SCOTLAND'S Alister McRae, former winner and current leader of the British Rally Championship, leads off the capacity field of 130 cars in the Shell Unleaded Donegal International Rally which starts today.
McRae starts number one, on account of his International licence, but his Formula 2 specification VW Golf GTi will be no match for the super-quick Group A cars driven by last year's winner Andrew Nesbitt and Tarmac Championship leader Austin McHale, both driving Toyota Celica GT4's.
A trio of Ford Escort Cosworths will be driven by James Cullen,
Eamonn Boland and Peadar Hurson. Bertie Fisher is not entered, but may drive a `00' car and national champion Stephen Murphy is waiting on a new Escort WRC, which may not be delivered until July.
McHale will not be pushing it as he has a big lead in the Tarmac Championship, 55 points to the 22 of Doughty and the 21 of Boland.
Two more Donegal crews Paul Harris and Don Wilmont band Hugh Martin Doherty with John Gilleece's usual co-driver Mike Gibson on the notes - will be very competitive, as will Eamonn Boland (Wexford) and Peadar Hurson (Warrenpoint).
Porsche drivers Geoff Crabtree and Dessie Nutt lead the Historic series, separated by just three points, and are the top seeds in the historic section. Bertie Fisher's son Mark won the Nissan Miera Challenge last year and this year, he is out to make it two in a row. The Histories and Micras only rally tomorrow and Sunday.
The Donegal rally starts today from Market Square, Letterkenny, at one o'clock, followed by six stages to the west of the town, stages at Breenagh, Reelan and Letterleague are repeated twice.
Tomorrow's stages are in the Downings/Fanad Head region, at High Glen, Atlantic Drive and service at Milford, followed by six stages, at Kindrum, Fanad Head and Knockalla (2x2) with a final stage at Ardrummond.
There are numerous attractions at Mondello Park on Sunday, plus round six of the DHL Formula Opel Championship - led by Vivion Daly on 75 points from Ken Grandon (74), Donal Loughrey (73), Mark Kershaw (40), Jonathan Fildes (35) and Adrian Pollock (25).
The Eurocar Ford Mondeo V6 saloons return to Mondello, also the quirky Legend saloon replicars with their yowling Yamaha FJ120 motorcycle engines, plus the funky racing pick-up trucks which will race for the first time at the Co Kildare circuit.
National Hunt jockey Richard Dunwoody changes from horses to horsepower to compete in the British Formula First Championship race. The Formula First cars are similar to Formula Ford 1600's, but are more geared towards low budget racing.
Meanwhile, a bumper entry has been received for the first Southern motorcycle road races of the year, to be held this weekend over a new 2.5-mile circuit at Togher near Annagassan, Co Louth.
The entry includes several of the leading Ulster riders - Robert Dunlop, Owen McNally, Gary Dynes, Denis McCullough and Derek Young. Practice is tomorrow, with racing on Sunday from 11.30 am.
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