REIGNING Dunlop National Rally champion, Mel Evans and current Irish Tarmac championship leader, Tim McNulty, both in Subaru WRCs, go head to head in Sunday’s opening round of the Dunlop series, the Abbeyleix Manor Hotel Rally that also marks the beginning of the Top Part West Coast Rally series.

THE demise of Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge both here and in Britain is a major blow, particularly to the young drivers, as it provided a perfect launching pad to their careers.

FROM a season where little went wrong, culminating with victory in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge for Kris Meeke/Paul Nagle, the current defence of their crown is proving almost the total opposite.

DEREK McGARRITY could be forgiven for having a sense of déjà vu this weekend as he goes from one circuit to another.

Danny Barry, who worked for the late Gordon Richards for over nine years but is now based near Dundalk, had Irish eyes smiling as he completed 65-1 double with the well-backed pair Black Chalk and Bogus Dreams at Musselburgh.