Motor Sport News round-up: Eugene Donnelly and Paul Kiely led away the 151 starters in this morning's start of the Ordnance Survey Killarney International Rally of The Lakes.
With three major wins to their credit already this year the reigning tarmac champions are expected to continue their dominance of Irish rallying despite the fact that they are campaigning a seven-year-old Toyota Corolla WRC against crews with much more modern machinery.
They top the Tarmac Championship on 30 points from Eamonn Boland/Francis Regan (24), Austin MacHale/Brian Murphy (11), Peadar Hurson/Damien Connolly (10) and Gareth Jones/David Moynihan (9).
Austin MacHale, who first won this event 20 years ago, vacates the number-five slot as he is in South America supporting his son Gareth, who is contesting the Rally Argentina in a Ford Focus WRC. Aaron MacHale drives his father's Focus WRC at number 12 in place of his Corolla WRC.
Colm Murphy leads Group N in the championship on 27 points from James Cullen and Roy White (16 each), James Foley (12) and Willie Fannin (10).
Besides the international rally, 43 crews compete in the junior section and 32 in the class for historics. Today's stages include Moll's Gap and Goretnagane. The rally covers Moll's Gap again tomorrow, as well as Beallaghneam and Caragh Lake.
Former Formula One champion Damon Hill was elected president of the British Racing Drivers' Club yesterday. Hill succeeds triple world champion Jackie Stewart, who is standing down after six often turbulent years at the helm of a club founded in 1928.
WEEKEND FIXTURES: Today: Killarney & District MC, International Rally of The Lakes, starts Killarney, 8.0am; 500 MRCI, Motor Racing, Kirkistown, Co.Down, 1.30pm. Sunday: International Rally of The Lakes, restarts Killarney, 8.0am.
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