IRELAND'S top Formula Ford drivers race at Pembray in Wales on Sunday, in round four of two Irish championships, both led by Ulstermen George McAlpin and Richie Ryans.
McAlpin has a 20 point lead in the Ford of Ireland Premiership, 52 points to the 32 of Chris Paul (Lisburn), with Dubliner Alan Kelly third on 30 points.
In the DHL Star of Tomorrow Championship, Ryans of Armagh leads on 40 points from Mike Clyne (Galway) on 36 and Ian Stewart (Newtownabbey) on 30. Mark Cullen (Limerick) has slipped from leading to fourth on 28 points, two in front of Bjorn Schiller (Sligo) who leads the pre90 championship.
The Irish Formula Ford drivers have voted to stay with the Ford Kent 1600 engine for the foreseeable future, rather than the Zetec 1800 used in the UK. This is a sensible decision, based on the higher cost factor of the larger capacity and more powerful Zetec engine.
Dunlop Fiat Uno Cup drivers were expected to race at Kirkistown, Co Down, tomorrow, but have opted to race instead in Wales. The Kirkistown meeting includes rounds of all the Northern Ireland championships.
Stephen Murphy, the reigning champion in the RIAC Coras National Rally Championship, leads on 60 points from Wexford's Eamonn Boland on 52, both driving Ford Escort RS Cosworths. Belfast dentist John Gilleece at the wheel of another Cosworth has slipped down to fourth on 32 points, behind Norman Armstrong in an Escort Mk.2 on 39. Ed Synan and Eugene Donnelly, both also driving evergreen Escort Mk.2's are fifth and sixth respectively, on 30 and 29 points.
Rind four of the championship is Sunday's White Horse Hotel sponsored Cavan Stages Rally, run out of Cootehill, with 3x3 stages at Maudabawn, Knockbride and Mountain Lodge.
Two rounds of the Dunlop Hillclimb Championship are listed for the weekend, with all the leading contenders competing in the Dublin University Clubs Cruagh event in the Pine Forest (above Rathfarnham) near Kilakee tomorrow and in the MEC's event at Laragh on Sunday.
After the two opening rounds in Inistioge, Co Kilkenny, 1990 title winner Richard Young leads 1992 champion and three times runner up Jenny Kennedy by two points.
Young will set the pace in the next two rounds at the wheel of his powerful 4.0 litre Cougar V8. Jenny Kennedy now has a 2.0 litre Opel engine in her Crossle 33F, but is under threat from Padraig Forde driving the ex Shay Lawless 3.5 litre Scottclimber.
After a break of two months, motorcycle racing returns to Mondello Park on Sunday with the Leinster 100 meeting featuring rounds of the Irish Short Circuit Championship. Interestingly the meeting carries the title Leinster 100, which was in fact the name given to the first motorcycle road races held in the then new Irish Free State, over an 11 miles circuit at Dunshaughlin, Co Meath, back in July 1923.
Practise for the Isle of Man TT races starts next Monday, with sessions each morning and evenings through the week.
