Cork-born racing driver Matt Griffin has signed for the Silverstone-based Ram Racing and will contest the European Le Mans Series (ELMS).

Organisers are stepping up their promotion of the Willie Loughman Memorial Forestry Rally.

The quest for supremacy in the Dunlop National Rally Championship reaches its conclusion tomorrow on the nine stages of the Donegal Harvest Rally, which is based in Donegal town.

Ballyduff 1-15 Lixnaw 1-09

Brian O’Mahony in his Subaru WRC S11 moved into top position in the Dunlop National Rally Championship standings today after his victory at the Clare Stages Rally.

Dunlop National Rally Championship leader Thomas Fitzmaurice has promised to intensify his attempt to win the series that moves to the penultimate stage at Sunday’s Auburn Lodge Clare Rally in Ennis.

On his debut in a recently acquired S12B Subaru World Rally Car, Donegal’s Declan Boyle took a dramatic victory in the Mor Oil Galway Summer Rally, round four of the Top Part West Coast Rally Championship.

Cork’s Matt Griffin is upbeat ahead of this weekend’s fourth round of the World Endurance Championship (WEC) at Silverstone.

Brian O’Mahony kept his Dunlop National Rally Championship dreams alive today with a victory at the Stonethrowers Rally in Tipperary.

THE triple title challenge for the Dunlop National Rally Championship involving Kerry’s Thomas Fitzmaurice, Monaghan’s Niall Maguire and Cork’s Brian O’Mahony enters a key phase on Sunday at the Sepam Tipperary Stonethrowers Rally.

Dunlop National Rally Championship leader Thomas Fitzmaurice will battle a strong overseas contingent at Sunday’s ALMC Rally in Meath and Louth.

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Irish motorsport and while Sunday’s Circuit of Munster Rally is going ahead as planned, a number of the top crews have withdrawn as a mark of respect following the fatalities at last week’s Cavan Rally.

Garry Jennings (Subaru 555), current leader of the Valvoline Irish Forest Rally Championship, could take a major step towards the title in tomorrow’s Mallow-based Jim Walsh Cork Forest Rally.

Having punched in the third fastest time on yesterday’s opening stage of the Tour de Corse, round four of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, Craig Breen suffered disappointment when his Sainteloc-run Peugeot 207 S2000 broke a driveshaft on the second stage as he lost touch with the leaders.

Remarkably, for the fifth time in recent years, the Carlton Hotel Circuit of Kerry Rally, the third round of the Dunlop National Rally Championship, ended in a tie-break.

There is no real explanation why the Carlton Hotel Circuit of Kerry is one of the most hotly contested events in Irish rallying. On four occasions in recent times the rally has ended in a tie-break situation and three have involved current leader of the Dunlop National Rally Championship, Niall Maguire.

Already shaping up to be a good contest between the Subaru S11 quartet of Dunlop regulars Kevin Barrett and Niall Maguire and newcomers, Thomas Fitzmaurice and Brian O’Mahony, the Dunlop National Rally Championship continues on Sunday with the Claremorris based McWilliam Park Hotel/Fleet Transport Magazine Mayo Rally.

The revamped Dunlop National Rally Championship begins on Sunday with the Abbeyleix Manor Hotel Rally and a capacity entry for the nine stages around Rathdowney.

Armagh’s Darren Gass (23) and his Monaghan co-driver, Enda Sherry in their S10 Subaru took a thrilling victory in the Safety Direct Galway International Rally, the opening round of the Irish Tarmac Championship.

Irish Tarmac Rally champion Tim McNulty welcomes the challenge of Sunday’s Safety Direct Galway International Rally, the opening round of the series.

FIVE times Irish Tarmac rally champion, Eugene Donnelly will make a dramatic return to the series behind the wheel of a Derek McGeehan run MINI WRC in next Month’s Safety Direct Galway International Rally.

THE conflict between Motorsport Ireland and Kart Ireland continues, with the latter claiming one of the five karting venues have nailed their colours to the mast of the governing body by agreeing to host three events – two championships races and the C Plate races – organised by the Irish Karting Club (IKC).

FORMER British Mitsubishi Evo Challenge winner, Enniskerry driver, Danny Barry won the Germaine’s of Baltinglass Mini Stage Rally for the second time in succession.

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).

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.

TWO of Ireland’s most talented drivers, Waterford’s, Craig Breen and Fermanagh’s, Alastair Fisher compete in the WRC Academy series that begins this weekend alongside Rally Portugal, the third round of the World Rally championship.

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.

IN his first full season in Irish rallying’s Group N showroom category, Monaghan’s Shane Maguire has already learned some salutary lessons.

HORSEPOWER of a different variety will reverberate at the Tralee Racecourse tomorrow for the Tyre Stop Kerry Rallysprint.

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

SEVERAL championships unfold over the weekend against a backdrop of well-subscribed entries. The Dunlop National Rally Championship curtain-raiser, the Abbey Court Hotel Nenagh Rally that also counts towards the Top Part West Coast Championship and the Dunlop Junior Championship, has attracted over 150 crews.

AS EXPECTED, Niall Maguire, driving his S10 Subaru WRC coasted to victory in the Ennis-based Auburn Lodge Clare Rally. Leading from the start and co-driven by Enda Sherry, he finished two minutes and 14 seconds ahead of the Ford Escort of Mike Quinn/Grainne McEnery with Ed O’Callaghan/Ger Clancy, also in a Ford Escort, a further 10 seconds behind in third.

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.

Surviving an off road excursion on the opening stage that damaged the front of his Subaru WRC and suffering two punctures on the third stage, Maynooth's, Kevin Barrett, made a superb recovery to win the Galway Summer Rally, the eighth round of the Dunlop National Rally Championship.

SOME 23 years after he won the event, Tralee’s Donie Horan headlines Kerry Motor Club’s Tyre Stop-backed Rallysprint tomorrow at Tralee Racecourse. The 46-year-old makes his first competitive outing since the mid-1980s and will drive a hired Mitsubishi Evo9.

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.

The first round of the 2009 Dunlop National Rally Championship, the Abbey Court Hotel Nenagh Rally saw reigning champions, Patrick Elliott and co-driver, Paul Goodman (Subaru WRC) take an overwhelming victory.

Cork driver Keith Cronin (Mitsubishi), partnered by David Power, secured back-to-back victories in the Banna Hotel Kerry Mini Stage Rally today.