MOTOR SPORT: Robbie Coleman and Jonathan Fildes are the respective winners of the Formula Ireland and Dunlop RT2000 championships, but there will be fierce competition for the runner-up placings in the two-day meeting at Mondello Park.
As well as winning the new Formula Ireland series, Coleman won the historic Leinster Trophy. On current form he can add two more wins to his impressive score but will be under pressure from John O'Hara and Peter Walsh.
The championship scoreboard reads: 1, Coleman 104 points; 2, O'Hara and Walsh 77 each; 4, Paul Sammin 53; 5, Emmet O'Brien 39; 6, Peter Le Bas 35; 7, Kieran O'Carroll 34; 8, Barry Waugh 33; 9, Mark Smith 32; 10, Eugene Heary 22.
With a score of 119 points Fildes has won the Dunlop RT2000 title for the second successive season. Johnny Whelan on 75 points and Rod McGovern 74 are locked in quite a battle for second. The points standings in the Ford of Ireland Zetec Championship read: 1, Paul Dagg 96; 2, Alan Dwyer 78; 3, Charlie Donnelly 64; 4, George McAlpin 52.
The busy two-day programme also includes rounds three and four of the Fiat Abarth Punto Cup. Joey Freeburn dominated the two opening races of the new six-round series, but the racing is expected to be much closer this weekend.
After the death recently of his father and mentor Paddy, Michael Keohane returns to the British Formula three championship this weekend at Thruxton. The Clonakilty driver has slipped to fifth in the series, but could claim third over the final four races.
Eamonn Boland and Damien Morrissey in a Subaru Impreza WRC are seeded number one in the Wexford Rally, run out of Rosslare and covering eight stages tomorrow and Sunday. John Price in a Metro 6R4 heads the usual large British entry, followed by previous winner Pete Doughty, Steve Hendy and Bob Fowden.
Also in the maximum permitted 131 starters (out of an entry of 190) are Tom Holton, Aaron McHale, David Armstrong, Jimmy Lambert and David James. Boland has won his home event four times and the Wexford driver is now out to equal the record of five wins held by Stephen Murphy of Carlow.
WEEKEND FIXTURES
SATURDAY - Wexford MC, Wexford Rally, starts Crosbie Cedars Hotel, Rosslare, Co Wexford, 9.15 a.m.; MG and Carlow Car Clubs, Motor Racing, Mondello Park, 1 p.m.
SUNDAY - Munster MC and CC, Kart Racing, Watergrasshill, Co Cork, 10 a.m.; Wexford Rally, restarts 11.30 a.m.; MG and Carlow Car Clubs, Motor Racing, Mondello Park, 1 p.m.; Kerry MC, Autotest, Tralee, Co Kerry, 1 p.m.; MRCCI, Midget Car Racing, Baltinglass, Co Wicklow, 2 p.m.
