McGarrity can move step closer to title

The weekend events north and south of the border provide an interesting contrast.

For the second event in succession, it’s a depleted entry for a round of the Carryduff Forklift Northern Ireland Rally Championship, attracting just 30 entries. Meanwhile, over 100 crews are seeded for the Heartlands Rally in Portlaoise.

Runaway leader of the Northern Ireland Rally Championship, Derek McGarrity, can move a step closer to the title on tomorrow’s Mourne Rally. McGarrity, who is listed to drive his Mini WRC, is 21 points ahead of his closest rival, Drew Stewart, who actually leads the two-wheel drive category.

Last year’s winner of the Heartland’s Stage Rally in Portlaoise, David Condell (Escort), is the top seed for the six stage event. Essentially it’s a clubman entry dominated by Mk. 2 Ford Escorts of Brian Brogan, Trevor Mulligan, Sam Smyth, Trevor Culbert (Ford Escort), John Hendy (Toyota Corolla), Stephen Wright (Mitsubishi), Rodney White (Talbot Sunbeam) and Lloyd Hutchinson (Mini).

Meanwhile, several Irish competitors are amongst the entry for Sol Rally Barbados that begins tomorrow morning and continues until Sunday where Martin Donnelly/Colin Fitzgerald (Mitsubishi), Raymond Conlon/Darren McCague (Toyota Corolla), Ronan Curley/John McKinley (Ford Escort), Matt Shinnors/Catherine Levis (Ford Escort) and Martin Taylor/Eddie Taylor (Proton Satria) compete.

Elsewhere, Limerick’s Joe Shinnors (Vauxhall Nova) is amongst the line-up for tomorrow’s Severn Valley Rally in Wales.

In motor racing, there is full programme of events in Mondello Park with some 24 cars on the grid for the Irish Touring Car Championship races including Ciaran Timmins (BTCC Peugeot 307), Johnny Whelan (Peugeot 306) and Philip Brennan (BMW M3). There are double races for ITCC and the Stryker Sports Cars and single races for Formula Vee and Formula Sheane, the latter has become very popular this year.

Although seeded at four for next weekend’s Topaz Donegal International Rally, round four of the Irish Tarmac series, there is still uncertainty over the entry of Mark Higgins/Rory Kennedy. Funding for a deal to compete in a Mini WRC has yet to concluded and Kennedy received a number of injuries, including a damaged shoulder, following a bicycle accident.

The Donegal entry was released earlier this week, the top ten is: Darren Gass/Enda Sherry (Subaru WRC); Darragh O’Riordan/Tony McDaid (Subaru WRC); Garry Jennings/Neil Doherty (Subaru WRC); Mark Higgins/Rory Kennedy (Mini WRC); Derek McGarrity/Paul Kiely (Subaru WRC); Niall Maguire/TBA (Subaru WRC); Donagh Kelly/Kevin Flanagan (Subaru WRC); Seamus Leonard/John McCafferty (Subaru WRC); Aaron MacHale/Brian Daniels (Ford Focus WRC); Daniel McKenna/Andrew Grennan (Ford Escort).

Reigning World Rally Academy champion Craig Breen has announced he will compete in next week’s latest round, Targa Florio-Rally Internazionale Di Sicilia, in a HRT Motorsport Peugeot 207 S2000. Next week’s Motorsport Ireland programme on TG4 will feature highlights of the recent Cork Forest Rally, the fourth round of the Valvoline Irish Forest Rally Championship. In conjunction with the programme, the event organisers, Cork Motor Club, are hosting an “In-car” evening at the Muskerry Arms, Blarney beginning at 8.30pm. on Wednesday night.