MOTOR SPORT WEEKEND PREVIEWMICHAEL DEVANEY recently scored the two most important wins of his career in the British Formula Three Championship at Snetterton. For the Dublin driver it was a personal boost, and even more significantly, it was a major breakthrough for the British Ultimate Motorsport Team and the French Mygale racing car constructor in breaking the long-held monopoly of the Italian Dallara company.
He also finished fourth at Oulton Park and fifth at Rockingham. Devaney races in rounds eight and nine of the fiercely competitive British Formula Three series at Thruxton this weekend.
Two more Dublin drivers competing on the Hampshire circuit near Andover are Michael Cullen and Paddy Shovlin in rounds nine and 10 of the British GT Championship. Driving for the CR Scuderia Ferrari team, Cullen is equal third in the points standings.
Motor racing on the home scene is at Kirkistown tomorrow and Mondello Park on Sunday. Sportscars are featured at the northern venue, where Jim Hutchinson recently came within an ace of setting a lap record at the wheel of his Nissan-powered Jade.
He will be strongly challenged by Wayne Douglas and Eamon Mathson. Patrick McKenna and Robert Barrable are the leading Formula Ford drivers, both Dunlop Driver of the Month award winners, for April and May.
Subaru drivers Niall Maguire (Monaghan) and Patrick Elliott (Cavan) are separated by two points in the Dunlop National Rally Championship, on 94 and 92 points, respectively.
Michael Barrable and Ray Breen in Ford Focus WRC's are the only likely challengers to the two leaders in Sunday's round six, the Ravens Rock Rally run out of Carrick-On-Suir.
In the battle for runner-up places are Liam McCarthy, in a Toyota Corolla WRC, Welshman John Dalton in his neat and fleet Darrian GT, and Subaru drivers Kevin Barrett (third in the series on 43 points), Séamus Leonard, PJ McGrath and Eoin Doyle. Leading Group N drivers are Eamonn Daly, Andrew Purcell, Alan Ring, Willie Fannin, Seán Flanagan and Welsh driver Sebastien Ling.
Carrick-On-Suir Motor Club recently celebrated their 50th birthday with a Festival Of Motorsport from which donations of €60,000 were each sent to the National Rehabilitation Hospital, Dún Laoghaire, and Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin.
WEEKEND FIXTURES:Sunday - Carrick-On-Suir MC, Ravens Rock Rally, starts Carrick-On-Suir, Co Tipperary, 9am; Galway MC, Sprint, Tynagh, Co Galway, 11am; Kerry MC, Autosolo, Tralee Race Course, Co Kerry, 11.30am; IMRC, Motor Racing, Mondello Park, 11.50am; Clare MC, Autocross, Ardnacrusha, Co Clare, 12pm; Castle AC, Hillclimb, Baltrasna, Oldcastle, Co Meath, noon.
