The countdown is on to the golden anniversary edition of the Modern Tyres Ulster Rally, with organisers preparing to welcome thousands of fans for two days of world-class motorsport, free family entertainment, and spectacular action across the County Antrim countryside on the 7/8 August.
Featuring many of the UK and Ireland’s leading rally drivers, iconic closed-road stages, and a new state-of-the-art service park in the heart of Ballymena, the fiftieth running of one of the province’s biggest outdoor sporting events promises to be a fitting way to mark the milestone occasion.
Excitement is steadily building ahead of Thursday evening’s opening ceremony, where fans will have the opportunity to get up close to the stars and their cars. As well as the rally cars there will be a host of entertainment – including a live DJ, trade stands and exhibitors, rally merchandise and a car show. Spectators will have further chances to enjoy the sounds and smells of rallying at the Regroup on both Friday and Saturday at Castle Tower School in Ballymena.
Spectators can also enjoy free access to the Ballymena Showgrounds where Rally HQ and the Service Park are based. There, an eclectic mix of machinery spanning more than four decades of rallying will be on display as services crews prepare cars between stages.
Top seed Josh Moffett arrives in his Toyota Gazoo Racing Yaris Rally2 knowing that victory on Saturday afternoon will require a faultless performance over twelve demanding special stages covering one hundred competitive miles through north and mid-Antrim.
Clerk of the Course Wayne Turkington has assembled a route worthy of the rally’s golden anniversary, featuring iconic tests including the 9.04-mile Glendun stage, the demanding 7.9-mile blast over Torr Head, and the 9.08-mile Slemish test, ensuring competitors face one of the toughest and most rewarding challenges on the motorsport calendar.
Moffett will face stiff competition from reigning Irish National Rally Champion Eddie Doherty, this year’s Circuit of Ireland Rally winner David Kelly, Ford Fiesta Rally2 driver Desi Henry and Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 contenders Cathan McCourt and Sam Touzel. And fresh from clinching a sixth Northern Ireland Rally Championship drivers’ crown, Jonny Greer has decided to enter the mix in another Toyota Gazoo Racing Yaris Rally2.
But all eyes will be on Moffett’s bid for a third Irish Tarmac Rally Championship title this weekend.
The Modified category also promises plenty of excitement, with County Armagh brothers Jason and Gareth Black flying the flag for Toyota in their rear-wheel-drive Starlets. They will be joined by Ford Escort Mk2 drivers John Devlin, Declan McNaughton and Camillus Bradley, while Geoffrey Dolan’s Talbot and John O’Donnell’s BMW add further variety to an already impressive line-up.
The entry has been further strengthened by the rally’s inclusion as a counting round of the FIA European Historic Rally Championship. Spectators can look forward to seeing four iconic BMW E30 M3s, a Ford Escort Cosworth WRC, a Subaru Legacy and a legendary Group A Subaru Impreza tackle the same demanding stages as the modern machinery.
Wayne Turkington said: “Reaching the fiftieth running of the Modern Tyres Ulster Rally is a fantastic milestone, and everyone involved has worked incredibly hard to make this year’s event a fitting celebration.
“We have assembled a challenging route featuring some of the most iconic stages in Irish rallying, attracted a top-class entry across the modern, modified and historic categories, and created a fantastic experience for spectators with our new service park and the Regroup at Castle Tower School.
“Whether you are a lifelong rally fan or attending for the first time, there is something for everyone, and we are looking forward to welcoming thousands of people to Ballymena and the surrounding area for what promises to be a memorable weekend of motorsport,” he added.
Rally programmes with the route and details are now available online via www.ulsterrally.com/home/programme
For more information on this year’s event, visit the official Ulster Rally website www.ulsterrally.com .
