Yeats Ridge preview

A new season always brings excitement, and it is especially true as we get set for this weekends opening round of the 2026 Trailer Parts & Spares Irish Forest Rally Championship. With a brand-new sponsor for the loose surface series, things kick off with a bumper entry for the Yeats Ridge Forest Rally, a brand new event that has attracted a bumper entry for Connacht Motor Club.

Rally2.

As announced recently, the Irish Forest Rally Championship are thrilled to announce Trailer Parts & Spares as Title Sponsors for the series, beginning immediately, with an incredible commitment of a three-year partnership agreed between both parties made on the back of the success the series has had in recent years attracting larger entries, introducing new events and growing the next generation of Irish Rally talent.  

Rebranding the series as the Trailer Parts & Spares Irish Forest Rally Championship through to the end of 2028, it’s an incredible opportunity for the Tyrone based firm to boost their brand awareness right across the island of Ireland, but it’s also a huge boost to the Forest Championship.

With a sizeable reserve list still in place on the eve of the opening round, its clear to see the huge interest that the 2026 Trailer Parts & Spares Irish Forest Rally Championship has already attracted, and the fight for title honours is set to be red-hot right from the off. Leading the 100-car field away for the very first Yeats Ridge Forest Rally are former champions Derek Mackarel & Eamonn Creedon in a Ford Fiesta R5, while multiple rally winner Mark Donnelly makes a return to the series with Martin Brady alongside in a VW Polo GTi R5.

 

Gareth Mimnagh & Barry McCarney arrive to Sligo in their Ford Fiesta Rally2 fresh off strong seasons end that saw them podium on the Dogleap & Fivemiletown events, while another former champion is sure to be in the hunt with 2015 &  2018 winner Josh Moffett joined by Andy Hayes in a Hyundai i20 R5.

A new season always brings a host of new machines, and its true once again with Jordan Hone & Paul Hone swapping to a Skoda Fabia Rally2 Evo, David Condell & Mick Coady having a first taste of the newer again Skoda Fabia RS Rally2, while rising stars Keelan Grogan & Ayrton Sherlock make their 4wd debut on gravel in a Ford Fiesta Rally2.