Irish Rallycross Championship


Irish Rallycross Championship, IRX, PartsforCars Irish Rallycross Championship is a Rallycross championship in the Republic of Ireland.
The championship is regulated by Motorsport Ireland who are the governing body of Motorsports in the Republic of Ireland.

History

The Irish Rallycross Championship was formed in 1982, all rounds running in Mondello Park. The event attracted a round of European Rallycross Championship to Ireland in the early 1990s.

2022 season

With COVID-19 restrictions effectively coming to an end, a full season went ahead in 2022. Championship consisted of 7 rounds, all of them in Mondello Park rallycross circuit.

Calendar

RoundTrack / EventDate
1Mondello Park Rallycross13 February
2Mondello Park Rallycross6 March
3-4Mondello Park Rallycross4–5 June
5Mondello Park Rallycross30 October
6Mondello Park Rallycross13 November
7Mondello Park Rallycross11 December

Results

2021 season

The season started late due to ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Championship consisted of 5 rounds, all of them in Mondello Park clockwise rallycross circuit.

Calendar

RoundTrack / EventDate
1Mondello Park Rallycross11 July
2Mondello Park Rallycross8 August
3Mondello Park Rallycross31 October
4Mondello Park Rallycross14 November
5Mondello Park Rallycross12 December

Results

2020 season

On 12 March all motorsports events were postponed in the light of the coronavirus pandemic. On 20 March, Motorsport Ireland issued a statement that all motorsport events are suspended until 1 June 2020, and later the remainder of the season was cancelled.

Calendar

RoundTrack / EventDate-
1Mondello Park Rallycross - Clockwise8 March-
2Mondello Park Rallycross19 AprilCancelled - COVID-19
3-4Mondello Park Rallycross18–19 JulyCancelled - COVID-19
5Mondello Park Rallycross4 OctoberCancelled - COVID-19
6Mondello Park Rallycross8 NovemberCancelled - COVID-19

Results

The Rallycars class was absent this season. There were total of 48 cars on the grid for the round 1, with Modified being the largest class - 12 cars. Last year's overall champion Derek Tohill did not start in his Supercar Fiesta, but rather in a 2-wheel drive Fiesta in Modified class, and finished third. Round 1 winner was Tommy Graham. All other rounds were called off and the championship was cancelled.

2019 season

The official 2019 championship media launch took place on 17 February 2019 in Mondello Park. Leo Nulty started the proceedings, stating that the championship is in its best position in many years. PartsforCars was announced as the main championship sponsor, along with sponsorship from Diamondbrite, IPRS, Rigs 4 Gigs and MRCM Roofing.
Round 1 event on 3 March was cancelled in the afternoon after the first semi-finals race due to adverse weather conditions. However, the results were to stand.
On October 15 Mondello Park have announced that the penultimate two rounds scheduled for 19-20 of October will not take place because participant entry numbers are too low for the championship event to go ahead. The entrant numbers have been dropping throughout the season despite organizers' efforts to revive the championship. The Motorsport Ireland Rallycross Commission met the following week in order to make a decision in relation to the final event of the season on 24 November. On 7 November Motorsport Ireland announced that the last round of the season will go ahead, incentivized by lowered entry fees, and the first time ever “race into the night” as the finals would run under floodlights.

Calendar

RoundTrack / EventDate-
1Mondello Park Short Circuit Rallycross3 March 2019Event cancelled mid-way, but results stand
2Pallas Karting Track - Rallycross @ Tynagh7 April 2019-
3Mondello Park Reverse Short Circuit Rallycross19 May 2019-
4Mondello Park Modified Reverse Short Circuit Rallycross - "Retro Mania"20–21 July 2019-
5-6Mondello Park Short Circuit Rallycross19–20 October 2019Event did not go ahead, numbers too low
7Mondello Park Short Circuit Rallycross24 November 2019-

Results

Source:
The Production Class featured three cars in Round 1, one car in Round 2 and none from Rounds 3 onwards.
ClassRound 1Round 2Round 3Round 4Round 5-6Round 72019 Championship
SuperfinalDerek TohillNoel GreeneDerek TohillDerek TohillCancelledDerek TohillDerek Tohill
SupercarDerek TohillNoel GreeneDerek TohillDerek TohillCancelledDerek TohillDerek Tohill
ModifiedMichael CoyneWillie CoynePeter McGarryPadraig LeesonCancelledWillie CoyneWillie Coyne
Production-David Gibb--Cancelled--
RallycarsThomas O'RaffertyDavid JamesThomas O'RaffertyPatricia DenningCancelledShane StanleyThomas O'Rafferty
BuggyPadraic McHalePadraic McHaleRussel WoodsRussel WoodsCancelledPat BellewPadraic McHale
FiestaDenis McCruddenDavid MaherDavid MaherDavid MaherCancelledMark MeenehanDenis McCrudden
JuniorJack ByrneBrendan McCaughanJack ByrneBrendan McCaughanCancelledMichael RyanJack Byrne
Retro RX---Barry McCardleCancelledDavid CrockettBarry McCardle / David Crockett

2018 season

The season consisted of 6 rounds, 3 different track layouts and 9 main championship classes.
ClassClass DescriptionWinner2nd place3rd place
SuperfinalDerek TohillPearse BrowneMichael Coyne
SupercarModified 4WD cars with unlimited capacityDerek TohillMichael CoyneDeclan Kelly
Super ModifiedPeter McGarryMichael CoyneLloyd Spendlove
3A ModifiedModified 2WD cars with forced induction and Modified 2WD, normally aspirated cars with engine capacity exceeding 2150ccPeter McGarryMichael CoyneLloyd Spendlove
3B ModifiedModified 2WD, normally aspirated cars with engine capacity up to 2150ccChris GrimesWillie CoyneDavid Aitken
Super 1600Modified 2WD, normally aspirated cars with engine capacity up to 1650ccKieran Curran
Andrew Twomey
16V ProductionStandard 2WD normally aspirated cars up to 1650cc and standard 2wd normally aspirated production cars from 1650cc up to 2050ccCiaran MurphyDerek LenehanDamien Farrell
Rallycar Class 9Rallycars up to 1650ccPatrica Denning
Rallycar 9ARallycars over 1650cc up to 2050ccJack DeeganDavid GriffinJason Keogh
Rallycar 9BRallycars over 2050cc, 4WD Cars and Turbo Charged CarsJoe DowneyPeter O'BrienPJ Doyle
BuggyRussell WoodsOwen SkellyRobbie Allen
Zetecas per Motorsport Ireland yearbook appendix 48David MaherDenis McCruddenBrian Matthews
Junior14-16 year olds driving standard 1 litre carsJack ByrneConor KehoeMichael Ryan

Sponsors

PartsforCars has renewed the main sponsorship for another year. PartsforCars were joined by new sponsors Diamondbrite, IPRS ltd, Morris Roofing & Cladding Maintenance and Rigs 4 Gigs.