RALLY drivers go off road to the forestry tracks in the penultimate round of the 1995/96 RIAC Forest Stages Championship, the Tipperary Light Car and Motorcycle Club's Sean Conlon Memorial Forestry Rally on Sunday.
The event starts from the north Co Cork town of Mitchelstown at 10.30 a.m., and the format is 4x2 stages at Kilworth, Glengarr, Kilcoran and Cambaun, with service in Mitchelstown mart (1.30 Sunday's entry features Kevin O'Kane and Stephen Harron in Ford Escort RS Cosworths, John McKeown and John McGaffin in Sierra Cosworths, Andy Mackarel (Nova), Ray Benskin (Escort) and local favourite Liam McGrath (Escort).
Although there is still four weeks to go to the Statoil Galway International Rally, a great start is expected to the new Tarmac Rally Championship. Its looking doubtful that Frank Meagher will defend his title, but four very quick Ford Escort RS Cosworths will be driven by James Cullen. Stephen Murphy, Peadar Hurson and Eamonn Boland.
Liam O'Callaghan has confirmed his entry for his new acquired Toyota Celica GT4, and it would not come as a surprise if Bertie Fisher and Austin McHale are both on the starting ramp in Eyre Square on February 17th. In fact its pretty certain that Fisher will drive the Toughmac Subaru Impreza in an attempt to win his first Galway International.
Philip and Gordon Erskine continue to dominate the mud plugs, and tomorrow the Dublin twins will most likely do it again in the Garda Siochana MC's Kehoe Sporting Trial at Bohernabreena, Co Dublin, with their Harley Davidson Special.
Philip Erskine won the recent MEC event, beating the Sheane VW of Roy Stewart, John Pennefather (Erskine Suzuki Spl), Gordon Watkin (VW SPI), Gordon Erskine and Des Bradley (VW Spl).
Athlone is the venue for Sunday's Hewison Trophy Auto test, run by the Midland Motor Club. After 12 rounds of the championship J.J. Farrell still leads, but Eamonn Byrne is getting closer. Most of the drivers will now have to start dropping their worst scores, but as Byrne missed two rounds he will gain maximum points and therefore barring trouble he should emerge as Hewison leader from the Shannonside round.
Motor cycle trials riders compete in Sunday's D and D Jacob Cup Trial at Lacken, in the Wicklow Mountains over Blessington. This is the first of the 1996 events and is the fifth round of the MCUI Southern Centre Championship, which consists of 11 rounds.
Paul McLoughlin (Greystones) leads Grade A (experts) on 80 points, with four out of four wins. All the grade leaders hold impressive leads Fergus Farrell (Grade B), Stuart Martin (Grade C), Mark Scanlon (Grade D), Eric O'Sullivan (Junior B) except in Junior A where Ross Darlington on 71 points is just four points in front of Thomas Regan.
Dublin now has a dedicated motor racing venue in the Ristorante Cavallino, run by Ferrari fanatics Vincenzo Morelli and Antonio Mcloni. Located at 92 Terenure Road North, this Italian restaurant is appropriately decorated with Ferrari Formula One photographs, Ferrari memorabilia, Ferrari insignia, just about everything associated with the most successful and most famous team in Grand Prix motor racing.
Among the glitterati at this week's official opening was the president of the Italian Ferrari Club, Signor Enzo Delli Orto from Milan. Restaurant proprietors Morelli and Mcloni have also launched the Irish branch of the Ferrari Fan Club, appropriate indeed with Ireland's Eddie Irvine signed to race for Ferrari in the forthcoming World Championship.
The Ristorante Cavallino will show all next season's races on a giant TV screen, bringing the atmosphere enjoyed by the legendary `tifosi' (Ferrari fans) to Dublin, starting with the Australian Grand Prix on March 10th.
