With two weeks to go before entries close for the Statoil-sponsored Galway International Rally, Brian Thornton of the organising Galway MC reports over 50 entries for the 25th running of this traditional start to the tarmac rally championship.
World Rally Car-spec Ford Escorts will be driven by Eamonn Boland (Wexford) and Galway's John Joe Fleming.
Subaru Ireland will shortly announce plans for Bertie Fisher, who is expected to drive his latest four-door model type Subaru Impreza in the west. Austin McHale would love to have the latest Toyota Corolla WRC, similar to the works car driven to victory earlier this week by Carlos Sainz on the famous Monte Carlo Rally.
McHale was very competitive last year, winning in Galway and going on to take the Tarmac Championship driving a Corolla GT-4. The 25th Galway International Rally will be run over two days on February 21st/22nd. It's an early Saturday start with the first car scheduled to leave Eyre Square at 8.15 a.m., and due back in Galway after nine stages at 6.50 p.m. Three stages will be covered twice with one stage run three times. The Sunday run starts from 11 a.m. and first car is due back at the Eyre Square finish at 5.30 p.m. after seven stages.
The Cork Motor Club's Keohane Readymix West Cork Rally is now in its 20th year and takes place on March 14/15th. Based in Clonakilty the rally will be run over eight stages each day. Regulations and entry forms from: Norma O'Donovan, 47 Palmbury Orchard, Togher, Cork. Tel 021/ 966053.
Following the cancellation of the Co Kildare MC's event scheduled for January 10/11th, the RIAC National Rally Championship resumes with the Cork MC rally on Saturday night. The event will be run out of Buttevant, with Rally HQ in the local GAA hall.
Points standings - Drivers: 1, Bertie Wedlock 57; 2, Raymond O'Neill 53; 3, Damien Courtney 50; 4, John Carroll 45; 5, Mervyn Dunn 43; 6, Packie Duffy 33. Navigators: 1, Paul Hughes 57; 2, Stephen O'Neill 53; 3, Aidan Courtney 50; 4, Harry Bleakley 47; 5, Vincent Coughlan 43; 6, Noel Hall 43.
Brian Jones, the renowned Brands Hatch commentator and adviser on presentation and media communications returns to Dublin on January 31st and February 1st to give further courses for aspiring Irish racing and rally drivers. Anyone interested should contact Linda Keen on (041) 25855 or (086) 8144144.
Motor sport is pretty low key for the remainder of January, the month running out with the MEC's Sporting Trial at Kilruddery Estate near Bray on Saturday week (January 31st).
The Hewison Trophy Championship is reaching an exciting climax, with Eamonn Byrne now fighting to add a sixth title to his record five in a row. Byrne leads on 287 points from J. J. Farrell on 279 and Peter Grimes on 271.
Grimes has emerged to challenge Byrne for the RIAC Autotest Championship, and with three rounds left he can count all his scores and take over the lead - unless Bryne wins all three final events.
The motorcycle road racing season is now only a few months away and already the organisational and promotional work for the two big meetings is well in hand - the International NorthWest 200 on the ColerainePortstewart-Portrush Circuit on May 16th and the Ulster Grand Prix at Dundrod, Co Antrim, on August 22nd.
