Round 1: March 8 Race & Rally Bishopscourt Stages – Ballynahinch & District MC
Round 2: April 5 GO Tour of the Sperrins – Magherafelt & DMC
Round 3: May 24 Eakin Brothers Brian James Trailers Stages – Maiden City MC
Round 4: July 5 PRM Loughgall Stages – North Armagh Motor Club
Round 5: July 19 Down Rally – Rathfriland Motor Club
Motorsport UK Northern Ireland Forest Rally Challenge 2025
Round 1: February 22 Samsonas Fivemiletown – Omagh MC
Round 2: September 6 Trailer Parts Lakeland Stages – Enniskillen MC
Round 3: September 19 McKelvey Bushwhacker Rally – Omagh MC (Leg 1)
Round 4: September 20 McKelvey Bushwhacker Rally – Omagh MC (Leg 2)
Round 5: October 11 Dogleap Rally – Maiden City MC
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