Weekend of Champions

Derek Mackarel became the 2024 Sligo Pallets Forest Rally Championship, Champion driver with one round to spare, after taking maximum points home at the Bushwhacker Forestry rally which was hosted by Omagh Motor Club. Amazingly this is Derek’s fourth National title to date as he previously won the Autograss, Autocross and Navigation Trial National titles. While Derek has secured the drivers title, he still will be looking for a good result on the final round in Clare as his Co-Driver Eamonn Creedon has yet to secure his title. Dereks title is the second National title going to the Mackarel house this year as Derek’s father Andrew secured the 2023/24 Navigation Trial title back in March. Club Members, Patrick and Stephen O’Brien won the event overall (OA) with Cathan McCourt finishing 2nd. James McCarville/Conal McNulty finished 8th OA and Killian McArdle navigated Craig Rahill to 17th OA. Tommy Moffett/Domhnall Lennon were out in their Rally4 Fiesta and finished 25th OA.
The result on this weekend’s Bushwhacker rally also secured Derek the McGrady Insurance Motorsport UK, Northern Ireland Forest Rally Challenge title.
Shane and Ciaran Maguire also became the National Endurance Trial champions on Sunday as the pair finished 1st OA on the Birr Endurance Trial, the final round of the 2024 National Endurance Trial Championship. Going into the final round the pair were sitting 2nd in the championship, 5 points adrift of Karl O’Donoghue and Ballybay navigator Evin Hughes. After a challenging Birr event, Karl and Evin finished 8th OA and 1st in class A2M. This 8th place finish compared to the Maguires 1st, left that the Maguires made up the 5 points deficit and took the National title on the very last event. Team Maguire was competing in a Mitsubishi Colt and taking the National title broke a 15 year dominance of the Toyota Starlet. Ciaran and Roisin McGorman finished 25th OA and 1st in class F.
David McCrudden and Jack Maguire were competing in Cavan Motor Club’s Autocross on Sunday the event was a counting round of our clubs Traders championship.
The 2024/2025 Navigation Trial Season is fast approaching and the first event of the season is hosted by ourselves. Clerk of the Course Peter Farrell assisted by Conor Maguire have organised an 85-mile event, based out of Aughnamullen GAA on Saturday night the 5th of October. Regulations and Entry are available now and must be submitted and paid online before Monday the 30th September. The event is the final round of both the 2023/24 Club Navigation Championship and the overall Treaders Championship.