Paddy Piston Race 2027

12–13 June 2027 · Aghalee, Northern Ireland

Enter now
–Days
–Hrs
–Min
–Sec
3Classes
10-minuteQualifiers
1-hourMain buggy final
£500Prize fund

The format

Two days. Three classes. One big final.

  • 1/8 Nitro Buggy
  • 1/8 eBuggy
  • 1/8 Truggy
Open tyre
Dirt, astro, brick
and rubber matting
385 m permanent
multi-surface track

Every class runs 10-minute qualifiers, and the weekend builds to the 1-hour main buggy final. The full timetable will be published here before the race.

The special races

Drivers looking over the cars lined up for Show N Shine

Show N Shine

The best-looking car on the line takes the prize.

A buggy towing a home-made caravan on the brick paving

Caravan Race

A PPR tradition: you'll need a sense of humour.

Coming soon

A new special race for 2027. Details to follow.

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Venue & travel

Race at BADMCC

Rock Lane, Aghalee
Craigavon BT67 0AX
Northern Ireland

385 m permanent
multi-surface track

25 minutes from
Belfast International

Get directions

The venue

The track

Our track is on Rock Lane, Aghalee (BT67 0AX), in the County Antrim countryside, just off the M1 and around 25 minutes from Belfast International Airport. We have been racing here for 22 years, and the track has kept evolving ever since — there is nearly always something new to find.

It is really two tracks in one, with several layouts we can switch between, so we can keep racing in most weathers. You will race on four different surfaces: astroturf, brick paving, dirt and, new last year, a section of rubber matting. Each one asks something different of your car, so getting your setup right really pays off here.

Looking across the BADMCC track towards the rostrum Walk the trackOpens our track walk on YouTube A buggy lapping the track, seen from the rostrum Watch a lapFilmed from the rostrum — opens on YouTube

The four surfaces

Brick paved section through the infield
Brick pavingFast and predictable, and it shrugs off the rain.
Dirt section with the astro and rubber matting behind
DirtThe jumps and berms, where a good setup really earns you time.
Astroturf leading up to a jump
AstroGrip that holds up when the dirt won’t.
Section of rubber matting edged with gravel
Rubber mattingOur newest section, added last year — the same tough matting used in playgrounds.

Two tracks in one

Several layouts, so we can adapt the track to the conditions on the day.

Racing here for 22 years

A permanent home that we keep improving year on year.

RCCAOI affiliated

Affiliated to the Radio Controlled Car Association of Ireland, the national body for the sport.

Find your way

Site map

Everything on one site: park in the field by the entrance, pit around the track, and camp across the lane. Hover over or tap any item in the key to find it on the photo.

Site map of the BADMCC track at Aghalee Aerial photograph of the site. Entrance at the top from Rock Lane. The car park is the field on the left, pits wrap round the track, camping is to the right of the lane, and race control, the rostrum, warm-up, technical inspection, toilets and cleaning sit along the bottom. The salvage yard at the top right is out of bounds. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 12 13

Swipe the photo to see the whole site →

Arriving

  • 1Entrance and exit
  • 2Car park
  • 3Camping, with overflow

Racing

  • 4Pits, gazebos and manufacturers
  • 13Warm-up area
  • 8Race control and medical
  • 9Rostrum — one-way system

Facilities

  • 5Food and refreshments
  • 10Toilets
  • 12Cleaning area

Keep clear

  • 6Reserved for emergency vehicles
  • 7Out of bounds — private property
385 mTrack length

BADMCC, Rock Lane, Aghalee, Craigavon BT67 0AX 54.5108° N, 6.2613° W Open the location in maps →

Coming soon

Still to be published

  • Timetable. Practice, qualifying and finals for both days.
  • Online entry. The entry link will appear here and on badmcc.com.
  • Camping at the track. Whether it's on, the prices and how to book.

Travel

Getting here

Flying in?
BADMCC is just 13 miles (21 km) from Belfast International Airport, about 25 minutes by car, so getting from the plane to the track is nice and straightforward. Car hire is available at the airport. Bringing your kit by ferry instead? The routes are listed further down.

Distances below are approximate road distances from the track's postcode. Check your route before travelling.

By air

Belfast International (BFS) ~13 mi / 21 km Route Best option. Car hire on site; roughly 25 minutes by road.
Belfast City / George Best (BHD) ~22 mi / 35 km Route Closer to Belfast city centre; good for UK domestic routes.
Dublin (DUB) ~96 mi / 154 km Route Widest European route network. Around 90 minutes up the M1.

By sea

Belfast — Stena Line ~22 mi / 35 km Route From Cairnryan and Liverpool. The easiest crossing if you are driving a van of gear.
Larne — P&O Ferries ~38 mi / 61 km Route From Cairnryan. Short crossing, slightly longer drive at this end.
Dublin Port ~103 mi / 166 km Route From Holyhead and Cherbourg. Motorway most of the way north.

Before you travel

Money

Northern Ireland is pounds sterling, not euro. Worth knowing if you fly into Dublin, which is euro, and drive north. Cards are accepted almost everywhere, but carry some cash for a small club canteen.

Driving

Drive on the left, on both sides of the border. Speed limits are in miles per hour in Northern Ireland and kilometres per hour in the Republic, so the numbers change as you cross.

By road

The venue sits off the M1 between junctions for Moira and Lurgan. Sat-nav to BT67 0AX gets you to Rock Lane; our advice is to use a route planner rather than trusting postcode-only navigation on the final approach, as rural postcodes in the area cover a wide area.

Travel

Where to stay

Nothing here is an official event partner and no rates have been negotiated — this is a starting shortlist within easy reach of the track, nearest first. Moira is the handiest village for food and beds together.

The Vandees Boutique B&B

Lime Kiln Lane, Aghalee BT67 0EZ. The closest bed to the track — walking distance from the venue in good weather.

~0.9 mi / 1.4 km028 9265 0298Facebook page →

Clenaghans

Soldierstown Road, Aghalee BT67 0ES. Self-catering apartments a couple of minutes' drive from the track.

~1.3 mi / 2.1 km028 9265 2952Website →

Ralph's Moira

65 Main Street, Moira BT67 0LQ. Guest house on Moira's main street, with the village restaurants on the doorstep.

~3.2 mi / 5.1 km028 9261 0636Facebook page →

Newforge House

New Forge Road, Magheralin BT67 0QL. Country house with its own dining room — the upmarket option.

~4.3 mi / 6.9 km028 9261 1255Website →

Ashburn Hotel

81 William Street, Lurgan BT66 6JB. Full-size hotel in Lurgan; the likeliest option for a group booking.

~5.6 mi / 9 km028 3832 5711Website →

Edenmore Cottage B&B

Taughlumny Road, Craigavon BT66 7NX. Small rural B&B south of the track.

~5.7 mi / 9.2 km07912 620177Website →

Valley Stream

Nut Hill Road, Craigavon BT67 0PH. Self-contained guest accommodation, useful for longer stays.

~6.1 mi / 9.8 km07753 344927

Premier Inn Lisburn

Hillsborough Road, Lisburn BT27 5QY. Chain reliability and predictable pricing if you would rather book without thinking.

~10.6 mi / 17 km0333 321 1093Website →

Bringing a tent, caravan or motorhome? See Camping.

Travel

Camping

Camping at the track for the PPR weekend is still to be confirmed. We will post the details here, with prices and how to book, as soon as they are set.

If you would rather have hook-up and full facilities, the sites below are all within half an hour of the track.

Campsites nearby, if you would rather not camp at the track

Fair Acres Campsite ~3.9 mi / 6.3 km 07710 744989 Boghead Bridge Road, Aghalee BT67 0DL. In the same village as the track and the closest site by some way. Small and quiet; check facilities and payment when you book.
Kinnego Marina Caravan Park ~5.7 mi / 9.2 km 0330 056 1190 Annaloiste Road, Lurgan BT66 6NJ. Council-run park on the Lough Neagh shore beside Oxford Island, just off the M1. The most serviced option close to the venue.
Lakeside View Caravan Park ~14.6 mi / 23 km 028 9268 2098 Magheraconluce Road, Anahilt, Hillsborough BT26 6PR. Rural site south-east of the track, towards Belfast.
Six Mile Water Caravan Park ~18.4 mi / 30 km 0300 123 7788 Lough Road, Antrim BT41 4DG. North side of Lough Neagh, close to Belfast International if you are flying in and hiring a van.
Blair's Castlewood Holiday Park ~18.7 mi / 30 km 028 7082 3537 Castle Road, Antrim BT41 4NA. Holiday park with pitches and cabins, next to Six Mile Water.

Distances are by road from the venue postcode, in miles and kilometres, and approximate. None of these are event partners and no block booking has been arranged. Worth knowing if you want hook-up and full facilities, or if on-site space fills up.

Food

Where to eat

At the track

BBQ included with every entry

Your entry fee covers the BBQ at the track, so you can eat between rounds without leaving the venue.

For an evening out, Moira's main street has most of the good food within a short drive of the track, all within a few hundred metres, so a group with different tastes can still walk to the same place. Opening days vary, and several close early in the week, so check before you set off.

Moira — all about 3 mi / 5 km

Wine and BrineMain St 028 9261 0500Website The village's best-known restaurant. Book ahead; closed Monday and Tuesday.
The Four TreesMain St 028 9278 0735Website Gastropub, open all week and late at weekends. The easiest option for a big group.
Origin 101Main St 028 9261 7105Facebook Small bistro, bring your own alcohol. Wednesday to Saturday only.
CarthagoMain St 028 9250 8552Website Tunisian and Mediterranean, bring your own alcohol. Wednesday to Saturday evenings.
Masala HutMain St 028 9261 1711Website Indian, eat in or takeaway. Closed Monday.
Turkish Kebab & PizzeriaMain St 028 9202 7526Website Open every evening and latest at weekends — the after-racing option.

Lurgan and around

The Woodville~4.9 mi / 7.9 km 028 3832 4005Website Pub food from early morning at weekends — useful before a first practice.
Stables~6.6 mi / 11 km 028 3832 3974Website Bar and grill, open every day until late.
The Corner House Bar~7.3 mi / 12 km 028 3834 5187 Family-friendly with outdoor space. Thursday to Sunday only.

Entries are capped.
Don't miss out.

Join the club's Facebook group to hear the moment entries open, plus the timetable and news for the weekend.

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Supported by PK Engineering RC Models & Motors

Get in touch

Contact

Club website

Race dates, results and membership.

badmcc.com →

Facebook group

Where we're most active and answer fastest.

Open the group →

Contact form

For anything that needs a written reply.

badmcc.com/find-us →