Latest news with #UlsterRally
Belfast Telegraph
03-08-2025
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
Winning Irish crown at Ulster Rally would be even more special, says Callum Devine
Callum Devine says it would be 'absolutely brilliant' if he can achieve a first-ever Ulster Rally victory as he closes in on a second Irish Tarmac Rally Championship crown.
Belfast Telegraph
23-07-2025
- Automotive
- Belfast Telegraph
Ulster Rally boss reveals why joining prestigious European series would be so special for showpiece
Representatives from the FIA, motorsport's governing body, are travelling to Newry next month where they will meet with event officials, including Clerk of the Course Wayne Turkington. If all goes to plan, and the Northern Ireland Motor Club showpiece ticks all the boxes, the understanding is it will become a round of the FIA European Historic Rally Championship. The Championship is touted as the 'ultimate celebration of rallying's glorious past', with each decade from the Sixties right up to the Noughties represented by an array of exotic machinery from Porsche's 911 Carrera and BMW's M3 E30 to Ford's endearing Escort Mk2. It comprises 10 rounds in 2025, with these running between March and November and visiting several countries, including Spain, Czech Republic, Austria, Finland and Portugal. Points-scoring rounds typically comprise 90 competitive miles, with crews tackling these over the course of one-and-a-half-days — a formula that works for the Ulster Rally. If Turkington and his team can bank a slot on the FIA EHRC calendar for 2026 it would have added significance as the Ulster Rally celebrates its 50th anniversary next August. 'We know the eyes of the motorsport world will be on us when the FIA representatives arrive, and we are determined to show that the Ulster Rally is ready to take its place on the European stage,' said Turkington. 'Securing a spot on the FIA European Historic Rally Championship would be a big endorsement of the event's quality and illustrious history. 'To bring the FIA European Historic Rally Championship to Northern Ireland in the same year that the Ulster Rally celebrates its golden anniversary would be incredibly special. 'It would be a fitting tribute to everyone who has contributed to the event over the past five decades, from volunteers and competitors to sponsors and spectators.' Plans for the 49th instalment of the Modern Tyres Ulster Rally are well underway, with one title potentially set to be decided on the weekend of August 15th and 16th. A win would see the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship title return to Callum Devine and Noel O'Sullivan who have been in imperious form since April. The Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 team-mates have triumphed on three of the four rounds they have started, including the Circuit of Ireland Rally, Killarney Rally of the Lakes, and Donegal International Rally.
Pembrokeshire Herald
26-05-2025
- Automotive
- Pembrokeshire Herald
Simultaneous rescues for Tenby lifeboats after paddleboarders blown out to sea
Dai Roberts, 39, was killed during Saturday's race near Duns in the Scottish Borders A CO-DRIVER from Carmarthen has tragically died following a crash during the Jim Clark rally in Scotland. Dai Roberts, aged 39, was pronounced dead at the scene on Saturday (May 24) after the vehicle he was in left the road during a stage near Duns in the Scottish Borders. The driver, 27-year-old James Williams, was seriously injured and taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. His injuries are described as serious but not life-threatening. Roberts was an experienced figure in the world of rallying. In 2014, he survived a crash during the Ulster Rally in Belfast which claimed the life of his then-driver, Timothy Cathcart, who was 20. Two years earlier, his younger brother Gareth, also a rally co-driver, was killed in an accident during a race in Palermo, Italy. He was 24. This weekend's Jim Clark rally and Sunday's Reivers rally were both cancelled following the incident. The event, named after the late Formula One world champion Jim Clark, is a popular annual fixture that draws competitors from across the UK. Around 260 participants were due to take part over the weekend. A statement from the event organisers, the Jim Clark Memorial Motor Club, confirmed the fatal incident and said support was being provided to those affected. James Williams Rallying also issued a heartfelt tribute: 'It is with a heavy heart we have to share this sad news. The motorsport community is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of our beloved Dai Roberts. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Roberts family at this difficult time.' Superintendent Vincent Fisher of Police Scotland said: 'Our thoughts are with the family of the man who has died and inquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances.' Motorsport UK, the governing body for the sport, said it had launched a full investigation and would work closely with organisers and relevant authorities. The Jim Clark rally has a long history but has also been marred by tragedy in the past. In 2014, three spectators were killed and six others injured when two cars veered off the course. The event was suspended and only resumed five years later, in 2019, following significant safety reforms. The rally forms part of several championships, including the Probite British Rally Championship, the Asset Alliance Group Scottish Rally Championship, and the Protyre National Asphalt Championship.
Pembrokeshire Herald
26-05-2025
- Automotive
- Pembrokeshire Herald
Welsh music venues set to benefit from £500k capital fund
Dai Roberts, 39, was killed during Saturday's race near Duns in the Scottish Borders A CO-DRIVER from Carmarthen has tragically died following a crash during the Jim Clark rally in Scotland. Dai Roberts, aged 39, was pronounced dead at the scene on Saturday (May 24) after the vehicle he was in left the road during a stage near Duns in the Scottish Borders. The driver, 27-year-old James Williams, was seriously injured and taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. His injuries are described as serious but not life-threatening. Roberts was an experienced figure in the world of rallying. In 2014, he survived a crash during the Ulster Rally in Belfast which claimed the life of his then-driver, Timothy Cathcart, who was 20. Two years earlier, his younger brother Gareth, also a rally co-driver, was killed in an accident during a race in Palermo, Italy. He was 24. This weekend's Jim Clark rally and Sunday's Reivers rally were both cancelled following the incident. The event, named after the late Formula One world champion Jim Clark, is a popular annual fixture that draws competitors from across the UK. Around 260 participants were due to take part over the weekend. A statement from the event organisers, the Jim Clark Memorial Motor Club, confirmed the fatal incident and said support was being provided to those affected. James Williams Rallying also issued a heartfelt tribute: 'It is with a heavy heart we have to share this sad news. The motorsport community is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of our beloved Dai Roberts. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Roberts family at this difficult time.' Superintendent Vincent Fisher of Police Scotland said: 'Our thoughts are with the family of the man who has died and inquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances.' Motorsport UK, the governing body for the sport, said it had launched a full investigation and would work closely with organisers and relevant authorities. The Jim Clark rally has a long history but has also been marred by tragedy in the past. In 2014, three spectators were killed and six others injured when two cars veered off the course. The event was suspended and only resumed five years later, in 2019, following significant safety reforms. The rally forms part of several championships, including the Probite British Rally Championship, the Asset Alliance Group Scottish Rally Championship, and the Protyre National Asphalt Championship.
Pembrokeshire Herald
26-05-2025
- Automotive
- Pembrokeshire Herald
Carmarthen co-driver dies in Jim Clark rally crash
Dai Roberts, 39, was killed during Saturday's race near Duns in the Scottish Borders A CO-DRIVER from Carmarthen has tragically died following a crash during the Jim Clark rally in Scotland. Dai Roberts, aged 39, was pronounced dead at the scene on Saturday (May 24) after the vehicle he was in left the road during a stage near Duns in the Scottish Borders. The driver, 27-year-old James Williams, was seriously injured and taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. His injuries are described as serious but not life-threatening. Roberts was an experienced figure in the world of rallying. In 2014, he survived a crash during the Ulster Rally in Belfast which claimed the life of his then-driver, Timothy Cathcart, who was 20. Two years earlier, his younger brother Gareth, also a rally co-driver, was killed in an accident during a race in Palermo, Italy. He was 24. This weekend's Jim Clark rally and Sunday's Reivers rally were both cancelled following the incident. The event, named after the late Formula One world champion Jim Clark, is a popular annual fixture that draws competitors from across the UK. Around 260 participants were due to take part over the weekend. A statement from the event organisers, the Jim Clark Memorial Motor Club, confirmed the fatal incident and said support was being provided to those affected. James Williams Rallying also issued a heartfelt tribute: 'It is with a heavy heart we have to share this sad news. The motorsport community is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of our beloved Dai Roberts. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Roberts family at this difficult time.' Superintendent Vincent Fisher of Police Scotland said: 'Our thoughts are with the family of the man who has died and inquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances.' Motorsport UK, the governing body for the sport, said it had launched a full investigation and would work closely with organisers and relevant authorities. The Jim Clark rally has a long history but has also been marred by tragedy in the past. In 2014, three spectators were killed and six others injured when two cars veered off the course. The event was suspended and only resumed five years later, in 2019, following significant safety reforms. The rally forms part of several championships, including the Probite British Rally Championship, the Asset Alliance Group Scottish Rally Championship, and the Protyre National Asphalt Championship.
