MOTOR SPORT:Aaron MacHale has reaped the benefits of consistency in finishing second in the two opening rounds of the Dunlop National Rally Championship to lead the series on 36 points from Glenn Allen on 30.
Ray Breen and Patrick Elliott each have one win and one retirement, and are down in joint sixth, along with Seán Gallagher, on 20 points each.
MacHale says it's a "pleasant surprise" to be leading the championship but recognises "the competition with Breen and Elliott is very strong. It will be great if I can hold on to the top spot but it's going to be difficult. It's a long series and allowing for the two dropped scores, a non-finish at this point of the season can drop you well down the order."
Breen and Elliott will no doubt be up with the pace setters in Sunday's round three, the Monaghan Stages at Emy, Glaslough and Ardaghey.
Paul O'Connell, on 19 points, leads the Premier Machine Tools Hillclimb and Sprint Championship by a point from Simon McKinley, followed by Rory O'Brien (15), Peter Dwyer and Frank Byrnes (14 each).
The weekend's rounds three and four are in Co Clare at Ballyryan and Ballyallaban, the latter the most challenging hillclimb in the championship. Sunday's meeting at Mondello Park features races for formula cars, saloons, sportcars and Porsches.
WEEKEND FIXTURES: Saturday: Galway MC, Ballyryan Hillclimb, Co Clare, 11.30; Leinster MC, Sporting Trial, Glen Wood, Ballisodare, Co Sligo, noon; Carrick-on-Suir MC, Autocross and Midget Car Racing, Ballyvalla, Co Waterford, 2pm. Sunday: Co Monaghan MC, Stages Rally, starts Monaghan, 10am; Tipperary LC and MCC, 4x4 Trial, Crohane, Killenaule, Co Tipperary, 11am; Galway MC, Ballyallaban Hillclimb, Co Clare, 11.30am; Carrick-On-Suir MC, Autocross and Midget car Racing, Ballyvalla, Ferrybank, Waterford, noon; Leinster MC Sporting Trial, Glen Wood, Ballisodare, Co Sligo, noon; Leinster MC/MEC, Motor Racing, Mondello Park, 11.50.
