Changes Afoot For 2012 Irish Tarmac Rally Championship

RSL Staff

– November 11, 2011Posted in: British & Irish Rally, ITRC, News

The Tarmac Rally Organisers’ Association is set to introduce a number of changes to next year’s Irish Tarmac Rally Championship in a bid to make the series even more competitive.

The Championship will maintain its winning format of six rounds for the 2012 season, with the competitors’ best five scores counting towards the overall results.

However, 50 per cent bonus points will be up for grabs at Galway’s opening round as well as the season closing event in Cork.

It was in 2009 that the series organisers first introduced 50 per cent bonus points for the final round of the Championship. This proved to be a popular addition to the series, and has resulted in the battle for the prestigious title going down to the wire every year since then.

Now, in a bid to give competitors a boost at the start of the season, 50 per cent bonus points will also be up for grabs at Galway’s opening round in February.

In addition, points will be awarded to the fastest crews after each leg of a rally. Three points will be awarded to the rally leader, while two points will be awarded to the crew in second position and one point will be awarded to those in third.

In a further innovation for 2012, where a competitor finishes an event under ‘SuperRally’ regulations – a system that allows competitors who retire during the first and second leg of an event to restart on the following day – they will still be able to score Championship points.

Irish Tarmac Historic Championship

In an effort to raise the profile of the Historic Section, in addition to the current classes, TROA will also be introducing a new category to cater for FIA registered entries.

Championship Manager Don Wilmont confirmed that the changes have been introduced following consultation with competitors, organisers and Motorsport Ireland. He hopes that they will increase the level of competition for Championship honours by rewarding both outright speed and consistency, and that they will also raise the level of spectator interest in the Historics.

The 2011/12 Irish Tarmac Historic Championship begins with this next month’s Killarney Historic Cars Stages Rally, which will take place over 3/4 December.

Irish Tarmac Historic Championship Dates

3rd/4th Dec: Killarney Historic Cars Stages Rally
4th/5th Feb: Safety Direct Galway Historic Rally
7th/8th Apr: Circuit of Ireland Historic Rally
27th-29th Apr: Ordnance Survey National Rally of the Lakes
15th-17th Jun: Topaz Donegal National Rally
17th/18th Aug: Todds Leap Ulster Historic Rally
6th/7th Oct: Cork 20 National Rally

Website: www.irishtarmac.com.

Photo: Roy Dempster Photography