Sport

Irish duo in action in Philippines

MOTORSPORT:  John O'Hara (Kildare) and Greg Murphy (Dublin) will be in action at Batangas in the Philippines in the opening …

Brian Foley
Fri Apr 08 2005 - 01:00

MOTORSPORT: John O'Hara (Kildare) and Greg Murphy (Dublin) will be in action at Batangas in the Philippines in the opening rounds of the Asian Formula Three Championship, in which O'Hara was second last year.

Damien Faulkner (Moville) is rated one of four pre-season favourites in the Porsche Carrera Cup which starts at Donington, along with the British Touring Car Championship in which Gavin Smith (Dublin) makes his debut for VX racing.

After winning the European Formula Audi Championship, Faulkner scored race wins in Indy Lights in the USA in 2001. He only has had occasional drives in the last three years due to lack of backing. He was signed by Team SAS in the middle of last season and after a string of podiums he scored the team's first Porsche Carrera Cup win in the final championship race.

Meanwhile, Formula Ireland champion Emmet Queenan and Patrick Hogan begin their British Formula Renault Championship challenge.

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Eoin Murray starts his European Alfa Romeo Challenge campaign at Monza, Italy, this weekend, where the opening rounds of the World Touring Car Championship take place.

Another Irish driver Noel Roddy (Dundalk) has been in good form in the Coupe de France Formula Renault Championship and recently scored a great win from seventh on the grid in round four at Dijon. Roddy is second in the championship, only eight points behind French driver Jerome Medard.

Co Kildare MC open the Mondello motor racing season on Sunday with a lively programme of formula and saloon races. Sunday's Midland MC event has attracted an entry of 130, headed by Seán Gallagher, Patrick Elliott, Tommy Graham and Adrian McElvaney in Subaru WRC's.

WEEKEND FIXTURES: Tomorrow: TDC, Irish Classic Retro Rally, starts Kilruddery Estate, Bray, Co Wicklow, 10am; Clare MC, Autotest, Flextronics, Shannon, Co Clare, 3pm. Sunday: TDC, Irish Classic Retro Rally, re-starts, Mullingar, Co Westmeath, 10am; Midland MC, Multi-Stage Rally, Carrick-On-Shannon, 10am; Munster KC, Kart Racing, Kiltorcan, Ballyhale, Co Kilkenny, 11am; Co Kildare MC, Motor Racing, Mondello Park, 12.10pm; Clare MC, Autotest, Flextronics, Shannon, 3pm.