This week’s RIAC - Motorsport Ireland classic video from the RPM Motorsport collection is highlights from the 2001 Punchestown Rally Masters.
Outside the box solutions were required to get rallying going in 2001 as Foot and Mouth Disease gripped the country. One such event was the Punchestown Rally Masters, the brainchild of Ronan Morgan, which was a dry run for the Punchestown World Rally Masters which would run later that year. The event reunited Austin McHale with his championship winning Toyota Celica and Billy Coleman with a Metro 6R4 but it was Kenny McKinstry and Andrew Nesbitt who would fight it out for the victory with Nesbitt clinching the win on the final stage to win by 4 seconds.
This programme will be available to stream below from 7pm on May 27th.
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Next week’s upload will feature highlights of the 2001 Barbados Rally where a number of Irish and UK competitors travelled to the Caribbean to try their hand against the locals.
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​This week’s RIAC - Motorsport Ireland classic video from the RPM Motorsport collection is the 1991 Lurgan Park Rally.
The Lurgan Park rally was really beginning to hit its stride in the 90s as more and more big names were drawn to this unique single venue event. Bertie Fisher and Kenny McKinstry were both former winners of the event but even they couldn’t live with ex-works star Tony Pond who had taken his own Metro 6R4 to the park. After a steady opening stage Pond gradually turned up the wick throughout the day to cruise home to a 24 second win, a huge margin on this short, sharp event.
This programme will be available to stream below from 7pm on May 20th.

Next week’s upload will feature highlights of the 2001 Punchestown Rally Masters. The first of a new type of rally type event brought on by Foot and Mouth Disease restrictions, the event saw Austin McHale reunited with his Tarmac Championship winning Toyota Celica and Billy Coleman reunited with a Metro 6R4.
Remember to subscribe to the Motorsport Ireland–RIAC YouTube Channel to be notified of our latest video uploads. 

This week’s RIAC - Motorsport Ireland classic video from the RPM Motorsport collection is circuit racing action from 2001 featuring that season’s Formula Vee title decider as well as the return of Formula 5000.
A massive grid of 32 started round 8 of the 2001 Formula Vee Championship where the experienced Brian Hearty stayed clear of the pack to take a start to finish victory and secure the title despite the best efforts of John McLoughlin. Also featured in this show is Formula 5000 action as this legendary category made a comeback to Mondello. David Kennedy was expected to be the class of the field in a Lola T330 but he was thwarted by a last lap charge from Frank Lyons in his identical machine.
This programme will be available to stream below from 7pm on May 13th.

Next week’s upload will feature highlights of the 1991 Lurgan Park Rally where ex works driver Tony Pond was reunited with a Metro 6R4 to devastating effect.
Remember to subscribe to the Motorsport Ireland–RIAC YouTube Channel to be notified of our latest video uploads. 

​This week’s RIAC- Motorsport Ireland classic video from the RPM Motorsport collection is highlights from the 1996 Killarney Rally of the Lakes.
Following an error prone Circuit of Ireland at Easter, Bertie Fisher was out to make amends a few weeks later on the Rally of the Lakes, one of his favourite events. In near perfect conditions, Fisher eventually secured his sixth win on the event, setting a new record for Molls Gap in the process but he was pushed all the way by Liam O’Callaghan and James Cullen.
This programme will be available to stream below from 7pm on May 6th.

Next week’s upload will feature Formula Vee and F5000 single seater highlights from the 2001 season.
Remember to subscribe to the Motorsport Ireland–RIAC YouTube Channel to be notified of our latest video uploads. 

This week’s  RIAC - Motorsport Ireland classic video from the RPM Motorsport collection is highlights from the 1981 Donegal International Rally, originally aired on RTÉ.
Jimmy McRae was at the peak of his powers in the 80s and headed an impressive entry for the 1981 Donegal International Rally. However, it was the unassuming bank clerk from Castlederg, John Lyons, who stole the show. Lyons launched into an unassailable early lead and controlled the event from start to finish to take his maiden international win in his Sydney Meeke prepared Ford Escort RS1800.
This programme will be available to stream below from 7pm on April 29th.

​Next week’s upload will feature highlights from the 1996 Rally of the Lakes where Bertie Fisher was chasing his sixth win but faced stiff opposition from James Cullen and Liam O’Callaghan.
Remember to subscribe to the Motorsport Ireland–RIAC YouTube Channel to be notified of our latest video uploads. 

​​​After over 3 years’ service as Chief Executive Officer of RIAC and Motorsport Ireland, Leo Hassett is leaving to pursue other interests and other opportunities. Leo was a popular and well-liked leader with a real passion for the motor sport industry and we wish him the best in his future career. 

This week’s RIAC - Motorsport Ireland classic video from the RPM Motorsport collection is highlights from the 2001 Tour de Luxembourg where the RPM cameras travelled to the continent to follow the large number of Irish crews who were competing on the event.
With the 2001 outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease in Ireland, almost a dozen Irish rally crews decided to head to Luxembourg to try their hand on the continent. Dutch driver and multiple Dutch and Belgian champion Rocco Theunissen was expected to make the running but much to his surprise and to the delight of the Irish, it was 1999 Irish Tarmac Champions Ian Greer and Dean Beckett who made the running, leading the European ace on neutral ground and in equal machinery after the opening day. Theunissen attempted to counter attack on the second day but Greer drove superbly to extend his lead and win by over a minute.
This programme will be available to stream below from 7pm on April 22nd.

​Next week’s upload will feature highlights from the 1981 Donegal International Rally where John Lyons claimed a very popular maiden international win.
Remember to subscribe to the Motorsport Ireland–RIAC YouTube Channel to be notified of our latest video uploads. 

​As travel restrictions have increased to 20 km from your home or within your county, we would like to remind members of our daily takeaway menu and gourmet ready meal menu available to collect from the restaurant.

To order simply call Christophe on 087 671 43 68 or email christophe@riac.ie Monday to Friday 9am - 4pm. Your meal can then be collected from the refrigerated cold counter on the first floor.

​This week’s RIAC - Motorsport Ireland classic video from the RPM Motorsport collection is highlights from the 1996 Circuit of Ireland with commentary from Alan Tyndall and Gary Gillespie.
What the 1996 Circuit of Ireland lacked in quantity in certainly made up for in quality with the winners from the previous three Circuits, Austin McHale, Stephen Finlay and Bertie Fisher in attendance, as well as rising stars like Liam O’Callaghan, Andrew Nesbitt and Ian Greer, all in four wheel drive Group A machinery. Fisher and Finlay set the pace at the front but Fisher’s event was beset by a number of uncharacteristic errors, the final of which dropped him to fourth place. After four days of rallying it was Finlay who would emerge victorious taking his second win on the event in three years.
This programme will be available to stream below from 7pm on April 8th.

​Next week’s upload will feature highlights from the 1996 Irish Super Prix where Swede Johan Rajamaki set a new Mondello lap record in his ex F1 Footwork-Judd .
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Remember to subscribe to the Motorsport Ireland–RIAC YouTube Channel to be notified of our latest video uploads