JOHN GILLEECE, who was runner-up in the RIAC Coras National Championship in 1994 (to the late Mickey Farrell) and again last year (to Stephen Murphy), seems better positioned than ever to win the title this year, with Murphy and Eamonn Boland leaving the National Rally scene to concentrate on the internationals.
Having won the Ballina Motor Club's Downhill Hotel Rally in 1994, Gilleece starts favourite to win Sunday's opening event of the 14-round Coras Championship for the Vard Trophy, driving a Ford Escort RS Cosworth.
Seeded number two is another previous Ballina winner Michael Barrable, who will be driving an Opel Manta 400. Barrable is back in rallying again, having been motor racing for the last few years, during which he won the Sexton Trophy Championship and Dunlop Fiat Uno Challenge, (1995).
He retired with his Toyota Celica GT4 in the recent Stat oil Galway International and is determined to get some competitive stage miles under his belt in preparation for the AA Circuit of Ireland at Easter.
Charlie Donnelly (Manta 400), Norman Armstrong and Ed Synan in Escort Mk IIs, Joe McHugh, Eamonn McAleenan and John Dempsey in Peugeots, John McKeown (Sierra Cosworth) and Hal Lewis (Metro 6R4) complete the top 10 seeds.
Willie John Dolan is the top Group N contender in his Subaru Impreza. Dolan has a double interest in this event, which is also the opening round of the well-supported W J Dolan Border Championship. Run out of Ballina, the rally features 3x3 stages in the Ballina-Crossmolina area, with stage locations at Rathkell, Gortnahurra and Clonaghmore.
After the Ballina event is the West Cork Rally run but of CIonakilty on March 15th-16th; followed by the Circuit of Ireland. As well as being based in Tallaght for the first time - Good Friday and Easter Saturday night - the Circuit of Ireland will visit Mullingar for the first time on Easter Sunday. The third day of the rally will actually re-start from Hamill's on the Mullingar by-pass at 11 a.m. Then there will be three stages in a 40-mile loop east of Mullingar.
The cars will return to Hamill's for a second service halt before setting off for the west and on to the Easter Monday finish in Bangor.
Regulations are now issued for round two of the Coras Championship, the Ring of Kerry on April 13th, which is also the opening round of the West Coast Rally Championship. The eight stages will include two over the Conor Pass on the Dingle Peninsula. The event headquarters will be the Banna Beach Hotel, outside Tralee. Details from Noreen Walsh at 06-34415 or Richard TaIbot 066-23496.
The RAC Ireland Super Prix at Mondello Park on May 18th, a round of the European BOSS Championship, will see a grid of powerful ex-Formula One and Formula 300 cars in action. The first running of the Irish Super Prix last year saw a new Mondello lap record, set by race winner Johan Rajamaki.
Sunday's East Cork Enduro kicks off the Irish Championship of motorcycle marathon off-road events from the Cahir roundabout on the main Dublin-Cork road. Dublin rider and multi-champion Stanley Callaghan will begin the defence of his title against Ulsterman Adrian Lappin, Paul McMinn and Paul Maguire, while Peter Buggle will be on a new Yamaha.
Callaghan will ride a Kawasaki in all the Irish rounds plus, selected British events. He also aims to be a member of the Irish team for the World Championships in Italy on August 19th, 24th. The last time O'Callaghan competed in the World Championships was in 1993 in Holland, when Ireland finished a magnificent second.
