Posted February 19, 2018 by David Hall Home

The Déjà Vu Drive. 31st August – 1st September, 2018.

When Walter Röhrl climbs aboard John Mulholland’s Porsche 911RS on the 1^st September at the Titanic Slipway, he will be heading out to some of the territory last covered when he visited Ulster in 1984.

Thirty-four years ago, the great German driver and his co-driver Christian Geistdörfer annihilated the opposition in their Group B Audi Quattro S1 by over four minutes, in a demonstration of speed still marvelled at to this day.

Walter’s return for TITANIC DÉJÀ VU ULSTER will be a more sedate affair when he heads a cavalcade of historic rally cars, classic cars and supercars over a 150 mile route devised by Dr. Beatty Crawford and Alan Tyndall.

ROUTE DETAILS

Leaving the city, the cars will head up the Knockagh Hill above Whiteabbey, historically used as both a rally stage and a hillclimb. Then it’s on through picturesque Glenoe Village and over Cairncastle mountain north of Larne, another demanding stretch of tarmac used for speed hillclimbing and rallying.

Next, the Déjà Vuers will sample a spectacular section of the famed Causeway Costal Route, listed as one of the greatest drives on the planet. There will be an informal halt for refreshments at the historic Londonderry Arms Hotel in Carnlough, before they head inland again to take in two of the Glens of Antrim’s favourite tests. The Orra Lodge and Glendun stages have been on many Circuit of Ireland, Ulster International and Texaco Rally schedules. They are followed by another brief respite in Glendun village.

Finally, the daddy of them all – Torr Head. This is one of the country’s ultimate challenges with views across to Scotland and some deep drops to the North Atlantic on your right. You hug the hills and negotiate the hairpins on the stage that Craig Breen made his own on his way to winning the 2016 Circuit of Ireland International Rally.

Drivers will return to Belfast in the late afternoon in plenty of time to prepare for a glittering evening of driver interviews and entertainment at the Gala Dinner in Titanic Belfast.

TITANIC DÉJÀ VU ULSTER is a non-competitive event, but is a great opportunity to give a cherished car a run over the roads that have made our country so well known in the rally world. It is also a rare chance to catch up with old like- minded friends and to mingle with some of the rally legends who have created our wonderful motorsporting heritage.