THIS is yet another busy weekend for motor sport, with a number of National championship up for decision at Mondello Park plus the Irish Super Prix attraction. And the 25th Wexford Rally has attracted a capacity entry, including the usual strong support from England and Wales for this round of the British Rally Championship.
A single point separates former double champion Michael Edgar (Belfast) and Derek Cunneely (Celbridge) in the Bridgestone Formula Opel Championship, on 110 and 109 points, respectively. Wayne Douglas is not in contention for the title, but on current form is likely to beat Edgar and Cunneely for race honours.
The two protagonists must beat each other, and which ever one does it takes the championship. The points scoring is 20 for first, and in the descending order of 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1 covering the first 10 places.
Any one of five drivers can win the Ford of Ireland Championship and with the prize of an all expenses paid Zetec Formula Ford test at Silverstone next week, there is a lot at stake. The five contenders (on corrected dropped scores) are: Mark McKenna (Swords) 81 points, Derek Hayes (Dungannon) 80, Chris Paul (Lisburn) 74, Jeff Wright (Bangor) 73, Alan Ring (Castleisland) 71. If all five fail to score, George McAlpin (Portrush) on 62 points could take the championship, but that's a real long shot.
Gordon Kellett, on 136, leads Michael Cullen by six points in the Dunlop Touring Car Championship, but on corrected scores Cullen actually is ahead by six points and again it's down to the last round on Sunday.
The Super Prix attraction is a round of the somewhat obscure Boss Formula Series, a British championship for single seater Formula One and Formula 3000 ears. With the carrot of 1,000 guineas for anyone who breaks the lap record of 52.30 seconds, set by Martin Donnelly seven years ago, the visitors should go for it. Drivers like Rajamaki, Cumming, Worswick, Sherwood, Osborne and McLurg will be unfamiliar to Irish enthusiasts, but they will be worth watching.
Local driver Eamon Boland will lead off the field in the Talbot Hotel sponsored Wexford Rally, to be followed by visiting competitors Pete Doughty, John Cope, Bob Fowden, Lyndon Barton and Gwyndaf Evans. Doughty is going for his third British title, and will no doubt push Boland who is going for his first win in his home rally. The first dozen cars on the seeded entry list are all Fords.
Stephen Murphy, Wexford winner for the last five years in a row, drives a `00' car this year. The list of Wexford winners reads like a who's who of Irish rallying spanning a quarter of a century: Billy Coleman (1971/72), Ronnie McCartney (73), Ger Buckley (74), Jimmy Steward (75), Germ Buckley (76177178/79), Bertie Fisher (80), John Burns (81), Austin McHale (82/88), Richie Heeley (84), Frank Meagher (85), Bill Connolly (86), Frank Meagher (87), Austin McHale (88), Donie Keating (89), Geoff Kitney (90), Stephen Murphy (91/92/93/94/95). Kitney is the only English driver to have won the Wexford Rally.
Round four of the RAC/ Hewison Trophy Autotest Championship is at Newcastlewest on Sunday, organised by the Kerry Motor Club.
Co Kildare MC start the seventh season of 4x4 production vehicle trials at a new venue at Ardistran, Tullow, Co Carlow, on Sunday. The reigning champion David Hassard of Belfast defends his title against all comers in this off road sport, including previous championship winners Trevor Lyon (Kill) and Frank Fallon (Blackchurch, Co Dublin).
The 40th Irish Experts Trial takes place today in the Glens of Antrim, with 94 winner Robert Crawford and reigning Irish champion Paul McLoughlin leading the home entry.
Sunday's grasstrack motorcycle races at Portarlington are in aid of the widow of Noel Duffy, a regular motocross and grasstrack rider who tragically lost his life recently. Top riders in action will include Harry Handbridge, Enda Kelly, Greg and Gillian Kinsella, Francis Nugent and Graeme Vigors.
