Sport

Biasion boost for Masters

Miki Biasion, twice winner of the World Rally Championship and one of the most famous names in world rallying, has confirmed …

Wed Jul 11 2001 - 01:00

Miki Biasion, twice winner of the World Rally Championship and one of the most famous names in world rallying, has confirmed that he is coming to Ireland for the World Rally Masters event at Punchestown Racecourse on July 28th. Biasion will be driving the new Fiat Punto Rally which he helped to develop and the event will mark the debut of the car in this part of the world.

The attendance of a legendary figure such as Biasion in a brand-new car will add enormously to the appeal of the Masters event. Biasion won the WRC Drivers title in 1988 and 1989 during the historic and unprecedented string of six successive victories for the Lancia Delta. This will be the Italian's first time to compete in Ireland.

In addition to Biasion, the event has attracted entries from current World Rally Championship stars Richard Burns driving a Subaru Impreza WRC2001 and Freddy Loix in a Mitsubishi Carisma GT.

Running on the services track at Punchestown Racecourse, the event gets under way at 10:30 with the first of six 4km runs. Set to be an action-packed day with entertainment for all the family, tickets will be available on the gate, which opens at 9 o'clock, at £10 for adults or £15 for a family.

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Meanwhile, the countdown to the running of the 98th annual Phoenix Park Motor Races has begun and with less than two weeks to go to the motor racing festival the organising clubs, Leinster Motor Club and the Irish Motor Racing Club, are busy preparing for two days of exciting action.

Headlining the programme at this year's event the hugely popular Dunlop RT2000 Touring Cars return for their third Park appearance. A big hit with the crowds for the past two years, the always-entertaining series is sure to provide plenty of excitement with no less than six drivers capable of winning the two non-championship encounters.

Reigning Dunlop RT2000 champion John Whelan heads the entry and will be aiming to repeat last year's win. The Naas racer will face tough opposition, however. Current championship leader Brendan Donegan will be aiming to deny Whelan victory.