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.

Derry's Eugene Donnelly and his co-driver, Paddy Toner, in a Skoda Fabia WRC, have won the Jim Clark Memorial Rally in Scotland.

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.

WITH an air of expectancy, the Pirelli Irish Tarmac Championship season begins tomorrow with the First Choice Flooring Galway International Rally. Several top drivers are involved in some type of change, a factor that adds further intrigue to the first of the eight round series.