Motor SportOur racing drivers are the unsung heroes of Irish sport, receiving little publicity and home recognition for their successes from the UK to the Far East.
Ulsterman Richard Lyons leads the Formula Nippon series in Japan, and is knocking loudly on the doors of Formula One. Kildare driver John O'Hara is in contention for honours in the Asian Formula 3 Championship, either leading or second depending on the outcome of disputed results in his last race. His next event is in Indonesia on October 3rd.
Amhrán Na BhFiann rang out in Germany's Eifel mountains last Sunday where Dubliners Michael Cullen and Paddy Shovlin scored a one-two finish in the European Ferrari Challenge race. Michael Schumacher stood on the Nurburgring podium with the pair after presenting the trophies.
Cullen and Shovlin both took to the track to demonstrate an ex-Schumacher Ferrari F2002. "An awesome experience," declared Cullen after lapping the 'Ring just seven per cent slower than Schumacher's fastest lap at the wheel of a Ferrari F2003.
Shovlin is second in the Ferrari Euro series, with Cullen 12 points behind in third. Leader Ange Barde of France is 43 points ahead of Cullen. With four rounds remaining and 100 points up for grabs the championship is still open. The next round is at Magny Cours on September 18th-19th.
Eoin Murray scored two wins in the European Alfa Romeo Cup at Imola in Italy on Sunday. The Dubliner has recorded five podiums out of 11 starts, and set class lap records at Valencia and Magny Cours in his first season of European racing.
Another young Dublin driver, Patrick Hogan, was second to experienced Englishman Michael Conway in Sunday's British Formula Renault Championship race at Snetterton, his second podium finish in a very competitive series.
Michael Devaney, also from Dublin, is third in the German Formula 3 Championship.
There is a north-south battle for honours in the British Rallycross Championship between Lawrence Gibson on 620 points and Dermot Carnegie on 600. Carnegie failed to score in the opening round but has now won six rounds in a row, and with four events to come the Dublin driver should overtake Gibson.
Mondello Park will host the next two rounds of the British series on October 9th-10th.
Naas drivers in winning form are Charlie Donnelly, a Formula Ford Zetec UK-race winner recently, and Noel Dunne who won two rounds of the Dunlop Supercar Championship at Knockhill, near Edinburgh, on Sunday.
Killarney's Donie O'Sullivan in a Ford Focus WRC takes on British drivers Pete Doughty, John Price and Steve Hendy in the weekend's Wexford Rally.
FIXTURES: Saturday - Wexford Rally, starts Rosslare Strand, Co Wexford, 10.0. Sunday - Wexford Rally, restarts Rosslare Strand, 8.45; Castle AC, Stage Rally, Oldcastle, Co Meath, 10.44; Limerick MC, Autocross, Cullen village, Co Tipperary, 12.0; Co Kildare MC, 4x4 Trial, Hospital, Co Limerick, 12.0.
