The indomitable Dunlop brothers head the entry for the 69th Ulster Grand Prix meeting at Dundrod.
Last year, Joey Dunlop was pushed to the limit to hold off the Belgian champion Marc Fissette in the 250cc race, and he returns to Dundrod to ride three machines - 250cc Honda, 600cc and 750cc Suzukis. Honda Britain riders Michael Rutter and Ian Simpson, both TT riders, Ian Duffus, Simon Beck, James Courtney, Robert Dunlop, Owen McNally and Phelim Owens are just some of the road racing stars competing over the seven-mile, 706-yard Dundrod Circuit, the lap record of which was set at 126.10 mph by Welsh rider Jason Griffiths on a 750cc Kawasaki in 1994.
The battle for honours in the Red Mills National Rally Championship is firmly between reigning champion John Gilleece on 94 points and current leader Niall Maguire on 98, with a gap back to third-placed Dermot Kelly on 81. Sunday's ALMC Montague Rally in Co. Laois is the fourth-last round and, in addition to Maguire and Gilleece, has attracted Hugh Martin Doherty, Daniel Doherty and John McClusky (and Maguire) in Subaru Legacys, with Belfast dentist Gilleece in a Ford Escort RS Cosworth. Michael Barrable in a Toyota Celica GT4 will no doubt push hard for at least a "consolation" win in what has been a disastrous season for the Dublin driver.
With Rally HQ at the Montague Hotel near Portlaoise, the 3x3 stage locations are Cobbler's Hill, Luggacurren and Coolroe Castle. In the historic section, Red Mills managing director Joe Connolly drives a Porsche 911.
Rosemary Smith competes against ITV's Formula One "pit lane" reporter Louise Goodman in a special head-to-head race at Sunday's Silverstone Rallysport. They will drive identical Ford Ka rally cars, and although Rosemary recognises that Goodman is an "excellent driver" she says that she is "full of confidence and really looking forward to the challenge". Joe McHale, older brother of Irish champion Austin McHale, comes out of retirement to compete in the Nestle Rally Finland, a World Rally Championship round formerly known as the "1000 Lakes". He will drive a Honda Civic with well known navigator Mickey Joe Morrissey. He was a winner of the National Forestry Stages Championship. The Finnish event runs from today until Sunday.
Broadford, Co. Kildare is the venue for Sunday's Round Seven of the Midget Racing Car Championships, and with only three rounds remaining the battle for points is on in earnest. In the 850cc class only six points separate Pat Cassidy, Declan Nolan and Fran Brierton. Pat Sheppard leads Stephen Donohue by two points in the 1000cc's, with David Ashton two points back in third. In the Castrol Championship Frank O'Connell has an eight-point lead over Keith Sheridan and Mark Murphy. And in the Schwarzkopf Championship, Stephen Donohue, Frank O'Connell and Keith Sheridan are separated by three points.
