MacHale heads circuit of Ireland entry

Seeding for next week’s Buy & Sell Circuit of Ireland Rally was announced earlier today at Belfast’s Odyssey Pavilion. Five times Irish Tarmac Championship, Austin MacHale will head the entry in his Sanyo Ford Focus WRC as he seeks his first International victory in some five years.

The entry has attracted most of the drivers who contested the opening round of the Pirelli Irish Tarmac Championship in Galway last February with Finland’s, Tapio Laukkanen, who won the event renewing his rivalry with Irish star, Eugene Donnelly in his Kumho liveried Toyota Corolla WRC.

A mere seven tenths of a second separated them in Galway with Laukkanen taking victory.

Last year’s Circuit winner, Derek McGarrity (Subaru WRC) is bidding for back to back wins while the likes of Maurice Gass (Hyundai), Donie O’Sullivan (Ford Focus) and Tim McNulty (Subaru WRC) are amongst the top ten.

Speaking at the reception, Clerk of the Course, Neil Malcolm said, “I’m delighted to announce a high quality entry of 56 in the Buy & Sell International Circuit of Ireland Rally, 71 in the Buy & Sell Circuit of Ireland National and Historic Rally, and 90 in the Dublin Crystal Easter Stages Rally with competitors travelling great distances to compete.”

The event begins on Saturday and finishes on Easter Monday.

Circuit of Ireland Top 10:

No. 2. A. MacHale/B. Murphy (Ford Focus WRC)

No. 3. T. Laukkanen/H. Kaapro (Subaru WRC)

No. 4. D. McGarrity/D. O'Gorman (Subaru WRC)

No. 5. E. Donnelly/P. Kiely (Toyota Corolla WRC)

No. 8. M. Gass/A. Cullen (Hyundai WRC)

No. 9. D. O'Sullivan/P. Nagle (Ford Focus WRC)

No. 10. T. McNulty/A. Nestor (Subaru WRC)

No. 11. P. White/J. McKee (Subaru WRC)

No. 12. D. Doherty/M. Doherty (Subaru WRC)

No. 14. N. Maguire/P. McLaughlin (Subaru WRC)