While extensive construction work continues at speed to have the new-look Mondello Park up and running for the forthcoming season, round one of the Rallycross Championship will be held at the Co Kildare venue on Sunday.
Reigning champion Lawrence Gibson will defend his title at the wheel of a Metro 6R4, with Dan Donoghue in a similar supercar. Davey Aiken will be in his very quick Nova, Pierce Brown and George Tohill will take turns at the wheel of a BMW M3, while Mike Curtis will drive an Opel Tigra.
Meanwhile, there will be great rivalry between Philip Erskine and Alan Watkins in tomorrow's MEC Sporting Trial at Kilruddery, Bray as they competed in a "shoot-out" for victory in the previous MEC event in January. It all happened when they both tied on five marks lost, and indeed it could have been a triple tie as Brendan Kilkenny was also on the same score only to retire on the final observed section due to a broken shock absorber.
In one of the closest mud plugs for years, Gordon Erskine was only a mark behind in third and there was a triple tie for fourth between Roy Stewart, Colm O'Connor and Alan Kilkenny.
Whichever car suits the special section could determine the outcome of the tie decider.
Going into the second half of the EARS Motorsport Ireland National Navigation Trials Championship, "Bones" O'Connor and Paul Phelan lead on 68 points from Ray and Stephen O'Neill on 54 points.
Round-four winners, the father and son combination of Karl and Frank O'Donoghue are a further four points down in third place. Round five is tomorrow night's Connacht MC event starting from Sligo Airport.
The Irish Motorcycle Trials Championship resumes tomorrow with the fifth of eight rounds.
This year's Irish Motocross Championship will be held over six rounds.
At the annual Inter-centre Conference of the Motor Cycle Union of Ireland, Michael Colohan (Balbriggan) was elected honorary secretary.
Colohan is a former road and short circuit racer and is the first southerner to hold the position since the late Athole Harrison in 1963.
