McNulty has chance to close gap in Antrim

TEAMS will tackle six stages in Co Antrim this afternoon in their respective opening legs of the Todds Leap Ulster Rally and the Todds Leap International Rally Northern Ireland, part of the Irish Tarmac Rally and Dulux Trade British Rally championships.

Essentially, the Ulster Rally caters for the World Rally cars, while Rally Northern Ireland is for the R1-4 cars (that incorporate the more conventional Group N cars), dominated by the British Rally Championship contenders.

Top seed and last year’s Ulster Rally winner, Derek McGarrity, will be on home turf against fellow Subaru WRC aces Tim McNulty, Daragh O’Riordan, Darren Gass and leader Kevin Barrett.

McNulty, winner of the last ITC round in Donegal, is now just two points behind Barrett and aiming to become the first driver to head both the Tarmac Championship and Dunlop National Rally Championship at this stage of the season.

Midleton’s O’Riordan, winner of the Rally of Lakes, should be capable of matching his rivals, while Kerry’s Alan Ring, in his Mitsubishi Evo IX, remains in the hunt for ITC honours on the 14-stage rally that finished tomorrow night.

The Group N category should be fascinating. BRC leader David Bogie (Mitsubishi) is the number one seed and will be followed off the start line by the Skoda Fabia S2000 of Jonathan Greer and the Subaru of Welsh ace Elfyn Evans. In the BRC, Bogie leads Evans by 12 points.

Draperstown’s McCormack, who leads the class for R1, R2 and R3 cars in his factory-supported Citroen DS3, will have Mallow’s David Moynihan calling the notes. Their performance will be watched with interest. Two drivers who are not on the entry are Waterford’s Craig Breen and Ulster’s Alastair Fisher, both competing in the latest round of the WRC Academy on the ADAC Rally Germany.

The service halt and rally headquarters is situated at the Junction One International Outlet Shopping Centre on the northern side of Antrim town. Today’s opening stage starts just after 3pm in Knockboy, the other stages on the loop are Glendun and the daunting test at Torr Head. The loop is repeated later this evening prior to the night’s service halt at 10pm.

Elsewhere, Sebastien Loeb, fresh from signing a two-year extension to his contract with Citroen, takes a 27-point lead into today’s ADAC Rally Germany, round nine of the 13-round FIA World Rally Championship.

Ford’s, Mikko Hirvonen is his closest rival, while Loeb’s teammate Sebastien Ogier is just four points further behind. The event will provide the MINI John Cooper Works WRC’s of Dani Sordo and Kris Meeke with their first WRC outing on tarmac.

Round six of the nine round Jerry Murphy Tyres Munster Autocross series, the Birr Loose Surface Autocross, takes place at Glasshouse, Shinrone, Co Offaly at 12.15pm on Sunday.

Gerard Lucey (Toyota Celica), James Lucey (Subaru special) and Kieran Flynn (JB Buggy) are the contenders.

Meanwhile, the MEC Sprint at Naul tomorrow and Collon, Co Louth on Sunday has an 11am start.

The Skibbereen Autotest double header begins at 5pm tomorrow and 10.30am on Sunday, while the TDC Autotest at Rathcoole starts at 11am on Sunday.