A superb entry, led by the legendary Joey Dunlop, has been received for Sunday's 14th Annual Killalane motorcyle road races near Skerries in north Co Dublin.
Dunlop, who is now in his mid40s, rides 125/250cc and 500cc Hondas, and faces really tough opposition, especially from Ulster Grand Prix race winners Jason Griffiths (Wales) and Simon Beck (Preston).
Roads close at noon tomorrow for practice, which will be completed by an Irish Championship race for the 200cc class, and at 11 a.m. on Sunday. Jason Griffiths won three races at Killalane last year, and other winners back for more are Denis McCullough, Bob Jackson and Gary Dynes.
The Northern motor racing season closes at Kirkistown tomorrow, with races for Formula Ford and Vee, Metros and Roadsports. Simon Woodside (Templepatrick) leads Tommy Reid (Tandragee) by 15 points in the NI Formula Ford 1600 Championship and Reid will be giving it everything in a bid to snatch the title from young Woodside.
Reid (64) recently set a new outright lap record for the Kirkistown circuit - not in his Formula Ford but at the wheel of a Formula 3,000 Lola. With championship points at stake in three divisions, the Formula Vee drivers will, no doubt, provide lots of close racing.
Ulster driver Ronnie Maybin has a virtually unassailable lead over Donal Griffin in the Dunlop Hillclimb Championship. Maybin leads on 76 points from Griffin on 61. Padraig Forde is third on 56.5, leading former champion and several times runner-up Jenny Kennedy on 50.5. Cyril Lynch and Karl Cleary are separated by just a single point, on 43 and 42 respectively.
The venue for the two final championship rounds this weekend is Grianan of Ailigh at Burt, Co Donegal.
Cork Motor Club start the RIAC National Forestry Championship 1997/98 with Sunday's event, sponsored by Eamon Tarrant and Sons Motors of Banteer. The rally headquarters is the Dunhallow Park Hotel, Kanturk, with 40 stage miles in the Banteer-Mallow region. Northern drivers Stephen Harron, James Leckey and George Robinson are expected to tackle the 6x2 stages.
Weekend Fixtures
Tomorrow: 500m MRCI, Motor Racing, Kirkistown, Co Down, 1.30 p.m.; Donegal MC, Hillclimb, Grianan of Ailigh, Burt, Co Donegal, 11.15 a.m..
Sunday: Cork MC, Forestry Stages Rally, starts Dunhallow Park Hotel, Kanturk, Co Cork, 10.30 a.m; Loughshinny MCC, Killalane Motorcycle Road Races, 11.00 a.m.; Hillclimb, Grianan of Ailigh, Co Donegal, 11.15 a.m.; DU MC and CC, Fall Cup M/C Trial, Old Boley, Upper Glencree, Co Wicklow, 12.00 p.m.; Dundalk Motorcross, Lurgankeel, Kilcurry, Co Louth, 12.00 p.m.; Carlow CC, Autocross, Cecil Treacy's field, Athy, Co Kildare, 12.00 p.m.; Connacht MC, Autocross, Harrington's Quarry, Ballisodare, Co Sligo.
