AFTER a long and often times pretty relentless year of rallying and racing, this is the time for various awards functions. Tonight Bertie Fisher and Rory Kennedy will step forward once again to receive the winning awards for drivers and co drivers in the RIAC/Tarmac Rally Championship.
The combination of Fisher Kennedy and the Touchmac sponsored Subaru Impreza dominated the international rally scene to such effect that the second placed James Cullen and Ellen Morgan trailed the winners by a massive 50 points, 92 to 42.
The Tarmac Rally Organisers Association prize giving is in the Fitzpatrick Castle Hotel, Killiney and with so many awards to be presented it is likely to be a marathon affair. The top three in the Irish Historic Rally Car Championship, run concurrently with the Tarmac series, were: John Keatley/Maurice Beckett (Porsche 911), 85 points; Dessie Nutt/ Derek Smyth (Porsche 911), 60 Niall Creighton/Harry McGrath (Ford Lotus Cortina), 52.
Awards for the RIAC/Coras Vard National Rally Championship, won overall by Co Carlow's Stephen Murphy for the second successive year, will be presented at a function in The Bridge Hotel, Waterford next Saturday.
In the World Rally Championship, Tommy Makinen won the drivers' title, driving for Mitsubishi. On 123 points the Finn beat Scotland's Colin McRaeon 92 points, with Ford's Carlos Sainz of Spain third on 89. But in the manufacturers' championship, Subaru beat Mitsubishi to win the title for the second successive year, thanks to McRae's wins on the last two rounds, the San Remo and Catalunya rallies.
Gordon Erskine chases a fifth successive sporting trials win in today's mud plug event over observed sections on Valentine's farm at Newcastle, Co Wicklow. In the last season of mud plugs, the winning was shared between the Erskine twins, Philip and Gordon, double driving their now virtually unbeatable Erskine Harley Davidson Special.
Other motoring events listed are the Kerry Motor Club's Banna Beach Hotel, Single Stage Rally and the Co Kildare MC's 4x4 Trial at Tullow, Co Carlow, which are both on tomorrow.
The All Ireland Motorcycle Trials Championship goes all the way down to the wire, as they say, in tomorrow's final round. This is the MEC's Stanley Woods Memorial Trial at Kilruddery Estate near Bray. The protagonists are reigning champion Paul McLoughlin from Greystones and top Ulsterman Andrew Perry, who are both level on points. McLoughlin has won the MCUI (Southern Centre) Championship, scoring a maximum with nine straight wins. The Tommy Carroll Trophy for the Grade B winner went to Aaron Tracey of Rathfarnham, and in Grade C Stuart Martin emulated McLoughlin's nine wins to take the Callaghan Salver.
The Irish Veteran and Vintage Motorcycle Club hold a show and autojumble today in Taney Parish Hall, Dundrum (Co Dublin). In addition to a display of restored old motorcycles, books and assorted bits and pieces will be on sale.