Alan Dukes, TD, is a familiar figure at Mondello Park but yesterday afternoon the Fine Gael man was upstaged by Presidential candidate Adi Roche, who attended the Leinster Trophy races to launch a new low budget Irish sports car class - the 1600cc Ford-powered road/sports DIY "kit cars" to cost between £6,000 and £8,000.

And few in the packed paddock were disappointed with the action on the track and witnessed a nailbiting finale to the Ford of Ireland Championship for the new Formula Ford Zetec cars.

Wexford driver Philip Kehoe led from the starting lights to the chequered flag, but behind him the championship battle was resolved when Jeff Wright neatly tapped Noel Dunne's car out of contention after Dunne had slipped into second. Wright took the championship as Dunne recovered to finish seventh with Mark McKenny third.

Marcelo Battistuzzi of Brazil literally ran away with the Leinster Trophy race for Formula Opel cars in a repeat of the 1982 tearaway Leinster Trophy win by his compatriate the late Ayrton Senna. Best of the Irish drivers was David Collier who held off the close attentions of Irish Champion Donal Loughrey and runner-up Vivon Daly to finish fifth in a class field of Euroseries professionals.

The two TVR sports car races provided all the right noises and some good old fashioned thrills and spills as the British drivers battle for championship points with no quarter given. Jamie Campbell-Wal won the first race and in the second Bobby VerdonRoe beat Campbell-Wal to score his second win of the weekend, having also won on Saturday.

Barry Barrable won the Fiat Uno qualifying race, with Michael Cullen beating Karl O'Donoghue in the final. Mark Turley in a Honda Civic had the measure of Opel Astra drivers George Crozier and Michael Cullen in the touring car race.