THE tranquility of the peaceful and picturesque Co Kilkenny village of Inistioge will be broken this weekend with the opening double round of the new series of the Dunlop Hillclimb Championship. Different courses will be used for both days.
Two previous winners are taking part again, Jenny Kennedy (1992) and Richard Young (1989/1990). Kennedy who was also runner up three years in a row, has a two litre 16 valve Formula Opel special engine fitted to her faithful Crossle 33F and is making a serious effort to win back the title. Young will be at the wheel of his 3.9 litre Cougar VS.
Another driver expected to challenge for the honours is Norman Kittle, brother of reigning champion Andy Kittle. He will be in the MG Metro 6R4 which he drove to victory on the Corkscrew hill near Lisdoonvarna last year, defeating all the single seater racing ears.
There will be some new names on the championship register, including John Williams driving a purpose built two litre Westfield SP hillclimb car. He competed in some Irish events last year and this season will cross the Irish Sea from Cardigan in Wales for each of the five weekends of the Dunlop Championship.
Rally sport takes place on Sunday in the Circuit of Kerry, round two of the RIAC Vard/Coras National Rally Championship. Run out of Ardfert by the Kerry Motor Club, this event is also the first round of the Top Part West Coast Rally Championship. It will cover 90 miles in a loop of four stages, including the classic Conor Pass (x3), Slea Head (x2), Lispole (x3), Owencashla River (x3). Service in Dingle follows stages two, five and 10.
Reigning champion Stephen Murphy won the first round, the Mayo Stages, beating 1994 champion and last year's runner up Mickey Farrell. In the points standings Murphy leads on 20 from Farrell (18) and Eamonn Boland (16).
Murphy, Boland and John Gilleece in a trio of Ford Escort RS Cosworths will be challenged but unlikely to be beaten by Paul Harris in a Sierra Cosworth and former winner Gwyndaf Evans of Wales in a two litre Escort Mk 2. Ken Lyons and John O'Sullivan will also be in Sierras, J. J. Fleming in an Escort Cosworth, Ed Synan in an Escort Mk 2 and Anthony O'Halloran in an Opel Manta. In terms of numbers the entry tops the 100 mark.
Woolsey Coulter, Alan Patterson, Phelim Owens, Alan McGregor and last year's winner Johnny Rea are entered for tomorrow's short circuit motorcycle races at Nutt's Corner, near Dundrod.
The motorcycle road racing season gets under way with the Cookstown 100 on April 20th. Joey Dunlop, now 45 is revving up for another full season of road races, including the Isle of Man TT races in June. The word retirement is not listed in the Dunlop vocabulary. He will compete in at least four TT races, determined to add at least another win to his all time record of 19 TTs.
The Irish Motorcycle Trials Championship has reached the half way mark, and the trials riders take a break from the series until next October. After six of the 12 rounds, Paul McLoughlin on 109 points leads Andrew Perry on 99 in Grade A. Philip Hanlon (69) and John Loughran (68) are in a close battle for third place.
Brian McLoughlin leads Grade B on 82 points, from Aaron Tracey (75) and John Heenan (71). Stuart Martin has a big lead over Conor Nolan in Grade C, 107 to 67 points, as Ian Spratt (43) and William Dickey (40) contest third place.
In the junior grade, Ross Darlington (37), Karl Tracey (30) and Derek Hogan (30) in close contention. Top three in the pre1965 division are Davy McBride (40), Ken Ruddy (32) and Nigel McKinstry (32).
David Coates, Simon Cotter, Robin Mooney and Graeme Vigors head up the 100 strong entry for the Skerries MCC's Motocross at Gormanstown on Sunday.
