European Rally Championship driver Aoife Raftery will make a rare Irish Tarmac Rally Championship event appearance when she contests Saturday’s Ulster Rally. (17th August 2024).
The Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy member is competing in the Hankook Tires Junior FIA European Rally Championship for the second time this season.
After two gravel surface rallies in Sweden and Lativa the championship reverts to asphalt for its penultimate round, Rali Ceredigion in a few weeks.
Marking her first Irish rally start since the Galway International, Raftery views the Ulster Rally as a vital asphalt test ahead of her return to the Junior European Rally Championship in Wales at the end of the month
“We haven't done many tarmac events this year, it's been more gravel so far so it's time to make the switch and try and get a good feeling in the car and build confidence,“ said Raftery.
The Craughwell native, co-driven by County Antrim’s Hannah McKillop, drives a Peugeot 208 Rally4.
“It is another chance to get out and do an event before the next round of the European Championship in Wales. I'm looking forward to having Hannah over to do the rally with me. There is going to be plenty of competition as it’s a round of the Irish Tarmac championship and will have lots of good drivers there,” said the first and only female to be selected by the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy.
The Ulster Rally kicks off on Saturday morning with two stages, followed by a service halt in Newry.
The afternoon sees a repeat of the morning stages, with a regrouping at Banbridge Civic Building. The final loop of three stages will determine the result before the winners cross the finish ramp at 5.30 pm in Newry.
The last time Raftery contested the Ulster Rally was during her debut season in 2021. She finished second in the British Rally Championship Academy class on that occasion.
“The Ulster Rally is a challenging event. We are looking forward to coming back and competing in Ireland again,” she added.
“The rally will have lots of good drivers. There is always a good turnout in the Rally4 class, especially with some of the other Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy members competing there too. “
Aoife Raftery is supported by Des Lyons Plant | Kenny (Peugeot) Galway | O’Neill O’Malley Architects and Project Managers | Loughrea Auto Parts | Sean Fleming Motors | Quinn Hardware | Kerry Motorsport News
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