Sport

Large entry in Sligo bodes well for racing scene

MOTOR SPORT NEWS ROUND-UP: THE "RECESSION" has not hit the Irish rally scene, as evidenced by another capacity entry of 205 …

BRIAN FOLEY
Fri Jul 11 2008 - 01:00

MOTOR SPORT NEWS ROUND-UP:THE "RECESSION" has not hit the Irish rally scene, as evidenced by another capacity entry of 205 crews (for 133 starting places) for Sunday's Connacht Stages run out of Sligo.

It's a different general line-up from the international and national events, headed by Adrian McElvaney, PJ McDermott, Seán Gallagher, David Mann and Raymond Johnston in Subaru Imprezas. Noel McCarrick drives a Ford Focus WRC, Gary McPhillips and Rodney Wilton are the leading Ford Escort Mk.2 drivers, followed by Stuart Darcy in an Impreza, and English drivers David Kyanston in an Audi A3 Quattro and long-time supporter of Irish rallying John Price in a Metro 6R4, who with Mann and Johnston are chasing points in the (British) MSA Asphalt Championship, of which the Irish event is a qualifying round.

After Joe McHugh in a Ford Escort Cosworth come a quartet of Mitsubishi Evos led by Danny McBride and Sligoman Paul Kiely.

The Irish crew of Kris Meeke and Paul Nagle are competing this weekend in Rally Russia, in a Renault Clio R3.

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Wexford Motor Club run the first sprint meeting for race and rally cars at the Kiltorcan Karting facility near Ballyhale, Co Kilkenny.

Dublin drivers race on the challenging former Grand Prix circuit at Brands Hatch on Sunday. Michael Devaney has already won two rounds of the British Formula Three championship in a Mygale-Mercedes and will again mount a strong challenge to the dominant Dallara cars, which are also Mercedes-powered.

Michael Cullen and Paddy Shovlin double-drive a Ferrari in two rounds of the British GT Championship.

Cullen is joint third with two other drivers in the series on 37 points but has slipped behind the overall leaders, Jon Barnes and James Gornall, on 63 points. Shovlin is 10th on 32 points.

Cullen and Shovlin both have experience of the Brands hatch circuit and an Irish win is on the cards and overdue.

Yet another Dublin driver racing abroad at the weekend is Eoin Murray, who is competing in rounds five and six of the Seat Leon Cupra Championship at Estoril in Portugal.

WEEKEND FIXTURES

Saturday: Wexford MC, Sprint, Kiltorcan, Ballyhale, Co Kilkenny, 11.30am.

Sunday: Connacht MC, Sligo Stages Rally, Sligo, 9.30am; Wexford MC, Kiltorcan, Ballyhale, Co Kilkenny, 11.30am.