Motor Sport: Niall Maguire is poised to make Irish rally history on Sunday by winning the Dunlop National Rally Championship for a record third time. The Monaghan driver on 132 points goes into the final round with a 17-point lead over Patrick Elliott (Cavan).
Only Maguire or Elliott can win the Vard Memorial Trophy, named after the great rally driver Cecil Vard. Third placed James Harrison is on 111 points and although the Englishman is out of contention for overall victory he can take second from Elliott.
Maguire, champion in 1992 and 2002, is driving very much with the championship in mind rather than going for a win in the Marine Fastnet Rally run out of Glandore in west Cork. He says: "With that kind of a lead, I know I don't have to drive as hard as Patrick or Jim who is chasing second. Indeed, it would be very silly to get drawn into that equation. I will drive to stay inside the top five of the registered championship competitors.
"In Donegal I slackened my pace on the final two stages, but subsequently I had a few moments, so it is important to keep the concentration levels up."
He looked set to clinch the title much earlier in the season but crashed out of two rounds, of which he commented "those two accidents upset my confidence and it has taken time to get back on the pace".
Maguire, Elliott and Harrison are the top three seeds, followed by Kevin Lynch (who is a doubtful starter), Cahal Arthurs and twice Fastnet Rally winner Liam McCarthy.
Another previous winner Denis Cronin is expected to drive a Subaru WRC instead of his Toyota Celica. Also listed are Noel Redmond, Sean Gallagher, Kevin Barrett, Bob Fowden, Frank O'Mahony, Johnny O'Sullivan and Willie Fannin.
O'Mahony makes a return to rallying after a four-years absence. He won this rally three times, 1982, 1996 and 1997.
Dermot Carnegie clinched the British Rallycross Championship over the two penultimate rounds held at Mondello Park two week's ago.
At the age of 60 the evergreen Carnegie holds the record of six British Rallycross Championships, and he tops the 70-strong entry for Sunday's Irish Championship event again at the Co Kildare venue.
Motorsport Ireland chairman John Naylor has confirmed that the 2005 Phoenix Park motor races will take place on the weekend of August 12th and 13th.
WEEKEND FIXTURES: Sunday - Skibbereen and District CC, Marine Fastnet Rally, starts Glandore, Co Cork, 8.30 am; Carlow CC, Rallycross, Mondello Park, 9.30 am.
