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.

The second day of the Vodafone Rally de Portugal was one of carnage and chaos after the day’s final loop of stages were cancelled on safety grounds.

WATERFORD’S Craig Breen (Fiesta S2000) made the best possible start to his SWRC title challenge with a category victory in the Monte Carlo Rally that was won by Citroen’s Sebastien Loeb.

EVEN though Sebastien Loeb (Citroen DS3) leads the Monte Carlo Rally by a considerable margin, the world champion is taking nothing for granted given the vagaries of the weather and road conditions.

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.

IRISH drivers, Kris Meeke and Craig Breen will start today’s second leg of Rally Spain in sixth and 14th places respectively as Sebastien Loeb leads the way in the penultimate round of the World Rally Championship.

FORMER five-times Irish Tarmac champion Eugene Donnelly is a dramatic late entry for next week’s Westlodge Hotel Fastnet Rally in Bantry.

BRIDGING a 25-year gap, Midleton’s Daragh O’Riordan (29) became the first Cork driver since Billy Coleman to win the Silver Springs Moran Hotel/Orchard Motorsport Cork “20 International Rally.

IMAGING scans show chronic daily use of marijuana can have a detrimental effect on the brain.

EVEN though he had to replace the power steering pump on three separate occasions, Meath’s, Tim McNulty (Subaru WRC) maintained his unbeaten sequence in the Dunlop National Rally Championship.

Defending champion Sebastien Loeb looks set to win his second event of the current World Rally Championship season as he finished day two at the head of the field in Sardinia.

WATERFORD’S Craig Breen made a great start to the inaugural WRC Academy series in the Vodafone Rally de Portugal yesterday where he leads Estonian Egonaaur Kaur by 48.4 seconds after seven stages, with Fermanagh’s Alastair Fisher just 0.8 of a second behind in third.

Sebastien Ogier retained his lead after the second leg of the Rally Mexico but only after Citroen team-mate Sebastien Loeb fell foul of the rulebook.

Sebastien Ogier will take a 2.3-second lead into the second day of the Rally Mexico after edging out Citroen team-mate Sebastien Loeb on the first leg.

FORD’S challenger in the new look World Rally Championship, the Ford Fiesta RS World Rally Car, was launched at the Autosport Show at the NEC in Birmingham yesterday.

Sebastien Loeb has a 30-second lead over closest rival Mikko Hirvonen as he enters the final day of the World Rally Championship season in Wales.

Sebastien Loeb made the perfect start to his bid to secure his sixth straight World Rally Championship title by winning four of today’s six stages to lead by 5.3 seconds after day one of the Rally of Great Britain.

Citroen’s Sebastien Loeb collected his sixth win of the World Rally Championship season at the Rally Australia, closing the gap on title leader Mikko Hirvonen to a single point.

Mikko Hirvonen took his first win on home soil at the Rally of Finland today to extend his World Rally Championship lead over Sebastien Loeb to three points.

World Rally Championship rivals Mikko Hirvonen and Sebastien Loeb enjoyed a thrilling battle for the lead on the first full day of the Rally of Finland.

Dani Sordo was the man to catch after the first day of the Rally Argentina after he won a thrilling battle with Mikko Hirvonen and Sebastien Loeb on the opening leg.

Sebastien Loeb’s immaculate start to the World Rally Championship continued with victory on the Rally of Portugal, his fourth win out of four events in 2009.

Frenchman Sebastien Loeb increased his advantage in the Cyprus Rally by eight seconds after claiming another stage victory on the gravel roads around Limassol today.

Sebastien Loeb continued his perfect start to the new World Rally Championship season by taking victory on Rally Norway to deal a major blow to Ford’s title hopes.

Sebastien Loeb has a 15-second lead going into the final day of Rally Norway after pulling away from Finnish rival Mikko Hirvonen during today’s seven stages.

SEBASTIEN LOEB holds the lead at the end of the opening day of the Rally of Norway, having moved ahead of Mikko Hirvonen on Friday’s final stage.

As expected, five times World rally champion Sebastien Loeb has brought his Citroen C4 to victory in Rally Ireland today.

Jari-Matti Latvala maintained his lead at the end of the second day of the Wales Rally GB today despite allowing world champion Sebastian Loeb to claw back valuable time over the closing stages.

Sebastien Loeb captured a record-breaking fifth straight World Rally Championship drivers' title today by finishing third at the Rally of Japan.

Mikko Hirvonen held onto the Rally Japan lead on Saturday, but conceded his world championship bid is virtually over after Sebastien Loeb remained on course for crown after holding onto third place.

Citroen's Sebastien Loeb has extended his lead in the Rally of France at the end of day two.

Jari-Matti Latvala moved into the lead of the Rally New Zealand heading into the final day after Mikko Hirvonen and Sebastien Loeb eased off the power during today’s penultimate leg.

BP Ford’s Mikko Hirvonen hopes he and his team can get their drivers’ and manufacturers’ championship bids back on track when the World Rally Championship pitches camp in New Zealand this weekend.

Sebastien Loeb reclaimed the lead in the World Rally Championship after clinching his seventh consecutive Rally Germany crown today.

Mikko Hirvonen reclaimed his spot at the top of the World Rally Championship standings today as Ford secured a one-two finish ahead of Citroen's Sebastien Loeb in Turkey.

Mikko Hirvonen will take a slight lead into the final day of the Rally of Turkey despite failing to make the most of running second on the gravel roads today.

FORD’S Finnish duo Mikko Hirvonen and Jari-Matti Latvala gifted the lead to Citroen’s Sebastien Loeb at the end of the first leg of the Rally of Turkey in a tactical ploy to ensure the Frenchman starts first on day two.

Reigning World Rally champion Sebastien Loeb won the Acropolis Rally in Greece today to reclaim the lead in the drivers’ championship.

Sebastien Loeb maintained his place at the top of the standings after coming back from a slow puncture early on day two of the Acropolis Rally in Greece.

BP Ford team leader Mikko Hirvonen admits he needs to learn how to control the World Rally Championship from the front if he is to take the title fight to reigning champion Sebastien Loeb.

Citroen's Sebastien Loeb edged closer to the top of the World Rally drivers' standings after holding off a valiant fightback by BP Ford duo Mikko Hirvonen and Jari-Matti Latvala to win the Rally of Italy.

WORLD RALLY champion Sebastien Loeb built an ominous lead on the opening day of Rally Italy in Sardinia as he set about re-stamping his authority over his rivals.

BP Ford’s Mikko Hirvonen reclaimed the lead in the World Rally Championship after posting his first win of the season at the inaugural event in Jordan.

A sequence of unlikely events conspired to keep Citroen’s Dani Sordo at the head of the Jordan Rally standings at the end of day two.