The countdown to the 2016 Hotel Ballina – Kennedy Motors Mayo Stages Rally is firmly underway following a successful launch at Hotel Ballina, headquarters for the March 6th event. A large crowd was in attendance on Thursday night last to hear information about this year’s rally from a selection of speakers, including Clerk of the Course David Breen and Chairman of Mayo & District Motorsport Club Matthew Murphy, who thanked all the sponsors who have made the running of the 2016 Mayo Stages Rally possible.
Among those attending was Andrew Mullen, sponsor of the Sligo Pallets Border Rally Championship, of which the Mayo Stages is the opening round, Brendan Flynn representing the Border Rally Championships and Triton Rally Championship and Art McCarrick, Sports Development Officer from Motorsport Ireland. Local representatives included members of An Garda Síochána, members of Ballina Chamber of Commerce, local county councillors and representatives from all the event sponsors.
With two weeks to go Mayo & District Motorsport Club reports that entries are near capacity with WRC numbers in double figures. Seeding takes place on Friday 26th February and an entry list will be available on www.mayomotorsportclub.com thereafter.
Continuing on from the success of previous year’s in Ballina Town Centre the Rally festival with an array of entertainment returns on the Saturday evening. This takes place in the Market Square featuring RSA Road Safety display, Rally School Ireland display, static car display and a parade of Rally cars along with much more family entertainment.
For spectators intending to visit the rally on March 6th, plenty of time should be allowed to get to the stages to park and find a safe viewing location, as some of the stages have only limited access. Always obey the marshals and follow their instructions, as they are there to ensure that everyone has a safe day’s rallying. A Rally Programme with a detailed map will be available to purchase in the area on the days leading up to the event.
The 2016 Mayo Stages Rally is continuing the high standard of previous years with news and information available to rally fans. In order to keep competitors and spectators as informed and up-to-date as possible, Mayo & District Motorsport Club utilizes a range of communication tools in the build up to, and during rally week-end. The Club is already providing regular updates via its Twitter, Facebook and Periscope accounts – MayoMotorClub. Also event information is available on the clubs website www.mayomotorsportclub.com. On the Sunday of the event when the rally itself roars into action, regular live updates and interviews will be broadcast on Mid West Radio’s Sunday Sports Show. www.midwestradio.ie & 96.1fm
