The 2026 Irish Tarmac Rally Championship heads to Dungannon this weekend for the Circuit of Ireland Rally, where a competitive entry will tackle two days of Easter weekend action.
The third round of the championship arrives with the title race finely poised after Josh Moffett returned to winning form on the West Cork Rally, setting up a compelling battle with Galway victor Callum Devine.
Reigning champion Callum Devine and co-driver Noel O’Sullivan will look to defend their 2025 Circuit of Ireland victory after a gruelling encounter 12 months ago.
Double Irish Tarmac Champion Josh Moffett sits behind Devine in the standings following his dominant West Cork victory. The Monaghan driver and co-driver, Andy Hayes, will be keen to continue their momentum in the Toyota Yaris Rally2.
National Rally Champions Eddie Doherty and Tom Murphy are strong championship contenders after two podium finishes aboard their Skoda Fabia Rally2, while Mayo Stages Rally winner David Kelly has two fourth-place finishes to his name so far in the NAPA-backed series and will be hoping to step up to a podium position on the Circuit.
The Boyle trio of Declan, Michael, and Matthew continue their ITRC campaigns in three Skoda Fabia Rally2s. Cathan McCourt will be hoping for a more trouble-free run in his Skoda while Sam Touzel will aim to build on his impressive top-five finish on the West Cork Rally.
Local drivers Desi Henry, Jonathan Greer, and Sam Moffett make welcome returns to the series in a mix of Rally2 machinery.
McEvoy Motorsport and Flat 2 The Hat Modified ITRC
The modified category features a strong entry across several classes with local crews eager to shine on their home stages.
Barry Morris and Dylan Doonan lead the Darrian challenge in their T90 GTR+, the Dungannon driver bringing home advantage to the modified battle, while Damian Toner and Denver Rafferty make a welcome ITRC appearance in their Ford Escort Mk2.
Mark Alcorn and Adrian Hetherington add further quality to the two-wheel-drive category.
The Mitsubishi Evo crew of Tomas O’Rourke and Tomas Scallan jumped to the top of the Modified ITRC standings after a maximum score in West Cork. They’ll face off with the top scorer in Galway, John McQuaid, on the Circuit of Ireland.
Wales Motorsport Historic ITRC
Championship leaders Jason McSweeney and Liam Brennan top the Historic entry in their Ford Escort Cosworth after two victories from two starts in 2026. The Cork crew will be targeting a hat-trick of wins to extend their commanding championship lead.
Ray Breen and Martin Brady bring their Subaru Legacy to challenge McSweeney, the four-wheel-drive machine always competitive on Irish Tarmac stages. Breen will be eager to bounce back after a West Cork retirement ended his challenge.
2025 Historic ITRC champions John O’Donnell and Paddy Robinson are back in the running after missing the last two rounds in their speedy BMW M3.
Ronan Campbell and Denny Greaney continue their championship challenge after claiming West Cork podium honours in their Ford Escort Mk2.
Andy Johnson brings his Vauxhall Chevette to the Circuit, while Jim Feenan and Barry McParland add a Ford Escort WRC to the Historic entry.
Paul Browne Plant Hire and Civil Engineering Junior ITRC
The Junior category features an intriguing battle as Aaron and Caolan Reid bring their Honda Civic to take on seven Nissan Micra Challenge crews.
Photos by D Harrigan Images