Triple national rally champion Niall Maguire has conquered the Sligo Rally on several occasions — as has his son Shane, who won last year — yet it has been nine years since Maguire Snr’s last triumph and, indeed, his last national victory.

Nenagh’s Whitby Moynan (Toyota Special) clinched the Munster Autocross Championship in dramatic fashion with the fastest time on the fourth and final run of the Cork Autocross at Coachford yesterday.

Local hero Darragh O’Riordan (Subaru WRC) bids to record back-to-back wins in this weekend’s Orchard Motorsport Cork ‘20’ International Rally as Armagh’s Darren Gass (Subaru WRC) aims to seal his inaugural Irish Tarmac title with Fermanagh’s Garry Jennings, the only other driver that can win the title, a doubtful starter.

Revival is the central theme to the weekend events in both rallying and racing.

Dunlop National Rally Championship leader Thomas Fitzmaurice will battle a strong overseas contingent at Sunday’s ALMC Rally in Meath and Louth.

Reigning Irish Forest Rally champion Stephen Moore, driving his ‘06 specification Ford Focus WRC, finished third in Rallye Sunseeker in Bournemouth today.