Rally Championships in Ireland can be broken down into two strands; National (which include events all over Ireland) and Regional (which include events in a specific area).
Most championships are all based on tarmac, while there is one solely loose surface series. There are also a handful of mixed surface championships which combine tarmac and gravel.
TRITON SHOWERS NATIONAL RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP
Running since 1978, the Irish National Rally Championship has developed into an eight-round series with 16 rallies running on a year in, year out basis making for a fresh challenge each year and a good geographical spread of events. All championship rounds are one-day in duration and run to a national permit.
- Championship Regulations: These can be found in Appendix 31 of the current Motorsport Ireland Yearbook.
- How to Register: Competitors are required to register for the championship at documentation of the first qualifying round that they enter.
NATIONAL FORESTRY RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP
In operation since 1990, this series is currently a seven-round championship comprising of five single-day events and the two-day Cork Forestry Rally which counts as two rounds. The series, which caters for all classes including the J1000 class for 14 to 19-year-olds, takes place entirely on gravel.
- Championship Regulations: These can be found in Appendix 32 of the current Motorsport Ireland Yearbook.
- How to Register: Registration for the championship costs €60 per person and registration form must be completed by both driver and co-driver. Competitors may register up to and including round 4. For further information please contact championship registrar Deirdre Burke on 087 2380376 or [email protected]
- Events Calendar: Click here to view the 2023 Calendar of Events
MOTORSPORT IRELAND JUNIOR RALLY SERIES (MIJRS)
This series forms one part of the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy. This initiative is to promote and assist junior competitors focused on developing their motorsport future. This dual surface series is aimed at Junior drivers using J1000 cars (Class 21), J1600 cars (Class 16), JR2/Rally4 cars (Class 2) and Rally5 (Class 1) (running in their respective classes within each event). All drivers must hold an MI competition licence and comply with the age requirements for J1000 as set out in Appendix 1 Article 2.11. The age limit will be reduced over the coming years in relation to J1600, JR2/Rally4 and Rally5. This is to facilitate prize winners being able to utilize their award in the following year and beyond. This also enables the MI Rally Academy to promote the tiered structure in moving from J1000 through J1600, JR2/Rally4 and onto R5/Rally2.
- Championship Regulations: These can be found in Appendix 36 of the current Motorsport Ireland Yearbook.
- Further Information: Contact Series Co-Ordinator, John Quill on 087 9299 590
- How to Register: Competitors are required download and submit the registration from which can be downloaded HERE.
IRISH TARMAC RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP
Regarded as the premier Rally series on the island of Ireland, the Irish Tarmac Championship comprises of seven events, five international permit events in the Republic and two in the North. Almost all events in the championship are two-day events with the three-day Donegal International Rally being a notable exception. While predominantly catering for homologated cars, separate championships are run for modified, historic and junior cars. Many events in the series also count towards the FIA Celtic European Rally Trophy.
- Regulations & Registration: To view the championship regulations and to register, please visit www.irishtarmac.com
- Events Calendar: To be Announced
BORDER RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP
The Border Rally Championship is a class-based series taking in events run by the following clubs: Cavan; Connacht; Donegal; Galway; Mayo; and Monaghan. Points are scored on your class results in each round so almost any car has a chance of winning making this a very popular championship in the region.
- Championship Regulations: Click here to download the Championship Regulations
- How to Register: Competitors are required to register for the Championship before the start of the first qualifying round that they enter. Drivers and navigators may register and score points on an individual basis. There is no charge for registration.
- Events Calendar: To be Announced
SOUTH EAST STAGES RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP
The South East Stages Championship is hosted by the following clubs: Carlow; Carrick-on-Suir; Limerick; Tipperary and Wexford. As with many other regional rally series, the South East Stages is based on class results as opposed to overall results. The series is also dual surface and multi discipline as it incorporates tarmac stages, forestry events and rallysprints with a competitor’s 6 best scores from the 9 rounds to count.
- Championship Regulations & Registration: Please contact championship registrar Karen O’Dowd on 086 024 7121 or by email on [email protected]
- Events Calendar: To be Announced
KINGDOM OF KERRY RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP
First held in 2018, this championship is open to members of Kerry Motor Club and Killarney and District Motor Club that are resident in Ireland. With each club running 2 rallies each in a calendar year, the championship has fast become popular among local drivers in the region.
- Championship Regulations & Registration: Please contact championship coordinator Sean Moriarty on 087 677 1019.
- Events Calendar: To be Announced
WEST COAST RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP
This seven round regional championship has been running for over 20 years. Presently, it includes rounds run by the following clubs Birr; Clare; Connacht; Galway; Kerry (2 rounds); and Limerick. Like many regional championships it is class based meaning a car from any class can win the series.
- Championship Regulations: Please click here to download the 2020 Championship Regulations
- How to Register: Please contact championship registrar Mark Parsons on 087 767 9712 or email [email protected]
- Events Calendar: To be Announced
MIDLANDS EAST RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP
Catering for competitors based in the Midlands, the Midlands East Rally Championship currently contains rounds organized by the following clubs Birr; Carlow; G.S.M.C.; Laois; Midland; Tipperary; and Wexford on a rotation basis with Wexford 2-day rally counting as 2 rounds. This is a class-based series where points are scored in your class as opposed to overall position.
- Championship Regulations & Registration: Please contact championship registrar Eoin Longworth on 086 8179297 or [email protected]
- Events Calendar: To be Announced
SOUTHERN 4 RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP
A very well supported regional championship, the Southern 4 series takes in rallies run by the following clubs: Carrick-on-Suir; Cork; Imokilly; Killarney (two rallies); Munster; and Skibbereen with two-day events counting as two rounds giving nine rounds in total. Like all other regional series, the Southern 4 is class based leading to fierce competition all the way through the field in an effort to claim the title.
- How to Register: Please contact championship registrar Liam Hayes on 086 3816078 or [email protected]
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