Kenny looking to make Manx history
Later this evening, the former tarmac champion competes in the Roush Manx National Rally on the Isle of Man. He goes in search of a fourth victory, which would make him the most successful driver in the event. McKinstry, the late Bertie Fisher and Phil Collins have each won the event on three occasions.
Opposition is in the form of another Manx expert, ex-British champion, Mark Higgins in a Ford Focus along with other Focus drivers, Mark Perrott and Paul Bird, both chasing points in the ANCRO series. Derek McGarrity has withdrawn his entry after he was unhappy with the performance of his S10 Subaru in Killarney.
Marcus Dodd (Hyundai), Steve Perez (Focus) and the Subaru WRC's of Roger Duckworth and Tony Davies are also competing.
Aside from McKinstry; Irish interest also features Portadown's, Brendan Crealey (Ford Focus), who is second in the ANCRO series and Maynooth's Kevin Barrett (Subaru WRC).
The rally is also the third round of the Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge which that switches to tarmac after its opening gravel rounds. Portadown's, Philip Morrow, who was excluded from the first round and won the last round, will endeavour to close on series leader, Nik Elsmore, who has finished third in both rounds. Another Northern Ireland driver, Neil McCance is also taking part.
It's is also an important round for the Peugeot 206 Super Cup contenders, Cork's Owen Murphy and Tipperary's Daniel Barry are both in need of a strong result. Murphy is eleventh in the series 46 points adrift of series leader Jonny Wigmore, the Ballincollig teenager has Mallow's David Moynihan on co-driving duties. Beginning this evening from Port Erin, there are five stages in the opening leg and a further eleven tomorrow.
Stephen Murphy (Subaru WRC) is the top seed for Sunday's Seven Oaks Hotel Carlow Rally where Patrick Elliott (Subaru), Ray Breen (Ford Focus), Maurice Gass (Skoda Fabia) and Martin Doherty (Subaru) are the principal opposition. In the Mk. 2 Challenge category, the top contenders are Camillus Bradley, David James, Gwyndaf Evans, Liam Wall and James Coleman. First car away is at 10am for the loop of four stages that are repeated twice before the 5.30pm finish. The rally is a counting round of the class based Triton Showers South East Stages Championship with Alan Dineen and Jason Roche sharing the lead.
In circuit racing, the Supercar and Fiat Abarth classes, both underpinned by Dunlop, make their first Mondello appearance of the season on Sunday at the Irish Motor Racing Club races.
In the first race at Kirkistown, Jonathan Fildes and John Whelan both former champions, returned to action with Fildes netting a brace of wins. The Fiat Abarth series appears to be well supported following its opening round in Oulton Park. Not surprisingly, the Formula Vee racers provide the main thrust of the entry. The grid includes Paul Heavey, Robbie Parks and Stephen Kershaw. Qualifying starts at 9am with racing at 11.30am.
The British F3 series returns to action in Croft after the previous two rounds in Spa-Francorchamps fell victim to weather conditions. Dubliner, Ronayne O'Mahony and Northern Ireland's, Steven Kane are taking part.
John O'Hara, Ireland's "International Driver of the Year" participates in the third and fourth rounds of the Asian F3 Championship at Zhuhai near Hong Kong. O'Hara is currently third in the series and is hopeful that mechanical modifications to his TOM'S Dallara-Toyota F304 will boost his chances of victory. Greg Murphy is also competing.
Meanwhile, reigning Irish Forest Champion, Kevin Lynch will be amongst the line up for next week's Midleton Park Hotel Moonraker Rally, the fourth round of the McCauley Trailers Irish Forest Championship. The Derry driver is utilising the rally as a shakedown for the forthcoming Tour of Sperrins. Lynch will drive an S9 Subaru as will Sean Devine; Kieran Shaw (Mitsubishi WRC) could also be on the entry where the diversity of cars includes the Toyota Corolla's of series leader, Gareth MacHale, John McCarthy and Glen Allen.
The Ulster Automobile Club, organisers of the Historic Motorsport Festival, the Ulster Automobile Club Ltd (June 15/18) has received an entry from Ernest McMillan, who will be reunited with the Austin Healey 100S which he raced in 1955.
