Two rounds of the Parts for Cars Irish Rallycross championship take place this weekend at Mondello Park as competitors gear up for the British Rallycross series, which will visit Ireland twice this year.
Rallycross - a series of short, sharp, saloon car races held on a combination of tarmac and gravel - has been at the heart of Irish circuit racing for decades now, with the heyday the annual visit of the European series, which no longer visits Ireland.
However, the British series, won by the likes of Derek Tohill and the late Dermot Carnegie on numerous occasions, has filled the void and will run two rounds of its series at the Co Kildare track on 24 and 25 May.
The 5 Nations Trophy will also have two rounds at Mondello Park on the 4 and 5 October, the first time that the British Rallycross series will come to race on our shores twice in the one season.
With that in mind, this weekend's action at Mondello should see a decent Supercar entry, including reigning Irish champion Tohill and Micheal Leonard (both Fiesta), as well as three-time 5 Nations Trophy event winner John McCluskey
McCluskey has committed to fighting for the British title in 2025 in his Onesonic-backed Ford Fiesta Supercar.
McCluskey made a return to rallycross in 2023 after an absence of almost 15 years and contested a full 5 Nations campaign last year with Murray Motorsport team, for which he drove a Peugeot 306 and Citroen Xsara in his former career in the British and Irish Championships.
The Irish driver, also a former European Rallycross Championship competitor, finished as runner-up in the 2024 5 Nations BRX standings behind English title-winner Patrick O'Donovan.
He will test the car at the forthcoming rounds of the Irish Rallycross Championship this week at Mondello Park, before taking on the 11-round 5 Nations BRX season that begins at Lydden Hill on Easter Bank Holiday weekend (19 to 21 April).
"I’m really excited to commit to a full 5 Nations BRX season," said McCluskey
"We learned a lot last year and it will be great to build on that in 202 and having multiple drivers within Murray Motorsport will certainly help our progress too, and it will be exciting to race for the Teams’ Championship.
"Lydden (Hill) has always been my favourite track so I’m really looking to both events there, but I’m also very excited to compete in France at Loheac. That will be amazing."
Tohill will also be on the grid this weekend in his Fiesta as he dovetails the Irish and UK series with selected rounds of the World and European Rallycross series in Portugal, the Netherlands and Germany.
Reigning European Rallycross Champion Patrick O’Donovan visited the Irish Rallycross Championship for the third and fourth rounds in February and left with a brace of wins. It's hoped that he will be back in Ireland this weekend in his Proton Iriz RX Supercar.
That was a tough weekend for reigning and eight-time Irish Champion Tohill, the winner of the opening double-header of the 2024-2025 campaign in November.
The closest contender to O’Donovan for most of the weekend, Tohill’s Ford Fiesta was hampered by handbrake release problems in the opening day, although he did finish second to O’Donovan in both the Supercar final and the Superfinal.
On day two, Tohill was again second in the Supercar final but further transmission woes in the Superfinal meant it was damage limitation for the former British and European Rallycross Champion, Tohill dropping out of podium contention during the race and defending hard to hold on to fifth at the finish.
Despite the setback, Tohill continues to head the standings at the midway point of the campaign.
All the usual classes from modified, buggies and juniors will also take to the track this weekend
Mondello Park, in partnership with Motorsport Ireland and the Women in Motorsport Commission, is marking International Women’s Day with a special event on Saturday.
The event is about celebrating and empowering women in motorsport, from drivers to marshals, officials, and behind-the-scenes roles. The day will end with a panel discussion featuring some of the biggest names in Irish motorsport, along with special international guests.
