Irish Tarmac Rally Championship


The Irish Tarmac Rally Championship is Ireland's premier rallying series. The championship is made up of events that run on closed tarmac roads in the Republic of Ireland and in the Northern Ireland. The ITRC was first run in 1978.

Current events

Irish Tarmac Rally Championship consists of a number of events that run regularly every year. Many of them have gained world-wide acknowledgement, the 2016 Circuit of Ireland hosted the 2nd round of the 2016 European Rally Championship.

2020 Season

All of the 2019 events have been kept in the calendar, with Easter Stages Rally 'running in tandem' with the anticipated Circuit of Ireland Rally. All events achieved International accreditation, and hence the names include the word 'International' to reflect it.
On 12 March all motorsports events were postponed in the light of the coronavirus pandemic outbreak. On 20 March, Motorsport Ireland issued a statement that all motorsport events are suspended until 1 June 2020. Amidst on-going lockdown, on 28 April the board of directors and executive of the Tarmac Rally Organisers' Association announced that a unanimous decision has been made to cancel this year’s championship. Clubs will still be able to run events if they wish but it won’t hold championship status.
Only the round 1 took place before rounds 2-4 were postponed, and eventually all remaining rounds were cancelled.
RoundDatesEventRally HQOrganizer
12 FebruaryGalway International RallyGalwayGalway Motor Club
214–15 MarchWest Cork International RallyClonakiltyCork Motor Club
310-11 AprilEaster Stages / Circuit of Ireland RallyDundrodUlster Automobile Club
42–3 MayInternational Rally of the LakesKillarneyKillarney Motor Club
519–21 JuneDonegal International RallyLetterkennyDonegal Motor Club
621–22 AugustUlster International RallyNewryNorthern Ireland Motor Club
726–27 SeptemberCork 20 International RallyCorkMunster Motor Club

2019 Season

has returned to the calendar, following the cancellation for the 2018. The Easter Stages Rally replaced the Circuit of Ireland Rally event for the third year in a row.
The overall champion: Craig Breen, Ford Fiesta R5
RoundDatesEventRally HQOrganizer
110 FebruaryGalway International RallyGalwayGalway Motor Club
216–17 MarchWest Cork RallyClonakiltyCork Motor Club
32 JuneEaster Stages RallyDundrodUlster Automobile Club
44–5 MayRally of the LakesKillarneyKillarney Motor Club
521–23 JuneDonegal International RallyLetterkennyDonegal Motor Club
616–17 AugustUlster RallyNewryNorthern Ireland Motor Club
728–29 SeptemberCork 20 RallyCorkMunster Motor Club

Top 10 ITRC drivers overall:

Other Events

The following events have also been included in the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship in the past.
  • Manx International Rally - from 1978
  • Jim Clark Rally - from 2002
  • Summit 2000 Rally - a one off event that ran in 2000
  • Circuit of Ireland Rally - traditionally having been the part of the calendar for many years, it was cancelled since 2017 due to funding issues. There are expectations for the Circuit of Ireland Rally to return to the calendar in 2020.

    Champions

Sponsors

Clonakilty Black pudding continued to be the title sponsor for the 2015 season.

Broadcasting

The TV coverage is covered by On the Limit Sports since 2003. The viewers can view the series on UTV, Sky, Motors TV and TG4 in Ireland.
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