Work begins on Kirkistown track

Mondello is the venue for round three of the Motorsport Ireland National Rallycross Championship on Sunday. Lawrence Gibson leads the series on 37 points from Kevin Twomey (32), David Shirley and Helmut Holfeld (20 points each), Daniel Donoghue (18), David Aiken (17), Michael Coyne and David Cullen (15 each).

While the winter of discontent continues to blow icy winds down Mondello way - and sadly has seemingly blown scheduled track improvements, a sports grant and a round of the prestigious British Touring Car Championship (to have been held on August 12th-13th) well and truly down the tubes - work is currently in progress at Kirkistown.

The circuit on the Ards Peninsula of Co Down has deteriorated in recent years but the circuit owners, the 500 Motor Racing Club of Ireland, have undertaken a praiseworthy improvements scheme, which includes a new pit lane, new crash barriers on both sides of the start/finish straight and further track resurfacing.

Two new chicanes are being constructed on the kart circuit and will be in operation for the next round of the 500 MRCI Winter Karting on February 12th.

Robert Barr of the 500 Club said: "Work on the pit lane is essential and once that is completed, we shall be in a position to think about pit garages, which are essential for a modern racing circuit. Looking further ahead, infield buildings will be replaced and an extension of the paddock will be necessary."

Motor racing was first held at Kirkistown in 1953 and it has become the home of motor racing in Northern Ireland. Ulster drivers John Watson, Martin Donnelly and Eddie Irvine cut their racing teeth at Kirkistown, and the circuit also was instrumental in the establishment of the Crossle Car Company back in the late 1950s and which today is busily engaged in producing the Crossle 9S sports racing car for home and export markets, including the US and Japan.

In recent years the Irish motorcycle trials championship ran from January to December, but from next September the old format will be back, with the championship being run from September 2000 to April 2001. Because of the change a `mini season' of four championship rounds will be run from February to April, as follows: February 5th - Temple MCC Terry Hill Trophy; February 20th - D&D Manders Cup; March 11th - Mid-Antrim MC Shane Cup; April 8th - LMC Patland Cup.