Rally fans are getting excited as the Circuit of Ireland returns to Newtownards this weekend with a special TT Stage taking place on Friday night in the town.
Newtownards has a long history of motorsport, being the home of the famous TT races in the early part of the twentieth century.
The rally will visit many parts of Northern Ireland including Qualifying stages in the grounds of Antrim Castle followed by a ceremony outside the Irish Linen centre in Lisburn.
During the day on Friday the rally will race rural stages around Larne and Ballymena as well as a passage through the famous Dark Hedges before meeting on Friday evening to take part in the Ards TT Special Stage.
On Saturday the rally continues to Banbridge, Ballynahinch and Dromore before finishing back at The Kings Hall in Belfast on Saturday evening before the prize giving ceremony outside Queen’s university.
Visitors are advised to arrive in Newtownards early where a range of activities and family fun will be taking place in Conway Square at 5.30pm including the opportunity for budding rally drivers to try the sport for themselves in the Eddie Irvine Racing Simulators.
For full details of the event visit www.circuitofireland.net where live action from the weekends racing will also be broadcast.
Here’s a video of boxing champion Carl Frampton taking a ride in a Rally Car with Alan Carmichael :