Austin McHale will once again drive his familiar Toyota Celica GT4 in the Statoil Galway International Rally on February 6th-7th, the opening round of the Toshiba Rally Championship. McHale has won the championship a record five times and will no doubt be competitive again, although stern challenges are likely to come from Ian and David Greer in similar Toyotas, as well as from Bertie Fisher, Andrew Nesbitt and Derek McGarrity in Subaru Imprezas, and Eamonn Boland, Stephen Murphy, Pete Doughty, Bob Fowden and Ray Breen in Ford Escort WRC's.
The rally will start from Eyre Square in Galway, and will cover nine stages in the Tuam area of north Galway on the first day. After the famous Dyke Road Stage in Galway City on Sunday morning, the rally will travel south towards Gort for eight more stages.
McHale is also expected to announce his plans for the rest of the season in Galway, plans which could includes a run in a Toyota Corolla WRC in the Circuit of Ireland on Easter weekend, April 3rd-5th.
Sunday's National Forestry Rally Championship round, run by the Tipperary Club, will be in the Mitchelstown area of north Cork. County Monaghan Motor Club's Autotest on Sunday is Round 13 of the RIAC Hewison Trophy Championship, in which Eamonn Byrne is going for a clean sweep, having won the 12 previous rounds.
The Dublin University Club's Grafton Cup Trial at Inchinappa House, Ashford, Co Wicklow, is the second round of the MCUI (Southern Centre) Championship. Winner of the January 17th D&D's Jacob Cup Trial opening round was Paul McLouglin. The Wicklow rider, a former trials champion, returns to motorcycle sport after two years racing Formula Vee cars.
The 1999 Irish Trials Championship will be run over eight rounds, four each in the Ulster and Southern Centres. The dates are: February 20th - Killinchy MCC, President's Cup: March 20th - Mid-Antrim MC, Shane Cup: March 27th - Leinster MC, Patland Cup: October 3rd - Dublin & District MCC, Moran Cup: October 13th - Knock MCC, Shaw Cup: October 31st - Dublin University MC & LCC, Bush Cup: November 20th - Ards MCC, Turner Trophy: November 28th - MEC, Stanley Woods Trophy.
The Annual Inter-Centre Conference of the Motor Cycle Union of Ireland takes place on Saturday, February 20th, in the Four Seasons Hotel, Monaghan (10.30 am). The Dublin & District Motor Cycle Club has raised £68,480 for Wireless for the Blind, through the St Stephen's Day Fancy Dress Trial. The 1999 Mercedes-Benz International Gordon Bennet Rally will take place on June 11th-13th. This will be the 25th Commemorative Rally and the 96th Anniversary of the famous Gordon Bennet Cup Race staged in Ireland in 1903. The event will be limited to 120 veteran and vintage cars, which will be driven over parts of the original course in counties Kildare, Laois and Carlow. Official entry forms will be issued by the Irish Veteran and Vintage Car Club in March.
