TWENTY drivers have registered for this year's Dunlop Touring Car Championship, the first round of which will be the feature in tomorrow's race programme at Kirkistown, Co Down. Champion Michael Cullen will have to contend with two Brrable brothers this year Dunlop Sexton and Fiat Uno champion Michael, racing in the two litre class, as well as Barry, who finished second to Cullen last year. This quick trio will race Opel Astras, as also will Gordon Kellett, Joe Foley and Shaun Magill.
The Astra drivers will be challenged by Ed O'Connor in a Renault Clio, John Keaney (306) and Jonathan Fildes (309) in a pair of Peugeots, Michael Leonard and Brian Ward in Honda Civics and Jonathan Taylor in an Alfa Romeo 33.
Rallyman Robert Moffett takes on the track racers in an Astra, and Ciaran Greenan expects that his karting and motorcycle trials experience will stand him in good stead at the wheel of the ex Joe Foley Peugeot 205.
The large entry for the opening round of the Stena Line Northern Ireland Formula Ford championship necessitates an A and B race. Champion Chris Paul will be under pressure from George McAlpin, Simon Woodside, veteran Tommy Reil and teenager Richard Lyons.
Races for the RIAC Formula Vee championship, Roadsports and the NI Metro championship are also listed.
Four World champions will race at the Tipperary Raceway, near Cashel, in the weekends third Irish International Hot Rod Grand Prix meeting. Ian McKellar, 18, is the youngest of the quartet, returning to the Rosegreen oval looking, for a second Irish Grand Prix win.
His biggest challenge will come from 1994 champion Risky Hunn, and Ulster drivers Ormond Christie and Norman Woolsey.
There is also a strong home challenge led by Tom Casey (Waterford), Pat Canavan (Mallow), Neville Stanley (Rathdowney), John O'Regan (Buttevant), Liam Fahey (Thurles), Sean Murphy (Cork), Terry Falvey (Piltown) and John English (Clonmel). Heats will be run off tomorrow evening, with a full afternoon's racing on Sunday.
Leinster MC's 72nd Patland Cup Trial also takes place tomorrow in the Sugar Loaf area of Kilmacanogue, Co Wicklow. This is the trial that every motorcycle trials rider wants to win and the two main contenders are Paul McLoughlin and Andrew Perry who are also battling it out for the Irish Trials championship.
Sunday's endure run out of Hollywood, Co Wicklow is the first round of the TORC championship and the second round of the MCUI (Southern Centre) Enduro championship. The top riders competing are last year's TORC champion Phil Ryan on a TM, and Kawasaki riders Stanley Callaghan, Vinny Fitzsimons and George Buckley.
For the second Sunday in a row the motorcycles take over Mondello Park. Competing in the Loughshinny Club's races are Marty Delaney, Matt Niland, Derek Wilson, Darren Gawley and Hilton Hincks, and sidecar pilots Stephen Galligan Iain Duff and Andy Kinsella.
