Omagh’s Mark Donnelly and Enniskillen’s Jonny Leonard have won free entries to this year’s Wales Rally GB after topping the times sheets on the Ulster Youth Challenge over the Ulster Rally weekend.

The Northern Ireland Motor Club announced the new and unique competition last Thursday which aimed at providing opportunities for young drivers under the age of 30 on this year’s Todds Leap Ulster Rally.

The initiative was supported by Sport Northern Ireland, through their International Sport Events Programme, which aims to develop improved performance pathways for Northern Ireland athletes/players and sports.

Once the crews crossed the finish line, the times for each elegible crew were calculated and Donnelly and Leonard were the local category winners, securing them a free entry on the British round of the World Rally Championship in November.

Other crews to benefit from the Ulster Youth Challenge were Welshman Osian Pryce, who took his first British Rally Championship win on Rally NI, and Monaghan’s Stephen Wright who finished well on the Ulster Rally. Both crews won a free entry on the 2014 Ulster Rally.