Clonmel’s Casey-Jay Coleman has received the wildcard nomination for the 2026 Billy Coleman Award for Young Rally Driver of the Year Award.
Having progressed from karting, Coleman has since moved up through the ranks from J1000 through Rally4, Rally3 and Rally2. He was a finalist for the Billy Coleman Award last year which saw his inclusion in the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy. The 23-year-old focused on the ERC3 category in the FIA European Rally Championship this season. His results secured third in ERC3 and second in the M-Sport Fiesta Rally3 Trophy. A standout drive on ERC Rali Ceredigion saw him take a top 10 finish and he closed the season out with a number of drives in Rally2 machinery on gravel rallies, including the final round of the European Championship in Portugal and Rallye Ciudad de Granada in Spain.
Coleman rates his drive on ERC Rally Poland as his best performance of the season. A mistake on the opening stage left him with suspension damage and languishing in 76th place. Following swift repairs by the RLA team, his recovery drive saw him and co-driver Killian McArdle take five fastest times, climbing up to second in class and 21st overall by the end of the event. He plans to contest Rally del Brunello, the final round of the Italian Gravel Championship, on 27-29 November, to close out his season.
Commenting on his nomination Coleman said; “It’s great to be in the mix again having been a finalist for this award last year. We have had a strong season and it’s been great to add some Rally2 experience this year which is giving us a good base to build off for 2027.”
Casey Jay is supported by Suirway Group, Keltech, Lyons Motor Group, Cappoquin Logistics, Kilsheelan Limestone Quarries and Murray Motorsport.
Coleman’s nomination sees him join January-May nominee Oran England, June-October nominee Oisín McShane and championship nominees Ben McFall, James McShea, David Travers, Tommy Furlong and Jack Harris. All eight nominees will now move forward to the interview stage which will take place on November 18th, with the eventual winner being announced at the Motorsport Ireland Champions of Irish Motorsport Awards on December 2nd.
About the Award
The winner of the Motorsport Ireland Billy Coleman Young Rally Driver of the Year Award will receive a support package to contest rallies nationally and internationally in 2027. The Sport Ireland and Motorsport Ireland funded award is valued at €50,000. The award winner will receive assistance and guidance from Billy Coleman coordinator Sean McHugh.
An additional support package, to a value of up to €50,000, will be available from the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy as part of an agreed training and development programme designed to progress the winners’ career. The winner may apply for a second year of support upon satisfactory performances in their award-winning year.
Both Billy Coleman Award runners-up will receive support to compete in stage rallies at home and abroad up to an amount of €15,000 each as well as an invitation to participate in the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy development programme in 2027.
All funding will be based upon agreed plans which will be subject to the achievement of progression targets.