WHAT appeared to be a cracking entry for Sunday’s Kilkenny-based Suirway Farm Machinery Raven’s Rock Rally, the fifth round of the Dunlop National Rally Championship, has been decimated by a series of withdrawals.

TAKING the lead after the first stage, former national rally champion, Ray Breen, driving a Ford Focus WRC, secured an emphatic victory in the Lismore based Munster Moonraker Rally, round four of the Hankook Tyres Irish Forest Championship.

Even though they led from the first of the eight stages, Waterford’s, Andrew Purcell (Subaru WRC) and his co-driver, Mick Courtney had to fend off a determined challenge from reigning national forest champions, Stephen Moore/Tony McHugh (Ford Focus WERC) to win the Sean Conlon Memorial Tipperary Forest Rally.

Young Irish rally drivers can showcase their talents when the first ever Irish Junior Rally Championship gets underway tomorrow.

Niall Maguire/Paul McLaughlin won the Adare-based Circuit of Munster Rally, the fourth round of the Dunlop National Rally Championship.

In a closely fought encounter, Niall Maguire/Paul McLaughlin won the Adare based Circuit of Munster Rally, the fourth round of the Dunlop National Rally Championship.

After the opening six stages of the Ordnance Survey Ireland/Gleneagle Hotel Rally of the Lakes, the third round of the Pirelli Irish Tarmac Championship, Derek McGarrity/Dermot O’Gorman (Subaru WRC) have a 34 second lead over Eugene Donnelly/Paul Kiely in a Toyota Corolla WRC.

BASED on previous performances, Dessie Nutt is the obvious favourite in Sunday’s Killarney Historic Rally.

Pop idol Will Young and finalist Gareth Gates continued their success in public votes after scooping three British National Music Awards tonight.

THE KBB Doors National Forest Rally Championship continues with Sunday’s Circuit of Wicklow, the second round in as many weeks. Cork’s John McCarthy (Subaru 555) and Limerick’s Dermot Kelly (Escort WRC) are the top two entrants and both are capable of victory.

THE Irish rallying championship season gets underway on Sunday against the backdrop of a strong statement from the sport’s governing body, Motorsport Ireland.

THE increase in funding and the expansion of both the Young Racing and Young Rally Driver of the Year Awards is good news for motorsport.

A brave bid to move to ninth ended with Michael Keohane having to rejoin the final race of the British

Cork driver, Michael Keohane finished fifth in today’s penultimate round of the British Formula 3

Colin McRae, the most successful driver in the history of the World Rally Championship, headlines the Punchestown Rally Masters on Sunday along with the cream of Irish rallying.

TOMORROW'S Edinburgh-based Jim Clark Memorial Rally unites the Toshiba Computers Irish Tarmac and the Pirelli British Rally Championships for the first of three occasions this season.

In the FIA Formula 3 Europe Cup, the Grand Prix of Pau, Cork driver, Michael Keohane, competing in his first ever street race, was eighth fastest in the Group A qualifying session this morning at the French town near the foot of the Pyrenees.

Mark Higgins - co-driven by Belfast´s Michael Gibson (Ford Focus WRC) - have won the Newcastle based Pirelli International Rally, the opening round of the Pirelli sponsored British Rally Championship.

In the Pirelli International Rally in Gateshead near Newcastle, and with six stages completed, Finland´sTapio Laukkanen - in a Group N Subaru Impreza - holds a 27 second advantage over the Ford Focus of British driver, Mark Higgins and his Northern Ireland co-driver, Michael Gibson.

Dermot Carnegie is the 2001 BRDA Rallycross Champion after a dominant win at Mondello Park. Pat Doran (Ford Escort RS200), the pre-event championship leader, retired on the first lap with clutch maladies. Carnegie led all through and finished over three seconds ahead of the Metro 6R4 of Lawrence Gibson.

Eamonn Boland/Anthony Nestor in their NVD Subaru were the top Irish crew in the Ypres Rally.

It's a case of home and away for Irish drivers this weekend, as they face into two days of rallying, racing, karting and autocross.