TWO previous winners, Bertie Fisher and Austin McHale, are seeded numbers one and three, respectively, in the quality entry of some 80 crews for the AA Circuit of Ireland which runs from this morning through to Monday evening.
Fisher, in the Subaru Impreza 555, is preferred by the Ulster Automobile Club as the top seed over Co Carlow's Stephen Murphy who, as National champion in 1995 and 1996, is the only Irish rally driver with an FIA `B' rated competition licence. Apart from his win in 1995, Fisher has not enjoyed great luck on the Circuit and last year he dropped to fourth after a number of off-road incidents, behind Stephen Finlay, Andrew Nesbitt and Liam O'Callaghan.
Double winner Finlay is not rallying this Easter, and Stephen Murphy is seeded two in his Ford Escort RS Cosworth. In similar Fords are James Cullen (4), Eamon Boland (7), Pete Doughty (8) and Peadar Hurson (9). A trio of Toyota Celica GT4s will be driven by McHale (3), Nesbitt (5) and O'Callaghan (6).
Cullen, in his new Escort Cosworth, is confident he can put pressure on Fisher from the start. McHale and Nesbitt will also attack from the first stage, but mindful that the rally has 350 stage miles, Murphy and O'Callaghan may hold something in reserve and pace themselves in more gradually.
It will be a game of speed, strategy and reliability over the four-day marathon, and no doubt Lady Luck could also exercise her influence on the final result. And anyone who cannot stand the heat will just not be at the races. So, on paper, it has to be Fisher and McHale, from Nesbitt, O'Callaghan, Murphy and Boland, with Cullen really having to push hard to match the pace of Fisher's Subaru Impreza and McHale's Toyota Celica GT4.
Just as there will be a fascinating battle for outright victory, there will be an equally tough struggle for important Group N honours in what has all the ingredients of being the most competitive Circuit of Ireland. The leading challengers in Group N are Donal Bowens (10) in an Escort Cosworth and Tony Kearns (12) and Campbell Adams (14) in Subaru Impreza WRXs, all three being capable of finishing inside the top 10 overall on the reliability factor alone.
The entry includes several other hard goers' such as Eamonn McAleenan (15) and Ed Colton (32) in Peugeot 306s, James Crozier (16) in an Escort Cosworth, Thomas Holton (18), Willie John Dolan (33) and Kieran McAnallen (34) in Subaru Imprezas, Donal O'Donovan (19) in a Sierra Cosworth, Niall Maguire (21), Open Manta 400, Kevin Barrett (24), Escort G3, James Armstrong (25), Mazda 240R5, Gene Meegan (27), Celica GT4, Mark and Rory Doyle (29), Honda Civic VTi, Michael Barrable (40), Celica GT4, Michael Lyster and Niamh Grogan (46) in an Escort Cosworth.
Neil Wearden of Preston, a British Junior rally champion, will introduce the new Honda Civic EK4 on the Circuit. Wearden (seeded 22) is wary of his first appearance: "340 miles of stage in a brand new car is a big challenge." The rally is also a personal challenge for Pat O'Connor who has seven finishes out of nine starts, all in self-prepared standard cars run on a tight budget. He drives a VW Golf GTi (number 82).
Dublin photographer Frank Fennell makes a big bid for honours in the Historic Rally, which runs in front of the main rally. Fennell, last year's winner Geoff Crabtree and John Keatley drive powerful Porsche 91 Is, with a similar car in the hands of Wolfgang Pfeiffer of Lagos. German drivers Manfred Sutterhin in an Alpine A100 and Franz Folling in a Volvo 122s add competition and variety to a 27-strong entry.
The rally starts from Bangor at 8 o'clock this morning and covers seven stages in the North, followed by a service halt at the Four Seasons Hotel, Monaghan, from approximately 2 pm. Three more stages, the final one at Tankardstown near Slane (16.38) will bring the cars to Tallaght for the first of two overnight stops. Rally HQ in Tallaght will be the Abberley Court Hotel and all service will be in the Regional Technical College today (18.04) and tomorrow (11.56, 16.38 and 20.33).
The 10 Dunlop stages tomorrow start with a spectator section in Tallaght, alongside the Square Just after 8 am. This will be followed by stages at Sally Gap Aghavannagh and Killamoat, then back to Tallaght for service (11.56). The same three stages will be covered again, with service at 16.38. The final three stages are between Kilcullen and Baltinglass, at Gormanstown, Ballyhook and Spinans Hill, and then it's finally back to Tallaght from 20.33.
Sunday's start from the Abberley Court Hotel is at 10 am. Service will be at Hamills of Mullingar (11.38 and 13.34) with stages at Yellow River, Sion Hill and Thomastown in the Mullingar area. After the second service, the rally heads west to Sligo (17.48) with stages at Curley Mountains, Lough Bo and Tunnagh Lough. After service at Sligo, three more stages, at Kildrum, Rousky and Cahore, takes the cars to service at Toomebridge (23.34). After another four stages there will be service at Moygashel (10.31), followed by four more stages to a second service at Moygashel (12.16).
The final stage on Monday will be in Lurgan Park (13.21) and the first car is due on the finish ramp at Bangor Marina at approximately 14.55.
For motor-racing fans there is a busy programme at Mondello Park on Monday, featuring rounds of the Dunlop Touring Car and Fiat Uno Championships, Formula Vee and historics. With two revised corners, Mondello offers a new challenge for drivers and better entertainment for the punters.
Competition of a different kind takes place on Sunday at Santry Raceway, re-opening for hot rod and `banger' racing at the Kart City facility.
