Rallying at Kirkistown Circuit
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Location | County Down, Northern Ireland |
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Coordinates | 54°27′22″N 5°28′08″W / 54.456°N 5.469°WCoordinates: 54°27′22″N 5°28′08″W / 54.456°N 5.469°W |
Owner | 500 Motor Racing Club of Ireland |
Opened | 1953 |
Former names | RAF Kirkistown |
Main circuit | |
Surface | Asphalt |
Length | 1.53 mi (2.46 km) |
Kirkistown Motor Racing Circuit is a permanent motorsport circuit located between the villages of Kirkistown and Portavogie, on the Ards Peninsula of County Down in Northern Ireland.
The circuit is owned and operated by the 500 Motor Racing Club of Ireland (500 MRCI), who opened the circuit in 1953 on the site of the former RAF Kirkistown air force base. Kirkistown's main circuit was laid out using portions of the aerodrome's major east–west runway and northern perimeter roadways. In its present configuration, Kirkistown's track length is 1.53 mi (2.46 km) and it is Northern Ireland's only MSA-licensed permanent race track. In addition to the 500 MRCI's own events and other automobile circuit racing series, Kirkistown also hosts races for karting, rallying, rallycross, motorcycle and supermoto classes.