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sport · Saturday 26 September 2026 · 8:00am 
Martin Donnelly and Emerson Fittipaldi Trophy Races
At Kirkistown Motor Racing Circuit · 130 Rubane Road, Kircubbin, Co. Down, BT22 1AU
At Kirkistown Motor Racing Circuit · 130 Rubane Road, Kircubbin, Co. Down, BT22 1AU
Kirkistown Motor Racing Circuit on the Ards Peninsula hosts one of its biggest meetings of the year on Saturday 26 September 2026, when the Martin Donnelly Trophy for FF1600 single-seaters and the Emerson Fittipaldi Trophy for Formula Vee cars are contested over a full day of racing. Gates open at 8am and racing continues through to 6pm, with a full supporting programme of domestic championship races alongside the two headline trophies.
Kirkistown is Northern Ireland’s dedicated motor racing circuit, set on the flat land near Kircubbin on the Ards Peninsula, and this September meeting is one of its marquee dates. FF1600 drivers race for the Martin Donnelly Trophy, named for the Ulster driver who competed in Formula 1; Formula Vee competitors race for the Emerson Fittipaldi Trophy. Alongside the two named races, the day’s card includes Kirkistown Fiestas, Mini Coopers, Roadsports, Libre Saloons, GTs and the Modi-5-Cup for Mazda MX5s, giving spectators several categories of racing across the day rather than a single feature event. It is an outdoor, all-weather circuit meeting, with the paddock open for anyone wanting a closer look at the cars between races. Tickets are sold online in advance through the circuit’s website.
Kirkistown is on the Rubane Road outside Kircubbin, on the Ards Peninsula between Portaferry and Newtownards. On-site parking is available, and the circuit is best reached by car via the A20 coast road.
Kircubbin sits on the Strangford Lough shore a short drive from the circuit, with the rest of the Ards Peninsula worth exploring either side of race day. There is more to see in Kircubbin and across Co. Down.
Heading to Kirkistown Motor Racing Circuit in Kircubbin? Down has plenty more to see. Read the Kircubbin area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.