VICTORY in the Sean Conlon Memorial Tipperary Forest Rally has strengthened the national championship bid of Cork crew, John McCarthy/Dan Maguire.

Completing fastest times on all the remaining stages, John McCarthy and co-driver, Dan Maguire have won the Mitchelstown-based Sean Conlon Memorial Tipperary Forest Rally, the second round of the KBB Doors National Forest Championship.

There have been three different leaders in the opening three stages of the Mitchelstown based Sean Conlon Memorial Tipperary Forest Rally, the second round of the KBB Doors National Forest Championship.

IDENTIFYING each other as their principal rival, Dermot Kelly and John McCarthy have justified the decision of the organisers to seed them in the top two positions for Sunday’s Mitchelstown-based Sean Conlon Memorial Tipperary Forest Rally — the second round of the KBB Doors National Forest Rally Championship.

Cork’s John McCarthy/Dan Maguire made an impressive start to the KBB Doors National Forest Championship with a dominant victory in the Suirway Lifts Carrick on Suir Forest Rally. Debuting a Subaru Impreza 555, they controlled the rally from the opening stage.

Cork driver John McCarthy, on his debut in the ex-Bertie Fisher Subaru 555 on the Carrick on Suir

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

MAINTAINING his remarkable run of success on the Killarney Historic Rally, Dessie Nutt, co-driven by Geraldine McBride in a Porsche 911, won his fifth title when he finished the ten-stage event a minute and twenty one seconds ahead of the similar Porsche of John Keatley/Maurice Beckett.

For the fifth time in succession, Dessie Nutt (Porsche 911) has won the Killarney Historic Rally.

The Irish National Forest Rally Championship will be decided on the final round as championship leader, Eugene Donnelly failed to finish today’s penultimate round, the Birr Forest Rally.

AS expected, Niall Maguire wrapped up the 2002 Dunlop National Rally Championship at the Clonmel Arms/FESP Tipperary Stonethrowers Rally.

AS expected, Niall Maguire wrapped up the 2002 Dunlop National Rally Championship at the Clonmel Arms/FESP Tipperary Stonethrowers Rally.

Second place on the Tipperary Stonethrowers Rally for Niall Maguire was enough to clinch the 2002 Dunlop National Rally Championship, his second win in four years.

Entering the final three stages of the Tipperary Stonethrowers Rally, the eighth round of the Dunlop

Setting fastest times on the opening three stages of the Tipperary Stonethrowers Rally, round 8 of the Dunlop National Rally Championship, Michael Barrable and co-driver, Dermot O’Gorman (Subaru WRC) have taken a 36 second advantage over the similar Subaru of Niall Maguire.

London based Limerick driver, Ollie O’Donovan and his Cork co-driver, David Moynihan ran out comfortable winners of the Des Golden sponsored Cork Rallysprint at the Cork Showgrounds.

John McCluskey, driving his powerful Peugeot 306, won an exciting second round of the Irish Rallycross Championship at Mondello Park.

Posting fastest times on the first and third runs, Ardfinnan’s Jimmy Lambert (Ford Escort) and his

Swapping roles from that of co-driver, Brian Murphy won the Carlow Motor Club Rallysprint at Mondello Park that attracted an entry of 150 drivers.

Consolidating his lead role on the second run, Ray Breen went on to win the Cork Single Stage Rally, his first ever victory.

For the second year in a row, Johnny O’Sullivan/Pat Cashman (Escort WRC) are the winners of the Yokohama Tyres Kerry Winter Rally.

Rockingham is the venue for the PowerTour series that includes the British F3 Championship and Formula Ford Zetec Championship.