DEREK CUNNEELY (Celbridge) and Ashbourne based Ulsterman Wayne Douglas form a strong Republic of Ireland team for Sunday's Formula Opel Nations Cup at Donington Park.
Cunneely has had a great season. He won the Bridgestone Formula Opel Championship and scored a prestigious victory in the televised Leinster Trophy race at Mondello Park. Cunneely hopes to contest the British Formula Vauxhall (nee Opel) series next year, based in Ireland rather than Britain.
Douglas made a mid season return to Irish racing, having won a British championship last year and previously the Irish championship. Driving for Castrol Cliff Dempsey Racing, Douglas was a class act, professional, talented and very quick. His big win of the year was at the Phoenix Park.
Douglas is used to the cut and thrust of English circuit racing and should be on the pace. If Cunneely can hang onto to the leaders and forget about any heroics, the Irish team stand a very good chance of bringing home the Nations Cup for the first time.
Mark Kershaw (17) also races at Donington, the teenager having a one off drive in the Formula Renault Sport Challenge. Kershaw, from Brittas, Co Dublin, was fourth in this year's Star of Tomorrow Formula Ford Championship, with one race win to his credit.
Northern Ireland driver Derek Hayes (18) competes in the British Formula Vauxhall Junior Winter Series, consisting of heats on Saturday and the grand final on Sunday at Donington. He drives for Martin Donnelly Racing, winners of this series last year with Damien Faulkner of Co Donegal driving. The Tourist Trophy races for saloon cars will undoubtedly attract a huge crowd. After six rounds of the RIAC Hewison Trophy Autotest Championship. Clive Peterson leads on 122 points from J J Farrell (114), Christopher Evans (113). Paddy Power (112), Paul Phelan (107) and Andrew O'Donohoe (193). Dermot Carnegie and reigning champion Eamonn Byrne missed last Monday's round as they were unable to get back from the Croft Rallycross due to the dreadful storm conditions at sea. Carnegie on 94 points and Byrne on 75 now have a lot of catching up to do. Two rounds will be held in the west this weekend, tomorrow at Salthill and on Sunday at Sligo.
Dublin University Motorcycle and Light Car Club organise tomorrow's Bush Cup Trial in the Glenasmole area of the Dublin mountains. As in 1994/95 the battle for Grade A (experts) is between reigning champion Paul McLoughlin of Greystones and Andrew Perry from Dundonald, Belfast, both of whom are well ahead of Ulsterman Philip Hanlon in third place.
In Grade B it's an all Southern duel between Brian McLoughlin, brother of Paul, and Aaron Tracey of Rathfarnham. Stuart Martin of Ashford, Co Wicklow, is literally running away with Grade C. Only two more rounds remain after tomorrow's event - the Ards MCC Turner Trial on November 16th and the MEC's Stanley Woods Trophy Trial on November 24th.
The Irish Schoolboy MCC run the final motorcross of the year at Johnstown, near Naas, on Sunday week. Meanwhile, Ulster riders dominated all three grades of the Irish Motocross Championship for 1996.
. Ferrari have cut short Michael Schumacher's holidays and ordered the German to carry out a series of unscheduled tyre tests for next season. After a gruelling year, he was not expected back behind the wheel until January.
