Ryan McHugh gets Billy Coleman Young Rally Driver of the Year nomination

The Frosses driver is dovetailing his exploits in the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship with the Junior British Rally Championship. 

Donegal's Ryan MacHugh (Ford Fiesta Rally4) pictured during the Assess Ireland Rally of the Lakes earlier this year. Picture: Martin Walsh.

As predicted, Motorsport Ireland has announced the first recipient of a nomination for this year’s Billy Coleman Young Rally Driver of the Year Award. County Donegal’s Ryan MacHugh (26) has been named as the qualifier for the January-May monthly grouping.

The Frosses driver, who competes in a Ford Fiesta Rally4 is dovetailing his exploits in the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship with the Junior British Rally Championship. For the most part, Declan Boyle is his co-driver although the vastly experienced Monaghan co-driver Arthur Kierans reads the pacenotes on some events. With several class wins during the season including an impressive performance in the Clonakilty Park Hotel West Cork Rally where he was fourteenth overall and the second two-wheel-drive exponent, he was fifteenth in the Assess Ireland Rally of the Lakes and has also illustrated his talents when he finished eighth overall and Class 2 winner on the Carrick-On-Suir Willie Loughman Forest Rally last April.