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Rathfriland Motor Club officially kick-started the 2026 R Kings Down Rally at The Boulevard, Banbridge.
The rally will be both the Brown & Brown Northern Ireland Rally Championship and the Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship, plenty of local action will once again unfold on the County Down stages.
The shopping outlet will also host the Friday night Fan Zone on August 21st, where the general public can get a close-up look at the cars and drivers before the R Kings Down Rally gets underway for real on Saturday morning.
The Fan Zone will open at 7:30pm and run until 9:00pm, giving visitors two full hours to explore the display of rally cars, meet the drivers, take photos, and soak up the atmosphere.
This free, family-friendly event promises a buzzing evening of rally excitement, with fans, teams, and locals coming together to celebrate the sport.
Local rally competitors Stuart Biggerstaff, John Gordon, Niall Braniff, Jonny McKay, and Josh Douglas were on hand at the launch and they all will be hoping to be part of the weekend's highly anticipated line-up. Donna McElherron was also present with her Austin Mini.
In addition, Joshua Baird displayed his Peugeot 106 thanks to the generosity of the rally community after his previous Vauxhall Corsa was badly damaged in a fire at last year's event.
More than 100 cars are expected to arrive at the service park, with competitors from across the UK and Ireland competing in both the Brown & Brown Northern Ireland Rally Championship and the Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship.
