Sport

Sights set on Silverstone

MOTOR SPORT: Peter Dempsey, Michael Edgar, Ivor McCullough, Neville Smyth and Paul Dagg lead the Irish challenge in Sunday's…

Brian Foley
Fri Nov 03 2006 - 00:00

MOTOR SPORT: Peter Dempsey, Michael Edgar, Ivor McCullough, Neville Smyth and Paul Dagg lead the Irish challenge in Sunday's biggest Formula Ford race of the year, the Walter Hayes Trophy at Silverstone

Other Irish drivers in the 152-strong entry are: Robert Creegan, Declan Quigley, Jamesy Hagan, Peter Barrable and Bernard Dolan. Noel Dunne, winner of the recent Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch, is not racing this weekend, but has entered a car for Dolan. A surprise entry is Johnny Herbert, winner of the Formula Ford Festival in 1985 and winner of the British Formula 3 Championship in 1987 driving for Eddie Jordan.

The Tarmac Rally Organisers Association is to introduce a new scoring system for the 2007 Irish Tarmac Championship. It is intended to allocate equal points to drivers of WRC and Group N cars. It has been met with widespread disapproval, and there is a move to revert to the previous system.

Pirelli are not yet confirmed as the championship sponsor for 2007, for which the dates are: February 3rd-4th - Galway; April 6th-8th - Circuit of Ireland; May 4th-6th - Killarney; May 25th-27th - Jim Clark, Scotland; June 15th-17th - Donegal; July 19th-21st - Isle of Man; August 31st-September 1st - Ulster; September 28th-30th - Cork 20.

READ MORE

In a recent poll the First Choice Galway International was unanimously voted rally of the year, with 53 per cent of the 803 votes cast, followed by Scotland's Jim Clark (26).

Jenny Ryan (Athy) recently finished eighth overall and fourth in the Club Class in the UK Mini Challenge. She scored the same points as Gary Hounis but the English driver took two higher o/a and class places on a tie decider.

WEEKEND FIXTURES - Saturday - Garda Síochána MC, Sporting Trial, Bohernabreena, Dublin 24, 11.30am. Cork MC, Navigation trial, starts Ballyanly Community Centre, Cloghroe, Co Cork, midnight. Sunday - MEC, Rallysprint, Mondello Park, 10.30am; Galway MC, Sprint, Tynagh, Co Galway, 11am; Limerick MC, 4x4 Trial, Knockainey, Co Limerick, 11am; Imokilly MC, Autocross, Carrigtwohill, Co Cork, 12pm.