On what was his first rally in over eight months, Wexford’s James Stafford, in his rear wheel drive Darrian T90 GTR, took a well-earned victory in the Kilkenny-based Raven’s Rock Rally.

These are difficult times for all involved in Irish motorsport and while Sunday’s Circuit of Munster Rally is going ahead as planned, a number of the top crews have withdrawn as a mark of respect following the fatalities at last week’s Cavan Rally.

Yesterday’s, Cavan Rally was marred by tragedy during the first stage of the event near Bailieborough.

Elevation to the Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC) series has raised the profile of the Donnelly Group Circuit of Ireland Rally.

WEXFORD’s David James (Mitsubishi) took a comfortable victory in the Carlow Rallysprint at Mondello Park that attracted an entry of 127 drivers.

THE Irish crew of Kris Meeke/Paul Nagle (MINI WRC) begins today’s second leg of Rally GB, the final round of the World Rally Championship, in fifth place following a solid run through yesterday’s opening three stages.

A PLANNED split from Motorsport Ireland by Irish karting has been put on hold. Discussions between both parties could lead to a solution that will bring this spectrum of the sport back on track and remain within the remit of Motorsport Ireland (MI).

A PLANNED split from Motorsport Ireland by Irish karting has been put on hold. Discussions between both parties could lead to a solution that will bring this spectrum of the sport back on track and remain within the remit of Motorsport Ireland (MI).

NEWLY-CROWNED Irish Tarmac Group N champion, Garry Jennings headlines tomorrow’s Bailey NiteClub Redcastle Oceanfront Spa Hotel Donegal Harvest Rally, the penultimate round of the Dunlop National Rally Championship.

SECOND place doesn’t sit that comfortably with Tim McNulty (Subaru WRC), yet, for more than two thirds of the Todds Leap Ulster Rally, it was a position he held.

ANTRIM’S Derek McGarrity (Subaru WRC) will begin today’s second and final leg of the Todds Leap Ulster Rally with a 19.3 second advantage over Tim McNulty (Subaru WRC), with Armagh’s Darren Gass, also in a Subaru WRC, a minute and five seconds further adrift in third.

ALEX SINCLAIR, chief executive of Motorsport Ireland, has urged the bosses of GAA, soccer and rugby to be directly involved at the grassroots of their sport.

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.

THE Quaife British Rallycross Championship and Summer Rallycross dovetail at Mondello Park on Sunday, where reigning Irish champion Tommy Graham will have plenty of opposition in the Supercar division.

HAVING dominated the Dunlop National Rally Championship so far, it remains to be seen if any of Tim McNulty’s title rivals have the ability to stop him as he goes in search of another victory at Sunday’s Hotel Kilmore Cavan Rally.

SOME of the most renowned stages in Irish rallying, like Moll’s Gap, Caragh Lake and those in the Béara Peninsula, are the principal reason Tim McNulty opted to compete in this weekend’s Cartell.ie Killarney International Rally of the Lakes, the third round of the Irish Tarmac Championship, instead of last week’s Circuit of Ireland Rally.

A LATE entry from Armagh’s Darren Gass (Subaru WRC) has added extra spice to Sunday’s Carlton Hotel Circuit of Kerry Rally in Tralee, the second round of the Top Part West Coast Championship.

FOUR legends of Irish rallying will rekindle its halcyon days on Sunday’s Halloween Historic Rally in Carrick-on-Suir.

INTERCONTINENTAL Rally champions, Kris Meeke and co-driver Paul Nagle, bid farewell to the Peugeot UK team at this weekend’s Rally of Scotland.

ALTHOUGH Gareth MacHale (Ford Focus WRC) leads the Citroen Irish Tarmac Championship and is the best placed of four drivers to win the title, he is also the driver under most pressure ahead of this weekend’s final round, the Cork ‘20’ International Rally.

TITLE contenders in both the Citroen Irish Tarmac Championship and the Dulux Trade British Rally Championship face similar tasks on this weekend’s penultimate rounds of the series, that while featuring the same stages, headquarters and service halts, will run under two different names.

Event victory in the Cork "20" International Rally for Gareth MacHale (Ford Focus) and a record equalling fifth Irish Tarmac Championship success were delivered in tandem today.

REGIONAL Championships are important to former triple national champion, Niall Maguire, who is the top seed for Sunday’s Ennis-based Auburn Lodge Clare Rally, the fifth round of the Top Part West Coast Championship.

Inheriting the lead on today's third stage of the final leg of the Dick Bailey Wexford Rally, last year's winner PJ McGrath (Subaru) went on to net back-to-back victories.

At the end of today's six stages of the Dick Bailey Wexford Rally, Dubliner, Michael Barrable, in his Ford Focus WRC leads the Subaru of last year's winner, P.J. McGrath by one minute.

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.

Dominating from the very start, reigning Dunlop National Rally champions, Patrick Elliott/Paul Goodman (Subaru WRC) won the Sepam Tipperary Stonethrowers Rally.

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

ROUNDS of the Irish Tarmac, National and British Rally Championships take centre stage over three days beginning today with the former and the latter dovetailing on the Rally Isle of Man International.

Michael Barrable/Dermot O'Gorman (Ford Focus WRC) took a comprehensive victory in the Leighlinbridge based Carlow Rally today.

Derry's Eugene Donnelly and co-driver Paddy Toner (Skoda Fabia) have won the Circuit of Ireland Rally today.

Cork driver, Keith Cronin (Mitsubishi) made a superb start in his quest to win the British Rally Championship.

A record-equalling fifth Irish Tarmac Championship title is one of Eugene Donnelly's goals this season.

Newly crowned Dunlop National Rally champions, Patrick Elliott and Paul Goodman (Subaru) have won the Ardara based Donegal Harvest Rally, the final round of the national series.

Wexford's, Eamonn Boland and co-driver, Damien Morrissey (Subaru WRC) are on course to clinch the Irish Tarmac Championship.

Manx native Mark Higgins and his Letterkenny co driver Rory Kennedy, on board their Group N Subaru, hung on for victory at the Rally Isle of Man today.

MANX born driver, Mark Higgins and his Donegal co-driver, Rory Kennedy, in their Group N Subaru strengthened their grip on Rally Isle of Man through yesterday’s twelve stages.

Another good day for Manx native, Mark Higgins and his Donegal co-driver, Rory Kennedy, in their Group N Subaru, who extended their lead in Rally Isle of Man, a counting round of both the Irish Tarmac and British Rally Championships.

Reigning Irish Tarmac champion, Eugene Donnelly and co-driver, Paul Kiely, lead the way at the end of the opening leg of the Topaz Donegal International Rally in Letterkenny.

Three drivers are involved in a titanic struggle for supremacy in the Ordnance Survey Ireland Rally of the Lakes in Killarney, the third round of the Global Group Irish Tarmac Championship.

Lisburn’s, Phillip Morrow is the top Irish driver after the opening leg of the Carlisle based Pirelli Rally, the first round of the British Rally Championship.

Wexford’s Eamonn Boland and co-driver Damien Morrissey (Subaru WRC) continue to lead after the conclusion of the second leg of the Circuit of Ireland Rally today.

Third place on the Galway Summer Rally was enough for Aaron MacHale to clinch the Dunlop National Rally Championship today.

Aaron MacHale/Killian Duffy (Ford Focus WRC) won the Sligo Rally, round seven of the Dunlop National Rally Championship.