Murphy tipped for success in Tralee rally

Revival is the central theme to the weekend events in both rallying and racing.

Tomorrow’s Tralee-based Kerry Rallysprint, revived in 2009 after over two decades in the doldrums, has Irish Forest Rally champion Owen Murphy (Mitsubishi) as the top seed while in Mondello Park, an Irish Formula Vee Festival returns after a seven years.

Although the atmosphere at the Kerry Motor Club’s dual surface event at the Tralee Racecourse (11am) complex is likely to be very relaxed, competition will be intense. Murphy has admitted his chances of back-to-back titles in the Irish Forest series are at long odds and Tralee offers the perfect distraction.

Opposition in Tralee includes another driver with experience of both surfaces in Waterford’s Andrew Purcell driving a Mitsubishi EvoVI, who has Kerry co-driver, Diarmuid Falvey on the notes. Banteer’s Barry Meade will also be in a similar mode and his Mk 2 Ford Escort should also provide plenty of entertainment.

Clare’s Alan O’Callaghan in a Group N Subaru has competed in Tralee previously and that should count. So too has Kilkenny’s James Coleman (Ford Escort) and Limerick’s Mike O’Connor (Mitsubishi).

Organisers of the Irish Formula Vee Festival are making great strides to rejuvenate this sector and have assembled almost 40 entries. The support of Dunlop Tyres and Total Oils is a welcome addition and all proceeds from the weekend are in aid of the Barretstown charity.

Aside from racing, the organisers have arranged plenty of family entertainment to boost the attendance.

Through tomorrow and Sunday, there will be seven Formula Vee races — a single championship race tomorrow afternoon, along with three heats, two semi-finals and a final. Once concluded, the festival heats will feature a revolutionary format that should guarantee close racing as drivers will be grouped together by lap times. The 15-minute Vee Festival Final is scheduled to start at 4.30pm on Sunday.

Some of the main contenders are Portarlington’s Ray Moore, a triple Irish and British champion; Lee Newsome, the reigning Irish champion and Stephen Kershaw who hasn’t competed in some three years.

Aside from Formula Vee, there is also racing in Formula Sheane, Irish Touring Cars, Global Lights, Formula Ford, Historics.

The Formula Ford grid has some 21 cars and will count as a round of the Northern Ireland Championship.

Meanwhile, tomorrow’s 500 MRCI races at Kirkistown feature the first visit to the Down circuit of the Scottish Classic Sportscars and Saloons.

The Imokilly Motor Club, who are hosting their first ever stage rally next week, have received over 160 entries for the 131 available slots. Circuit of Munster winner Colm Murphy (Subaru), Daragh O’Riordan (Renault Clio S1600), Owen Murphy (Mitsubishi) along with Escort trio Frank Kelly, Wesley Patterson and Fergus O’Meara and Roy White (MG S2000) are just some of the leading entries.