Aaron McLaughlin and Darren Curran led from start-to-finish but only just held on mid-event to claim maximum points by 15.9 seconds at the Brown & Brown Northern Ireland Rally Championship opener at Bishopscourt’s Race & Rally Stages, writes William Neill.
Stage one, measuring 3.9-miles, and the Volkswagen Polo R5 was out front by 2.6 seconds following a light shower of rain that left the level of grip unknown among competitors.
Experienced Bishopscourt driver Derek McGarrity was an early second with Jonathan Greer literally getting to grips with a Toyota Yaris Rally2. The Carryduff man entered stage one with slick tyres, setting a time 4.3 seconds off McLaughlin’s pace. Worse was to come for Greer and Niall Burns with a crash on the repeat that would rule the pair out.
Greer’s exit promoted Stuart Biggerstaff and Stephen Jess to third and by the end of stage three the pair were second and hunting down the leader to be 1.4 seconds back at the mid-event service with McLaughlin’s car having suffered front bodywork damage. A change in direction for the stages and Biggerstaff was quick to adapt, bringing the gap down to a mere 0.6 seconds while McGarrity won the stage to stay in contention.
McLaughlin went all out on the penultimate 3.9-mile stage to go fastest by an impressive 6.7 seconds and concrete the win on the final lap of the County Down venue.
McGarrity was third after stage three and remained there at the finish with Conor Duffy alongside, 12.8 seconds from matching Biggerstaff’s pace but 15.9 seconds ahead of Clonakilty’s Cal McCarthy who, in fifth, was ten places up from 2024. James McBrearty called the notes in the Citroen C3 Rally2.
Michael Cullen and Junior WRC ace Eamonn Kelly, who swapped to the co-driver’s seat, set third fastest time on stage three to move up two places to seventh overall, and found another two places by the finish to round out the top five in a Volkswagen Polo R5, 5.5 seconds from McCarthy.
A WRC-spec Subaru Impreza S12B, driven by 2012 Irish Tarmac Rally Championship winner Darren Gass, was a welcomed addition. Sixth, moving up a place on the final test, was a good result, given the lack of seat time and ageing motor. A fourth fastest time, with Enda Sherry, was the Armagh driver’s highlight.
Derek and Mark McGeehan finished 1.2 seconds back in what ended up a tight finish with Peadar Hurson and Damien Connolly, who lost over ten seconds and a front bumper after an off-stage excursion on stage one, completed the day 0.7 seconds from the Draperstown-based Ford Fiesta Rally2.
Conor Wilson and Kyle McDaid jumped from car 24 to ninth ahead of Cookstown’s John McGlaughlin and Crawford Henderson while 11th-placed Kalum Graffin was hampered with early driveshaft issues.
Two-wheel-drive…
Despite a stage three stall, Ballymoney’s Jaye Nevin and Eoghan Moore won the two-wheel-drive category with 12th overall to boot following a mighty drive to head husband and wife duo James and Heather Kennedy by 11.8 seconds.
Wexford’s Brian O’Neill and Richard Cleary were a fine third in their Rally5-spec Ford Fiesta with Mark Graham and Jason Tease fourth. The Ford Escort Mk2 of Paul McKenna and Damien Toner were not far behind.
In other news…
Trevor Ferguson retired with mechanical issues after stage three, power steering caused Paul Britton’s exit and Andrew Nesbitt limped through stage one but got going again to improve times all day at his first competitive rally appearance since the ‘00s.
Up next…
The Brown & Brown Northern Ireland Rally Championship moves to the GO Tour of the Sperrins on Saturday April 5. Such is the interest, entries are already full for the road-closed event that is sure to be another day of fast action.
Results (Full results via www.rallyscore.net)
1 Aaron McLaughlin/Darren Curran (Volkswagen Polo R5)
2 Stuart Biggerstaff/Stephen Jess (Ford Fiesta)
3 Derek McGarrity/Conor Duffy (Ford Fiesta Rally2)
4 Cal McCarthy/James McBrearty (Citroen C3 Rally2)
5 Michael Cullen/Eamonn Kelly (Volkswagen Polo R5)
6 Darren Gass/Enda Sherry (Subaru Impreza S12B)
7 Derek McGeeghan/Mark McGeehan (Ford Fiesta Rally2)
8 Peadar Hurson/Damien Connolly (Volkswagen Polo R5)
9 Conor Wilson/Kyle McDaid (Hyundai R5)
10 John McGlaughlin/Crawford Henderson (Ford Fiesta)
Brown & Brown Motorsport UK Northern Ireland Rally Championship 2025
RD1:March 8 Race & Rally Bishopscourt Stages –
Ballynahinch & District MC
RD2:April 5 GO Tour of the Sperrins – Magherafelt & DMC
RD3:May 24 Eakin Brothers Brian James Trailers Stages – Maiden City MC
RD4:July 5 PRM Loughgall Stages – North Armagh Motor Club
RD5:July 19 Down Rally – Rathfriland Motor Club
Brown & Brown Motorsport UK Northern Ireland Forest Rally Challenge 2025
RD1:February 22 Samsonas Fivemiletown – Omagh MC
RD2:September 6 Trailer Parts Lakeland Stages – Enniskillen MC
RD3:September 19 McKelvey Bushwhacker Rally – Omagh MC (Leg 1)
RD4:September 20 McKelvey Bushwhacker Rally – Omagh MC (Leg 2)
RD5:October 11 Dogleap Rally – Maiden City MC
