Niall Murray, will take on one of the biggest challenges of his career next weekend when he makes his RX1 Supercar debut at the Irish round of the FIA European Rallycross Championship at Mondello Park.

Representing Murray Motorsport and backed by title sponsor Southside Motor Factors, Murray will compete against Europe's top rallycross drivers in a KMS by Meunier Competition Volkswagen Polo RX1 Supercar. While Murray has previously raced high-performance GT and supercars internationally, this will be his first competitive outing in a 600bhp-plus RX1 rallycross Supercar at this level.

Although this marks his debut at the highest level of rallycross, Murray is no stranger to elite motorsport. A multiple championship winner across karting, Formula Ford, touring cars and GT racing, he has claimed victories in some of the sport's most prestigious events, including the Formula Ford Festival, Walter Hayes Trophy and the British Formula Ford Championship.

Away from the driver's seat, Murray plays a key role within Murray Motorsport, where he is best known for engineering race cars and coaching the team's drivers throughout the season. Next weekend, however, he swaps the engineer's headset for a helmet as he takes on one of the most competitive grids in European motorsport.

"Most weekends I'm helping prepare the cars, engineering and coaching our drivers, so it's exciting to be back behind the wheel myself. The level of competition in Euro RX is incredibly high, but that's exactly what makes this opportunity so exciting. To make my RX1 debut in front of a home crowd at Mondello Park is something I'm really looking forward to."

The FIA European Rallycross Championship returns to Mondello Park for the first time in thirty years. The event is expected to attract a significant international audience, with millions of viewers reached through television, digital and social media coverage.

Murray's striking black Volkswagen Polo RX1 will carry the branding of Southside Motor Factors, one of Ireland's leading motor factors and the team's title sponsor for the event, as well as Murray Motorsport, one of Europe's leading motorsport retailers.

"We're delighted to have Southside Motor Factors as our title sponsor. They're a company with a fantastic reputation in the Irish automotive industry, and having their support allows us to compete at this level on home soil. Hopefully we can reward that support with a strong performance in front of the Irish fans."

The FIA European Rallycross Championship takes place at Mondello Park on 18–19 July, with practice, qualifying heats and finals taking place across the weekend.