MOTOR SPORTS NEWS

Latest News

  • Josh Moffett lifts another Clonakilty Park Hotel West Cork Rally winner’s trophy
  • Big win for Nasser & Toyota GR DKR Hilux in the Qatar International Baja
  • Alfa Romeo F1 Driver Valtteri Bottas picks up his new Alfa Giulia GTAm
  • All go at Mondello Park – Events during 2023
  • Alpine A110 San Remo 73 limited edition pays tribute to the brand’s glorious rallying past
  • Home
  • News
  • Dakar
    • DAKAR 2016
    • Dakar 2015
  • Cross-Country Rally
  • Notice Board
  • Rally
  • Motorbike
  • Touring Cars
  • Circuit Racing
  • Events
  • follow
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Google+
    • Pinterest
    • RSS Feed
    • Linked
    • Youtube

Tarmac Championship launch at Mondello a great success

Oct 18, 2015


  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
Tweet

Thursday 15th October saw a very successful launch of the 2016 Clonakilty Blackpudding Irish Tarmac Rally Championship at the Mondello Park racetrack. Over 150 people were in attendance, most notably Malcolm Wilson, Managing Director M-Sport, Gerard Quinn, Head of Ford Performance Europe and Paul Nagle works Citroen co-driver in the World Rally Championship. There were also 12 rally cars of various types with much of the interest centred on the R5 Ford Fiesta of Joe Connolly and the R5 Citroen DS3 R5 prepared by David Greer of DGM Sport. The proceedings began at 9.30am with the first cars making user of the ample track time available. Even championship sponsor Colette Twomey got in on the act, sitting in first with son Ed in his Fiesta R2 and then with Joe Connolly in the R5 variation.

The formalities began at 12pm with Paddy Flanagan, Championship Manager, opening proceedings followed by the chairman of the TROA, David Gray. He remarked that that it was great to see the support for the direction the championship was taking in 2016 by competitors and supporters alike even though it was not an easy decision to make. He went on to say that “the R5 cars are an incredible spectacle in the right hands” and also paid tribute to Colette and Ed Twomey whom he described as partners as well as sponsors. Colette Twomey then spoke on behalf of the championship sponsors Clonakilty Blackpudding and described their partnership with the TROA as a very positive experience, and the interaction with people wherever they go, is one of the rewards they reap.

Malcolm Wilson said that the number of people attending the launch compared very favourably with other launches he recently attended and said that the changes for next year are “the right and brave way to go for the future”. He also announced that if a Ford Fiesta R5 wins the Tarmac Championship in 2016, M-Sport will provide the winning crew with a prize drive on a round of the 2017 British Rally Championship, piloting an M-Sport prepared Fiesta R5.

Gerard Quinn supported the new rules by stating that “this will allow drivers to go abroad and compete on other events throughout Europe without having to change anything in their car”. However he added that the quality of the stages here in Ireland are such that bringing in these new rules may also encourage drivers from overseas to come to Ireland. On a final note he stressed the importance of clubs bringing in younger members and having them get involved and said as a long-time member of Cork Motor Club that he would be marshalling as always on the West Cork Rally next year and encouraged members of all clubs to support each other.

Paul Nagle was delighted to see such a turn out and paid tribute to the organisers of each of the rounds in the series as he believes he wouldn’t be where he is today without their support. He said “R5 is the way to go as increased competition has to be good for the series, and it’s a very positive step for the future”. He signed off by wishing everyone well for the championship in 2016 and nailing his Citroen colours very firmly to the mast by recommending competitors talk to David Greer about using a Citroen in 2016!

The event was completed with the drivers having a final half an hour to use the track and it was great to see some of Ireland’s top modified talents Daniel McKenna and Declan Gallagher get some seat time test driving the DGM Citroen DS3 R5. Both thoroughly enjoyed the experience and who knows what may happen next year. The 2016 Clonakilty Blackpudding Irish Tarmac Rally Championship begins in Galway in February and concludes in Cork in October, taking in visits to Clonakilty, Belfast, Killarney, Letterkenny and Enniskillen along the way. The dates for the 2016 rounds are as follows;

Galway International Rally                         6th & 7th February
West Cork Rally                                            12th & 13th March
Circuit of Ireland Rally                                7th – 9th April
International Rally of the Lakes                30th April – 1st May
Donegal International Rally                       17th – 19th June
Ulster Rally                                                    19th & 20th August
Cork 20 International Rally                        1st & 2nd October


  • tweet
Related articles
  • Josh Moffett lifts another Clonakilty Park Hotel West Cork Rally winner’s trophy
    Josh Moffett lifts another Clonakilty...

    Mar 20, 2023 Comments Off on Josh Moffett lifts another Clonakilty Park Hotel West Cork Rally winner’s trophy

  • Big win for Nasser & Toyota GR DKR Hilux in the Qatar International Baja
    Big win for Nasser & Toyota GR DKR...

    Mar 20, 2023 Comments Off on Big win for Nasser & Toyota GR DKR Hilux in the Qatar International Baja

  • Alfa Romeo F1 Driver Valtteri Bottas picks up his new Alfa Giulia GTAm
    Alfa Romeo F1 Driver Valtteri Bottas...

    Mar 18, 2023 Comments Off on Alfa Romeo F1 Driver Valtteri Bottas picks up his new Alfa Giulia GTAm

  • All go at Mondello Park – Events during 2023
    All go at Mondello Park – Events...

    Mar 18, 2023 Comments Off on All go at Mondello Park – Events during 2023

More in this category
  • Josh Moffett lifts another Clonakilty Park Hotel West Cork Rally winner’s trophy
    Josh Moffett lifts another Clonakilty...

    Comments Off on Josh Moffett lifts another Clonakilty Park Hotel West Cork Rally winner’s trophy

  • Big win for Nasser & Toyota GR DKR Hilux in the Qatar International Baja
    Big win for Nasser & Toyota GR DKR...

    Comments Off on Big win for Nasser & Toyota GR DKR Hilux in the Qatar International Baja

  • Alfa Romeo F1 Driver Valtteri Bottas picks up his new Alfa Giulia GTAm
    Alfa Romeo F1 Driver Valtteri Bottas...

    Comments Off on Alfa Romeo F1 Driver Valtteri Bottas picks up his new Alfa Giulia GTAm

  • All go at Mondello Park – Events during 2023
    All go at Mondello Park – Events...

    Comments Off on All go at Mondello Park – Events during 2023


Fleet Car Magazine

Notice Board

  • For Sale! 1991 Jordan-Ford driven by Mick Schumacher at Bonhams Grandes Marques du Monde à Paris auction
    For Sale! 1991 Jordan-Ford driven by Mick Schumacher at...

    Jan 18, 2023

    Tweet1991 Jordan-Ford driven by Mick Schumacher in 2021 to...
  • Opel Ireland partners with Mondello Park to launch 2022 EARLY-DRIVE road safety programme
    Opel Ireland partners with Mondello Park to launch 2022...

    Aug 21, 2022

    TweetA unique young driver education programme, developed...
  • Goodyear FIA ETRC pays tribute to Anthony Janiec
    Goodyear FIA ETRC pays tribute to Anthony Janiec

    Aug 07, 2022

    Tweet The Goodyear FIA ETRC, ETRA Promotion and the entire...
  • Killarney Forestry Rally to raise funds for Air Ambulance
    Killarney Forestry Rally to raise funds for Air Ambulance

    Feb 03, 2022

    TweetRally drivers from across Ireland will help fund...
  • McHugh’s Service Station, Ballindine Mayo Stages Rally, 6 March 2022
    McHugh’s Service Station, Ballindine Mayo Stages Rally, 6...

    Jan 27, 2022

    TweetMayo & District Motorsport Club, organisers of the...

Categories

  • Africa Eco-Race
  • Baja
  • BRC
  • Circuit Racing
  • Cross-Country Rally
  • Dakar
  • Dakar 2015
  • DAKAR 2016
  • DAKAR 2017
  • DAKAR 2019 PERU
  • DAKAR RALLY 2018
  • EV Motorsport
  • Events
  • EverGreeens: Irish Abroad
  • Extreme E
  • Forestry Rally
  • Formula 1
  • Hillclimb
  • IndyCar Series
  • Interview
  • Middle East Rally Championship
  • Morocco Rally
  • Motorbike
  • News
  • Notice Board
  • Rally
  • RallyX
  • Related products
  • Review
  • Sportscars
  • Touring Cars
  • Tribute
  • Truck Racing
  • Uncategorized
  • Video
  • WRC
Tweets by @IrMotSportNews

Recent Posts

Big win for Nasser & Toyota GR DKR Hilux in the Qatar International Baja

Big win for Nasser & Toyota GR DKR Hilux in the Qatar...

Mar 20, 2023

TweetQatar’s Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah and co-driver Mathieu Baumel clinched victory in the car category in their Toyota GR DKR Hilux, while Polish KTM rider Konrad Dabrowski stayed clear of late...
Read More
Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah wins the 2023 Qatar Baja in the Toyota GR DKR Hilux

Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah wins the 2023 Qatar Baja...

Mar 18, 2023

2 new winners at Season 3 opener hints at closest Extreme E Championship yet

2 new winners at Season 3 opener hints at closest...

Mar 18, 2023

RECORD QUALITY ENTRY FOR 2023 QATAR INTERNATIONAL BAJA

RECORD QUALITY ENTRY FOR 2023 QATAR INTERNATIONAL...

Mar 15, 2023

Excitement builds for closest Extreme E season yet

Excitement builds for closest Extreme E season

Mar 10, 2023

Copyright 2016 / All rights reserved