An Irish victory in the World Cup Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch in Kent is on the cards on Sunday. The very strong Irish team consists of Ford of Ireland Championship winner Paul Dagg (Drogheda), Northern Ireland champion George McAlpine (Portrush) and Peter Walsh (Cork), winner of the Benelux Formula Ford Championship.

There are two reserve team drivers - Alan Ring (Castleisland, Co Kerry), runner-up in the Ford of Ireland series, and former Irish championship winner Noel Dunne (Naas).

Each of the Irish drivers will hope to become the first winner of the Neil Shanahan Memorial Trophy, in memory of the brilliant 19year-old Dublin driver who was tragically killed at Oulton Park in May. The winner will also receive a cheque for £1,000, donated by the Shanahan family, who will make the podium presentations.

Monaghan's Niall Maguire, who clinched the Red Mills National Rally Championship with a cooly-calculated drive into third place in the recent Donegal Harvest Rally, is all set to "give it a lash" in Sunday's final round.

The Marine Hotel Fastnet Rally run out of Skibbereen, Co Cork, has attracted a capacity entry to compete over 3x3 stages at Bredagh Cross, Trawlebane and Mount Kidd. Service will be near Drimoleague, and the finish is at Glandore.

Meanwhile, the line-up for Sunday's final rounds of the National Karting Championships include all the young hot shots.

Among the entries are: All-Ireland champion Michael Devaney (Rathfarnham), Irish Opel Champion Niki Jeredith (Clondalkin); Cadet Champion James McCarthy, and his closest challenger Jonathon McCarthy.