The Modern Tyres Ulster International Rally marks its 50th running on 7–8 August, returning to Ballymena with a new Showgrounds service hub. A tight ITRC title race and Ulster’s FIA historic debut make this a landmark edition.
Event Details
| Detail | Information |
| Dates | Friday 7–Saturday 8 August 2026 |
| Base | Ballymena Showgrounds |
| Championships | Irish Tarmac Rally Championship and FIA European Historic Rally Championship |
| Surface | Tarmac |
| Format | Two days, 12 stages and late-evening Friday running |
ITRC Title Battle — Who Can Win the Ulster?
Josh Moffett leads the ITRC on 85 points, eight ahead of Eddie Doherty, with Callum Devine third on 71 and David Kelly fourth on 57. Ulster is the penultimate round, but it cannot settle the championship. The Cork 20 finale in September awards 1.5 times the usual points, so this weekend is about securing the strongest possible position for the decider.
Moffett and Andy Hayes start as top seeds in their Toyota GR Yaris Rally2. Two maximum scores in the opening five rounds and the championship lead give Moffett the strongest overall case, although the Ulster roads leave little room for a loose first loop.
Doherty has been remarkably consistent in his Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 and arrives as the clearest threat. Kelly, winner of April’s Circuit of Ireland, has already shown that he can beat the leading crews when the opportunity opens. Cathan McCourt, Desi Henry, Sam Touzel and six-time Northern Ireland champion Jonny Greer add depth to the Rally2 field.
Defending Ulster winner and two-time ITRC champion Callum Devine is absent from the official entry list published on 3 August. Osian Pryce is also not entered, so neither should feature among the current favourites.
The FIA European Historic Rally Championship — What It Adds
Ulster becomes Northern Ireland’s first round of the FIA European Historic Rally Championship. The revised Pre-2000 series gives greater prominence to Period K machinery from 1993–2000, while allowing the anniversary event to place modern Rally2 cars and established classics on the same roads.
The seven confirmed FIA entries include four BMW M3 E30s, a Ford Escort WRC, a Subaru Legacy and Alan Ring’s Group A Subaru Impreza 555. That international field gives local spectators something genuinely different without pushing the domestic title contest into the background.
Course Guide — What to Expect
The crews face exactly 100 competitive miles across 12 asphalt stages in north and mid-Antrim. Torr Head, Knockboy and Glendun are run twice on Friday, followed by two passes over Tardee, Cairncastle and Slemish on Saturday.
Fast sections will reward commitment, but the coastal roads and narrow Antrim lanes demand accuracy and a settled rhythm. Glendun and Slemish both exceed nine miles, leaving time for small errors to become expensive ones. Virtual chicanes introduce further braking points, while Friday’s schedule runs until approximately 9:30 pm. The Ballymena Showgrounds houses Rally HQ, the service parks and the ceremonial finish.
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