James McShea and Kyle Drury to Hone Skills at Haugland Rally School After J1000 Success

James McShea will embark on an incredible 2026 with the support of the Craig Breen Foundation, following his victory in the 2025 Irish Forest Rally Championship J1000 class. As part of his prize, the Donegal teenager is joining runner-up Kyle Drury at the legendary John Haugland Winter Rally School in Norway, a frozen-lake training ground that has shaped some of the biggest names in rallying.

John Haughland

McShea (Left) & Drury (Right)

Over two days, the pair will refine car control and advanced rally techniques, joining an illustrious alumni list including World Champions and previous Craig Breen Foundation-supported drivers Tommy Moffett, Oisin McShane, and Ross Ryan.

Kyle Drury (Left) & Karl Egan (Right)

McShea

Later in the year, McShea will travel to Portugal to compete with the Sports&You team in a round of the Portuguese Rally Championship. The team, which worked with Craig Breen in 2023 as Hyundai Portugal, will provide testing, mentorship, and full team support for McShea and his family during the event weekend.

McShea (Left) & O'Brien - (Right)

The 2025 season had been a thrilling journey for McShea, who overcame a mechanical retirement in Carlow and a challenging fifth-place finish in Moonraker to claim his first-ever rally victories in Tipperary and Mayo, driving his VW Up! Guided by Grace O’Brien, the 15-year-old’s debut full season culminated in a tense finale at the Donegal Forest Rally. With Championship leader Kyle Drury retiring early in the event, McShea’s composed drive secured the J1000 title by a single point.

McShea

Coming from a family steeped in rallying history—his father Niall was PWRC Champion in 2004, mother Noreen a multiple class-winning navigator and driver, and grandfather James McDaid a legend of Irish rallying—McShea is now set to take the next step in his career with unprecedented support. Along with Drury and third-placed David Travers, he will receive a funding package from the Craig Breen Foundation to help compete in 2026. Past beneficiaries of the Foundation have gone on to strong performances, including Oisin McShane in a Peugeot 208 R2 and Ross Ryan earning a Billy Coleman Award nomination in Class 2A.

Travers

Gorman

At the recent Irish Forest Rally Championship prize giving in Sligo, the Foundation also awarded the inaugural J1000 Challenge Trophy, celebrating drivers in non-VAG machinery.

The first winner was Sam Gorman from Donegal, who completed all six events in his Nissan Micra, finishing ahead of Kerry’s Frank Wharton and David Slattery Jr.

Now entering its third year, the Craig Breen Foundation continues to nurture Ireland’s next generation of rally stars. With a newly revamped website and a merchandise shop, supporters can contribute to ensuring the ongoing success of young talents like McShea, helping them chase their dreams on both national and international stages.

Entries are now open for the first Forest Rally of 2026 to be hosted by Connacht Motor Club, Yeats Ridge Forestry Rally, taking place on 15th February 2026. The event is the opening round of Motorsport Ireland Junior Rally Series, (MIJRS) for Class 2 and 2A and round 3 for the J1000 Crews. It is hoped that the maximum entry of 100 will fill up rapidly. Between the Four-Wheel drives, the two wheel drives and the J1000s it is expected to be a great opener for the 2026 Championship.

Click here to sign up. 

Click here for the MIJRS website