Hi °C | Lo °C The past year was an outstanding one for Ulster motorsport, a year in which drivers from the province punched way above their weight.
Adam Carroll led Team Ireland to the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport, Colin Turkington became the first Northern Ireland driver to win the British Touring Car Championship and then Kris Meeke crowned it all by winning the Intercontinental Rally Challenge series.
In addition, Eugene Donnelly won the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship for a record equalling fifth time and Marty McCormack became UK Citroen C2R2 Cup champion.
All five will be honoured with achievement awards at the Association of Northern Ireland Car Clubs annual dinner and 2009 prize presentation in the Seagoe Hotel, Portadown, tomorrow night.
But which one will be singled out as the outstanding performer of the year?
The main award is decided by secret ballot with all member clubs of the association having a vote along with senior ANICC officials and local motorsport journalists.
But rarely have they had to decide between such exceptional performances although my vote goes to Meeke for a remarkable season in which he went from zero to hero, winning the increasingly important IRC title at his first attempt.
However, I have no doubt many others will favour Carroll or Turkington.
Other Northern Ireland champions to be honoured on the night include George Stevenson (sprints), Graham Thompson (hillclimbs), John Ferguson (Formula Ford), Peter Grimes (autotests), Willie McKeown and Patrick McCollum (navigation rallies) as well as Derek McGarrity and James McKee (stage rallies).
