LIAM O'CALLAGHAN and James O'Brien have carried out exhaustive suspension testing of their Toyota Celica GT4 and are confident of pulverising the opposition over the fast, sweeping roads of the Clonakilty area in this weekend's West Cork Rally.
The Kanturk crew spent two days testing with Gerd Pfeiffer of Toyota Team Europe, and O'Callaghan is bullish about his chances in what is effectively his home rally. "We have found the cause of the handling problem in Galway and the car now feels a lot better. The stages should really suit the Celica," said O'Callaghan.
The Corkman's first rally win was the West Cork event, two years ago. He is seeded number two behind 1995 winner Bob Fowden, in a Ford Escort RS Cosworth, and ahead of 1993 winner John Price, in an MG Metro 6R4. In addition to 124 entries, there are 10 in the historic class.
The mid engined MGF sports car makes its world rally debut in West Cork, driven by Malcolm Oxborrow, technical engineer at Rover, and co driven by Peter Chapman, Rover engine designer.
The entry of only 40 cars for the Circuit of Ireland, to be held at Easter, is a sure sign that the event is too long and too costly by comparison with the well supported two day internationals. The entry does not include two previous winners: Frank Meagher and Austin McHale, and James Cullen and Andrew Nesbitt. Neither are there any British or Continental entries.
Kenny McKinstry, in a Ford Escort RS2000, is the top seed for the Easter Stages Rally, run on Easter Monday in Northern Ireland over the Circuit stages. This round of the Northern Ireland Championship has an entry of 99 crews. There are 31 entries for the Historic Circuit of Ireland, which will precede the main rally.
This week the Killarney and District Motor Club revealed advance details of the Rally of the Lakes to be held over the Saturday and Sunday of the May holiday, May 4th and 5th. After Galway and the Circuit, this will be the third round of the Rally Championship.
It's early days yet to talk of entries, but it's on the cards that Fisher, O'Callaghan, Cullen, Meagher, Nesbitt, Ian Greer and Michael Farrell will spearhead the Group A attack.
The Irish motor racing season opens at Mondello Park with the Carlow Car Club's clubbie on St Patrick's. This is a non championship meeting. The serious business is not scheduled until Easter Monday.
Irish drivers again dominated a British autotest championship event for the second week in succession. Peter and Chris Grimes took the first two places in Round Two of the BTRDA series in Manchester, with JJ Farrell third and Trevor Hamilton fourth. Frank Lcnehan scored another class win. The Grimes brothers now share the championship lead.
Dubliner Dermot Carnegie was second in the opening round of the British Rallycross Championship at Brand's Hatch, beaten by Will Gollop, the former European and British championship winner. Carnegie is chasing a third successive British title this year, driving a Ford Escort Cosworth in place of his trusty Metro 6R4.
With three rounds completed, Paul McLoughlin of Greystones and Ulster rider Andrew Perry share the lead in the Irish Motorcycle Trials Championship, on 52 points each. Another Ulsterman, Philip Hanlon, is third on 36 points. Tomorrow's Round Four will be held in Glenariff Forest, Park, Cargan, Ballymena.
