The stage will be set in rural County Down this weekend. Who will be crowned the 2023 Irish Tarmac champion?
Organised and promoted by Northern Ireland Motor Club Ltd, the Ulster Rally is the only event in the UK and Ireland that brings the biggest and the best names in international rallying together in the one place for what promises to be the standout highlight of the province’s sporting calendar.
The closed-road classic has a reputation for attracting rallying’s top talent, including Arti Vatanen, Walter Rohrl, Jari-Matti Latvala, multiple World Rally Champion Sebastien Ogier, and Elfyn Evans.
Bragging rights will be at stake for Josh Moffett (Hyundai i20 Rally2), Meirion Evans (Volkswagen Polo GTI R5), and Callum Devine who is aiming to wrap up a first title in fairy tale fashion by making it victory number five of the 2023 campaign.
Success on the penultimate round in Cork has placed Devine in the book seat, however, with there being points-and-a-half up for grabs over the two legs, reigning Irish Tarmac champion Moffett and last year’s Ulster victor Evans both stand a mathematical chance of spoiling Devine’s party.
Other drivers who could well have a say in the destination of the trophy is Jonathan Greer, James Ford and Robert Barrable in their respective Citroen Racing C3 Rally2 superminis, Cathan McCourt (Ford Fiesta Rally2), and Gareth MacHale (Volkswagen Polo GTI R5) – the son of Austin MacHale.
In Rally4 – a class for turbocharged front-wheel-drive cars – is also well represented. Kyle White, Shane Quinn, Charlie Wright, Letisha Conn and Stephen Waugh have all submitted their entries.
The Friday element is entirely different to 12 months ago. Consisting of one special stage in the Rostrevor area and a second on the outskirts of Banbridge, these are run twice and total 32-miles. At more than twice that competitive distance, Saturday is the longest leg of the entire weekend.
As always, rally goers will have unparalleled access to the cars and the stars at one of two town centre regroups: on the Friday afternoon (5pm) Banbridge Civic Building will provide the backdrop and from midday the following day it is the turn of the Armagh City Hotel to play host to the crews.
