The 2020 Irish Tarmac Championship has been canceled due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, with five of the seven events affected by the outbreak.
The Ulster Rally in August was confirmed as the latest of those to be canceled on Monday, with the West Cork Rally, Circuit of Ireland, Rally of the Lakes and Donegal all encountering a similar fate.
Only the season-concluding Cork 20 Rally in late September had thus far been unaffected, aside from the Galway International Rally which ran as normal in February and was won by Alastair Fisher.
In a statement supplied on Tuesday, ITRC organizers and stakeholders said they had reached a unanimous decision to cancel the 2020 championship in order to “protect the public.”
“ITRC organizers would like to thank the representatives of these events for their cooperation in these unprecedented times,” the statement continued.
“Clubs are still welcome to run an event if they wish but it won’t hold championship status.The championship will now focus its attention on delivering a brilliant 2021 Irish Tarmac Championship. Until then please stay safe and respect the restrictions and guidelines implemented by local authorities.”
Colman Hegarty, TROA chairman added: “It was a difficult decision to make but I believe it is in the best interests of everyone involved. I’d like to thank our registered competitors, sponsors, and fans for their understanding and support in these difficult times. We hope to see you all next year for a full championship.”
