See what our members thought of our first ULRM overseas trip to the UK in semester 1!

Liam Kelly -

The ULRM UK Trip 2025 was an amazing experience that was planned expertly to give us all a great experience on our weekend. In the lead up to the trip we had lots of constant communication from the planning committee about the trip and in the week leading up to the trip we had an information night. This gave us a chance to meet everyone else on the trip, and also for complete information about the race, travel details, accommodation arrangements, and anything else we needed to know for the weekend. This in depth info evening meant that everyone knew what to expect from the trip, but also what was expected of us on the trip so anyone who was anxious about the trip had their nerves eased.

On the Friday of the trip we met at the arranged time, organised our gear in the vehicles and set off for Dublin port. We had an early start so the roads were nice and clear and all drivers had been added to a groupchat and the best route communicated for the drive up (I was a driver). We boarded the ferry and found some nice tables to sit (and nap) at. On arrival in Holyhead, a stop at a shop and McDonald’s had been planned for everyone to get food and snacks for the drive to Milton Keynes. We then set off on our drive, battling traffic and road closures but the drivers groupchat made communicating routes easier, there were 2 people in each vehicle in the groupchat so that one could navigate and one could drive. Once we arrived at the accommodation the committee members collected the keys and helped divide up the rooms well for people so that everyone was comfortable with who they were sharing with etc. Then we met up for dinner and the entire group ate together and had a great evening. We arranged our meeting time and location for the morning and made sure everyone knew the plan and where we were going. We also discussed our race strategies and were able to get advice from the members that had done races before, this guidance was great to have for us new racers.

On the Saturday morning we met at the arranged time, packed our gear for the race, and went to the track. At the track everyone helped set up our pitboxes with all the equipment we’d be using and got signed in with the race organisers. We then had practice, qualifying, and the race, all of which we ran according to our planned strategy. Food and drinks had been brought for us and we all depended on each other for info while racing and to get set up for each of our stints. The entire race was unreal and we had such a good time during the race. Even when we were in the pits we had stuff to be doing and it felt as though we were actually a race team, planning strategies and organising when we would pit. The karting race is one of the best things I have ever done, being part of a team like we were and actually taking part in a highly competitive race was unreal. It was a brilliant event to have chosen and all the support we got from the club and committee for it made the race as good as it was for us. It was an unforgettable experience. Towards the end of the race we got pizza delivered, organised by the committee so the entire team could get some food as there wouldn’t be time for dinner that evening. When the race finished we celebrated as if we had won and got plenty of pictures as teams with our karts, and on the podium, both as a club and in our individual teams. Everyone was in great form and we had a brilliant evening.

Then it was back to our accommodation, we planned our time and meeting spot for the morning and all got straight to sleep since we were exhausted after the long day. We met in the morning as planned and made our way to Brands Hatch for the Formula Ford Festival. We explored all over the circuit with the committee guiding us as to where we could go to get a good view of all the racing, where there was food, and how to get a good spot in the grandstand. We had a great day out watching loads of races with loads of different classes of car racing on the day with the formula ford race being the big event. We saw many Irish drivers competing, some of whom had great races which we were delighted to see. For some people it was even their first day at a race track so this event opened that door for them in a comfortable group environment with guidance from more experienced members. After the last race we left the track through a quieter gate that one of the committee had found out about for us so we were out of the circuit quite quickly. We planned where we would get dinner and set off towards Holyhead for the ferry. We boarded quickly at Holyhead as the late ferry was quite quiet, which I would imagine is why it was the one chosen. I slept the entire way on the ferry so I can’t really comment on how that was but I’m sure it was lovely!!! And when we arrived in Dublin we headed straight for UL to drop everyone back, return all gear from both vehicles and that was the end of our trip.

The trip was amazing and everyone had a great time. It really was one of the best experiences of my life and 100% a highlight of college for me. I’m so grateful for all the work that was put in organising it and everyone that had a hand in it. The trip really was amazing.

Niall de Tiuit -

Our trip to the UK was by far the most enjoyable trip I have been on as part of any UL society. After a long day of travelling on the Friday, we gathered together at a renowned establishment for a team dinner where we all bonded and discussed the weekends events. The highlight of the trip for me was definitely the Daytona 600 - 10 hour endurance race. The first 10-hour race held at Daytona Milton Keynes. We competed against many seasoned and semi-professional racing drivers, who had regular, boring team names unlike 'Racecar Spelt Backwards' and 'Provisional I-Racers'. As each UL team had 6 and 7 drivers respectively, everyone had to complete 80 to 100 minutes of karting throughout the race. It was a brilliant experience, working as a team to figure out strategy calls, when to pit and refuel etc. Ever changing weather added to the experience of the day, as rain came and went. I underwent a great deal of character development navigating that track. Being in the slower of the 2 karting classes, it was important to learn how to let the faster karts passed without losing time, or hitting a barrier. A spin and a wallop of a tyre wall meant 'perhaps that move didn't quite work'. In the end both teams achieved our goal of not coming last.

The following day was just as enjoyable as the last. The Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch gave us the opportunity to see many different racing divisions and levels competing throughout the day from experienced Formula Ford drivers to junior Super Saloons. It was great to be able to walk around the team garages watching the cars being prepped for the races and talking to mechanics. To top it all off, it was unforgettable to see an All-Irish podium for the Formula Ford Grand Final.

Overall, the UK trip was definitely the best trip I've been on at UL and I hope to see us return for round 2.

Student Sport Ireland Karting Intervarsity’s – Round 2

Round two of the 2025/26 SSI Karting season took us to Nutt’s Corner, just outside Belfast, county Antrim. Wet weather conditions, alongside a very loose interpretation of the word “stewarding” set us up for a morning of challenging and aggressive racing, where one really had to get the shoulders out to make any sort of forward progress.

The team of 5 travelled up to Belfast the night before, to the tune of Irelands world cup qualifier against Portugal on the radio. A great result in Dublin for the boys in green really motivating us to aim for similar success on track the next day. It was an early start, arriving at a cold and wintery track just before 9 in the morning for sign in. Waterproof race suits were handed out to any drivers that didn’t have one, which were promptly put on by the drivers of every college, that is except for UL. A message to the other teams perhaps that we weren’t here to mess about!

The event started with a short practice session for each of the drivers. Each driver only had about 5 minutes on track, not long at all, but perhaps a brief chance to get a feel for the slippery conditions and explore some alternative racing lines. Before we knew it, we were out of the karts, and drivers were called for Heat 1. There were 14 Heats in total, short 8 minute races where you had to be aggressive off the line to stand any chance. Each driver had 4 Heats, and scored points based on finishing position to try and book their spot in one of two semi finals, with 15 drivers in each heat, and 8 spots in each semi final.

Heat 1 started strong, with Reece leading the field away from pole position. Some say that he really should have won the race, after pulling a strong gap in the first lap, however an unfair signal from the steward to slow down bunched the pack up and costed the team what should have been a runaway win (100% accurate account of events!).

After that, each race came and went in very quick succession, with very little time to relax in between. Between the team we brought home a heat win, and a number of podium results. Conditions cleared up as the day went on, although that certainly didn’t prevent carnage from unfolding on track. There were bumps, bangs and even a bit of lawnmower racing at times. The crash barriers were certainly well tested by some of the Dublin Universities.

After all the excitement, the team headed inside to hear the top 16 called out. Ben McNulty managed to string together enough good results to get himself into the second semi-final. Nerves were high as we watched on to see if our man could make it a first appearance in the final for UL in a number of years.

He started 7th, needing a top 4 finish. With not a lot of time on the clock, he marched forward, finishing 4th, and securing points. Unfortunately, a kart that couldn’t get any sort of top speed on the straights halted any further forward progress in the final, however that didn’t dampen what was a great result, with our first appearance in the final since UL’s return to competitive racing in 2024.

The next round will take us to Watergrasshill in Cork, where hopefully homefield advantage will allow for a repeat of the success in Belfast. It’s sure to be another great day out for all involved!

- Daniel Candon

ULRM has marked a major milestone with its first-ever overseas trip, bringing a 13-member team to the United Kingdom for an unforgettable motorsport experience. Read on to hear about our trip and what our members thought of it!

The trip saw ULRM compete internationally for the first time, entering two teams in a 10-hour endurance race at Daytona Milton Keynes. Team member Lucy described how the team quickly transitioned from being “a group of students who love motorsport” into a fully functioning race outfit, with members acting as strategists, drivers rotating through stints, pit crew working under pressure, and aspiring team principals calling tactics from the sidelines.

Beyond the endurance race, ULRM also attended the Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch. Spectating at this event allowed ULRM members to get up close to professional teams and drivers at the iconic circuit. Niall highlighted the behind-the-scenes access as a standout experience, noting how valuable it was to walk through the garages, watch cars being prepared, and speak directly with mechanics. The weekend was made even more memorable by an all-Irish podium in the Formula Ford Grand Final, which he described as unforgettable.

Reflecting on the trip as a whole, Liam summed up the experience by calling it one of the best moments of his life and a clear highlight of his time in college. With the success of their first overseas outing now behind them, ULRM are already planning their next international trip, aiming to make it even bigger and better.

Check out Lucy's take on the weekend below!

This weekend was honestly one of the best experiences I’ve had this year. From the moment we boarded the ferry, the energy was already buzzing. It felt like everyone switched into “adventure mode” straight away - laughing, messing around, and getting hyped for the days ahead. The journey over almost set the tone for the whole trip: chaotic in the best way, full of jokes, and a strong “we’re all in this together” vibe.

Milton Keynes – 10-Hour Endurance Kart Race

The real fun kicked off at the 10-hour endurance race in Milton Keynes. I don’t think any of us realised just how intense and immersive it was going to feel once we were actually there. One minute we were a group of students who love motorsport, and the next we were suddenly playing every role you’d see in a real pit lane - race strategists, drivers swapping in and out, pit crew scrambling to get things done fast, and wannabe team principals shouting ideas and instructions.

What made it so memorable was how genuinely invested we all became. Even the moments where we were exhausted or stressed just added to the atmosphere. There were stints where every overtake felt like a personal victory, and other times where all we could do was laugh at the chaos unfolding around us. It was messy, competitive, and absolutely brilliant. Seeing our team work together under pressure was definitely one of my favourite parts.

Brands Hatch – Formula Ford Festival

The next day was a complete shift in atmosphere but just as exciting. Arriving at Brands Hatch for the Formula Ford Festival felt like stepping into the world we’d been pretending to be part of the day before. Watching the professionals - real racecraft, perfect lines, split-second decisions - was honestly epic. There’s something about standing trackside and hearing the engines scream past that you just can’t replicate anywhere else. It made the whole trip feel like a proper motorsport pilgrimage

Overall Reflection

Looking back, the whole weekend was a mix of adrenaline, teamwork, laughter, and that unique sense of camaraderie that only comes from a shared passion. Between the late-night chats, the ferry antics, the karting chaos, and the awe of Brands Hatch, it all blended into a trip I’ll remember for years. It wasn’t just about racing - it was about the people, the moments in between, and feeling completely absorbed in something we all love.

Definitely one of the highlights of my year!

After Tadhg Dillon attended his first outdoor karting event with us, he wrote a short reflection on his experience as a member of ULRM! 

Whiteriver Grand Prix Driver Reaction

Our trip to Whiteriver was one of the highlights of semester one. This was my first event outside of going to the National Kart Centre with the club and second event in total with ULRM. It was a great way to get to know all of the others in the club and I really enjoyed that side of things. I learned lots from others on how to go faster and how to optimise my lap times in between sessions.

Although the drive to the track was long, it was so worth it. We each got a five minute practice session followed by 3 x 10 minute heats which would determine our position for the Grand Prix. The actual Grand Prix was divided into 2 races, Race A for the stronger half and Race B for those who had qualified further down. This was good as it allowed you to race against people of your own ability which made the race even more enjoyable. As a newcomer I felt very welcomed by the club and it was definitely one of my highlights of semester one.

- Tadhg Dillon

In ULRM's first round of the SSI Irish College Karting Championship, our 5 competitors had an early morning start, departing from UL at 5:45 AM to arrive at Whiteriver Park. We started out the day with a difficult practice session on a damp, greasy track, followed up by an excellent display of racing in the heat qualifiers with a few close calls towards the end. From start to finish there was tense wheel to wheel battles keeping our drivers on there toes at all times.

Unfortunately, our performance didn't secure us a spot in the semi finals but we have 3 of the 5 members in the top half of the driver championship and secured very valuable points towards the college championship setting us up for a great chance at our next outing in Nutts Corner on November 14th to take one step closer to some silverwear.

We are proud to announce that on Tuesday, February 4th in KBG13 we will be joined by professional Irish Racing Driver Max Hart to give us a talk on his motorsport journey. Max has competed in several categories including Karting, Formula Vee and Formula 4. In recent years, Max has branched into Touring Cars. In 2024 he competed in the TCR Asia Series, finishing in 3rd overall with 8 podiums in 10 races. In November, Max made his FIA world TCR debut in Macau. Last December, Max was awarded The Sexton Trophy for Young Racing Driver of the Year by Motorsport Ireland.

This event promises to give you a first hand look into the inner workings of the world of motorsport. It’s one not to be missed!

Looking forward to seeing you all there!

Following the 1st round of the Student Sport Ireland Karting Championship back in October, Aaron Thompson wrote a short reflection on his experience of the event. 

Student Sport Ireland Karting Intervarsity’s – Round 1

UL is no stranger to competing at the highest level, across sports, clubs and societies. The SSI Karting Intervarsity’s is an event that had not been on the ULRM calendar in a few years, but with a strong team of drivers developing within the club in recent times, students came together to try form a team for the 2024/25 championship.

I joined the club originally in my first year but have been attending full time for the past year or so and have really gotten into karting, gaining experience at international events over the past few months and competing at most club run sessions, so I jumped at the opportunity to compete with some of the best karters in the country across the championship. The team and I have competed club Grand Prix before, but the format of the SSI Championship was a very refreshing change. The races are short, at approximately 5 minutes each, with the top 16 drivers from the heats moving on to the semi-finals, and from there score points for themselves and their college in both the Drivers and Team Championships.

Nutts Corner was the first event on the calendar, a track none of our team had ever driven. We went in with low expectations, with an unfamiliar competition, competitors and track. However, were were pleasantly surprised. We quickly learned the track during our practice session and were somewhat confident going into our heats. The top 16 overall drivers across 17 heats would progress to the semi-finals.

We each had 4 heats to gather as many points as possible. There was some brilliant overtakes across the team, with multiple top 5 finishes, but the new format and changing conditions threw up a few incidents that unfortunately found their way to our team. Great results overall but not quite enough to make the semi final on this occasion.

However, there are still 3 more championship rounds to prepare for and there’s still plenty of points up for grabs across the drivers and the club championships. We have a very strong team representing UL, so no reason why we can’t put the ULRM name right in the mix for the rest of the season.

- Aaron Thompson

Here is our line-up for the second round of the Student Sport Ireland Karting Championship tomorrow at Whiteriver Circuit. 

Aaron Thompson

Sean Kelleher

Charlie Nolan

Ben McNulty

Adam Sexton

Best of luck to everyone involved!!!

Here is our lineup for the first round of the Student Sport Ireland Karting Championship tomorrow at Nutts Corner Circuit. 

Aaron Thompson

Sean Kelleher

Adam Sexton

Ben McNulty

Eoin Byrne

Best of luck everyone!

ULRM are delighted to announce that on Wednesday, October 9th we will be holding a table quiz in The Terrace.

There will be lots of great prizes on offer so keep an eye on our socials over the next couple of weeks to see what you could win?

Instagram @ul_racing 

Reminder!

Tomorrow evening, Wednesday 25th, we are holding our first event of the semester in KBG13 @7.30pm. This is an opportunity to watch a classic F1 race, meet your fellow society members and come together through our shared love of motorsport. 

This event will be free of charge but you do need to sign up on wolves in order to be able to attend. 

You can cast your vote for the race we will watch over on our Instagram stories @ul_racing. 

Looking forward to seeing you there!

- ULRM Committee.

We are delighted to announce our first major event of 2022!

On Saturday, 12th February 2022 we will be taking 30 members to Whiteriver, Co. Louth.

The event will be a 3 Hour Endurance Race, with each driver racing for an hour (2x 30-minute stints each). 10 teams will compete for the win !!

The event fee is €32, this is inclusive of a bus, an endurance race and a special raffle entry (4x Winners)...

The bus will depart from the Stables at 9am sharp, there can be no deviation from this in order to arrive at Whiteriver in good time. On the return to UL, the bus will stop at Junction 14 for food.

Important Online sign-ups will open on  ULWolves (this site) at midday this Thursday, 3rd February 2022. Subsequent payment sessions will be set up the following week. More info to follow after sign-ups are complete.

Looking forward to this day out with you all, ULRM Committee

Any questions can be asked on our discord server at https://discord.gg/JmbMQUUh

This Thursday, 27th of January 2022 we will be running our first session of karting for the semester at the National Kart Centre, Limerick.

Sign-ups will begin tomorrow, Wednesday 26th January at midday on our UL wolves site. It is a first-come, first-served sign-up and we do expect interest to be very high again.

We will be taking 20 UL students to the centre. We will meet at the health sciences building from 18.00 and we will depart at 18.20 sharp. As this is a Covid-compliant event and contact tracing will be in place, we cannot accept any member later than this time. The event will cost €15 and must be paid when you arrive at the event. Face coverings are mandatory from the beginning of the event. Cancellations can be made up until Midday on the day

Looking forward to seeing you all on the track soon!

Also, keep an eye out for a large announcement in the coming weeks...

ULRM Committee

Round 2 of our Sim-racing Championship will be taking place tomorrow at 8 p.m., with registration now open on our Discord channel. The track for this round is Monza, and the cars are the LMP1 Porche and the Z3 GT3 as previously assigned. We still have openings for new paticipants, feel free to register!

Hi everyone!

This is a reminder thart ULRM will be hosting its virtual table quiz tomorrow evening at 7 p.m.
No entry fee is required and there are prizes to be won (in form of vouchers)!

Hope to see many of you there.

As usual, we'll have an Assetto Corsa session later tonight at 9 p.m. We will be racing GT3s at Silverstone!

Hello everyone! This is a reminder that our AGM will take place thursday 5th November, starting at 7! This is the link to join the video call: https://tinyurl.com/y64xda43 Do take part if you want to join the committee or perhaps even just to meet other members! See you tomorrow

We'd like to remind that our AGM will take place on Thursday 5th November (week 6), through a Microsoft Teams call the link of which will be shared soon.

Members of the UL Racing and Motorsport Society (ULRM) travelled down to Millstreet Co. Cork on the weekend of the 4th of October to attend the Cork 20 rally. We had vested interest in this as one of the ULRM-family was competing in the event. Denis Buckley was rallying on the Cork 20 road stages of his home event for the first time in the highly competitive Class 10 and impressed from the started with his immaculately turned out Mk II Escort’s new green and black livery. We spectated at a number of stages ranging from fast flowing, high speed sections to the ever entertaining, tail happy hairpin bends. During service we made it down to lend a hand prepping Buckley’s Escort for its next loop through the challenging stages which lay ahead. This was a great learning experience for the members who were not familiar with rallying. Over the course of the weekend we were impressed at the pace of the rally leaders, witnessed rare machinery in action in the form of Historics and were entertained by the enthusiasm of the Juniors. There was an assortment of cars hurtling through the stages ranging from WRC spec machinery, Imprezas, Evos, Twin-Cams, Ford Escorts, Honda Civics and even a few Micras for good measure. Overall it was a fantastic weekend, the display of speed and skill had the crowds both roaring encouragement and sighing with relief, contributing to a truly electric atmosphere. Not even the inclement weather could dampen our spirits as we cheered the “green machine” over the finish ramp, collecting a trophy for second place in class 10. To top the weekend all off, a few very lucky members went for a spin in the “green machine”, and had an experience that they’re not likely to forget any time soon. Photograph Courtesy of Alma Cleere.