-2008 Events Review
Rathfriland Motor Club Ltd 2008 Events.
The 2008 season began on 25th January
with the RGJ Developments Tour of the
Mournes Navigation Rally.
The event kicked of the Energia ANICC NI
Navigation Championship, and after 75
hectic miles of action was won by Willie
McKeown (left) and Paddy McCollum (right)
pictured with sponsor, Ronnie Mitchell.

The 'Safety First' presentations have been
progressing throughout 2008. The team
have visited St Malachy's Castlewellan,
Newbridge Integrated in Loughbrickland,
Rathfriland High School and have just
completed a 2-day session at Shimna
Integrated in Newcastle. The Club have
been requested to again do the
presentation to the above Schools in 2009
and are in the process of organising new
sessions in Kilkeel and Coleraine Institute,
as well as requests from the Scouts.
The East Coast Customs Spelga Hillclimb
was held on 30th August. The event was
the final round of the Millers Oils ANICC NI
Hillclimb Championship and was won by
Rallycross ace Lawrence Gibson in the
fearsome Metro 6R4.

Picture: Lawrence Gibson (left) receives
his trophy for FTD from East coast
Custom's John Curistan, who finished third.
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September again saw the Club attending
the Rathfriland Vintage Club Show.
The previous wet weather prevented the
Motor Club from bringing a better selection
of the Hillclimb cars, but the selection of
Rally cars in the enclosure attracted a
steady flow of admirers throughout the
day, and of course the monies collected at
the gate was donated to charity.
Rathfriland Motor Club's biggest event of
the year is the FM Contracts Down Rally.
The event is the penultimate round of the
MSA Pacenotes NI Stage Rally 2008 and is
based in Castlewellan in the shadow of the
picturesque Mourne Mountain range. Seven
challenging gravel stages face the crews
during the 18th October event. The event
also features centralised servicing in
Castlewellan Forest Park, and 3 stages in
the awesome Tollymore Forest Complex.
Last years event was won by Richard Cathcart and Martin Brady, who were only the second crew in the history of the NI Championship to win an event in a Production class car. Their performance paved the way for an impressive finish in Rally Ireland a few weeks later. New for 2008 (and for the NI Championship) is the publication of Rally Guide 1 which gives all the required information needed by prospective crews considering entering the event.

Rally Guide 1 can be viewed or downloaded from the event website, www.downrally.com

The Down Rally now attracts some of the fastest loose surface drivers in Ireland to the South Down region to do battle through the local forests within the proposed Mourne National Park, and the committee are determined to raise the profile of the rally over the next few years to become one of the best loose surface Rally's in Ireland. Further to the Club's good working relationship with NI Forest Service, we now have unrestricted access to Tollymore Forest, recognised as the 'jewel in the crown' of all the Forest Service's facilities.
The final event of 2008 is the Banbridge
Leader Rogues Navigation Rally in
November. The event is designed to tie in
with the Rallyschool with easy Instructions
for the beginners to encourage them to
progress through to the ANICC Navigation
Championship.
All related event information can be viewed from the
Club website: www.rathfrilandmotorclub.com
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