The best young drivers line up to contest the Circuit of Ireland that gets underway today in Antrim.

Dubliner Robert Barrable, better known for his rallying forays, will compete in this season’s British GT Championship where he will team up Northern Ireland’s Wilson Thompson in a Team HARD-prepared Ginetta G55 GT4.

Despite having rolled their Citroen DS3 WRC seven times in yesterday’s shakedown stage, Tyrone’s Kris Meeke and his Killarney co-driver Paul Nagle (Citroen DS3R3) made it to the start of last evening’s Super Special in the Lotos 72nd Rally Poland, round seven of the World Rally Championship.

On the cusp of his maiden Irish Tarmac Championship success, Donegal’s Declan Boyle (Subaru WRC) is taking nothing for granted ahead of the Todds Leap Ulster Rally, the penultimate round of the Clonakilty Black Pudding-supported series in Enniskillen this afternoon.

PRESENTLY enjoying a fine debut season in his Skoda Fabia S2000, Dubliner Robert Barrable has received an official invitation to compete in the Barum Rally (August 26-28) in the Czech Republic, round seven of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge series.

DOUBLE British Rally Champion Keith Cronin has shelved his progress to the next level of the sport due to a lack of opportunities.

JUST a year ago, Keith Cronin ended a 35 year drought when he became the second Irish driver to win the British Rally Championship following in the tracks of Billy Coleman, who won the series back in 1974.

BRITISH RALLY champion, Keith Cronin is not that accustomed to playing the percentage game, mostly because the Cork driver hasn’t been required to adopt such a role.

BATTLING through wet and difficult conditions, reigning British Rally Champion, Keith Cronin, took an important and memorable victory in Rally Isle of Man, the fourth round of the Dulux Trade British Rally Championship.

WITH the margin for error in both the Dunlop National Rally Championship and the Dulux Trade British series diminishing as both championships near conclusion, this weekend’s Dominic Quinn Body Repairs/Sligo Park Hotel Rally and Rally Isle of Man are of major significance to their respective title protagonists.

NOT since 1974 has an Irish driver won the British Rally Championship, indeed in the entire history of the BRC, only Billy Coleman has managed to triumph.

THE Tarmac Rally Organisers Association (TROA) meet in Dublin on Sunday against the backdrop of a changing demographic in the Irish Tarmac Championship. The top contenders in the ITC have stated that the series should continue without any dramatic changes.

The opening leg of the Todds Leap.com Ulster International Rally in Antrim was a classic contest mixed with drama through the day's six stages, where the lead changed several times.

Irish duo Keith Cronin and Greg Shinnors (Mitsubishi) have finished second overall in the Isle of Man International Rally today.

After a sterling performance on the opening stages where he carved out a strong lead Irish driver, Keith Cronin, partnered by his co-driver, Greg Shinnors ended the opening leg of the Isle of Man International Rally in second place.

IrishTarmac Championship leader, Eugene Donnelly in his Skoda Fabia WRC leads the Jim Clark Memorial Rally in Scotland after the conclusion of last night's six stages.

THE Irish bid to host a round of the World Rally Championship will be further scrutinised today at the World Rally Commission meeting at FIA headquarters in Paris.

WITH three different leaders after each of the opening three rounds, the Dunlop National Rally Championship is shaping up to be an intriguing contest.

Austin MacHale has lost his battle to become the British Rally Champion by just 8.7 seconds.

Five times Irish Tarmac Rally Champion, Austin MacHale and British driver, David Higgins are locked in a frenetic battle to win the British Rally Championship on the Tempest Rally that concludes this afternoon.