MOTOR SPORT: Austin McHale has not enjoyed a good rally season, but now that his Toyota Corolla WRC has been given a complete update the Rathcoole driver is confident of finishing on a high note.
Tomorrow he is the number one seed in the 2002 West International Rally in Co Galway and a week later he competes in the final round of the World Rally Championship, the Network Q RAC Rally of Britain.
Despite the absence of the 2002 champion Andrew Nesbitt, Eamonn Boland and Derek McGarrity, it will be no pushover for Mayo-born McHale in the final Tarmac Championship round. His biggest challenge will come from the number two seeded Kenny McKinstry in a Subaru Impreza WRC. Peadar Hurson in a Toyota Celica GT is seeded number three, ahead of a quartet of Subaru drivers - Michael Barrable, Eugene Donnelly, Maurice Gass and Tim McNulty.
McHale won the first of a record five Irish Tarmac Rally championships in 1983, and his two most recent title wins were in 1997 and 1998.
McKinstry also has two tarmac titles to his name, 1991 and 1994, and victory on the recent Fastnet Rally shows that he is also very competitive. Hurson, Barrable and Donnelly will be ready to snatch victory if the top two fall by the wayside.
There will be a big battle for Group N honours between leaders Trevor Cathers and Roy White, also Anthony O'Halloran, Stuart Darcy, Stephen Harris and Dominic Loughran, all in Mitsubishi Evo's and Seamus Leonard in a Subaru Impreza Sti. In the Ford Focus series, it's down to the wire between Colm Murphy on 86 points, Oliver Stanley on 79, and Hamilton Bell on 76.
The 2002 West International Rally marks the return of major rallying to Galway after three and a half years' absence.
The Clarinbridge-based event will be run over 110 miles of stages in approximately 12 hours, with the final four stages run during the hours of darkness.
Eamonn Byrne on 123 points leads the Hewison Trophy Autotest Championship 2002/03 after five rounds. Eddie Peterson and JJ Farrell have each scored 118 points, advantage to Peterson on a tie breaker.
Completing the top 10 are: Sam Johnston (107), Chris Grimes (96), Paddy Power (77), Paul Phelan (76), Ken Irwin (76), James Pringle (73) and Liam cashman (70). Next round is Sunday's Carlow Car Club event at Tullow.
WEEKEND FIXTURES
Saturday - Galway MC, 2002 West International Rally, starts Clarinbridge, Co Galway, 7.30; Garda Siochana MC, Hand Cup Sporting Trial, Kilmolin, Enniskerry, Co Wicklow, 11.30; Co Monaghan MC, Navigation trial, starts Stag Inn, Newbliss, Co Monaghan, 21.01.
Sunday - Carlow CC, Hewison Trophy Autotest, The Green, Tullow, Co Carlow, 10.30; Munster MC & CC, 4x4 Trial, Rock Grove, Coachford, Co Cork, 11.00; Birr & District AC, Autocross, Kelly's Quarry, Nenagh-Thurles Road, Co Tipperary, 12 .00.
