Killalane road races will mark Dunlop's Irish return

JOEY DUNLOP is back and raring to go. Having won two Isle of Man TT races in June, to raise his record to a remarkable 21 wins, Dunlop went racing in Latvia. But he sustained a hand injury in a crash and that kept him out of racing for July and August.

He made a comeback in a road race in Germany recently and was happy to finish sixth. His Irish comeback will be in tomorrow's Killalane road races, riding Honda machines in the 125cc and 250cc races. His brother Robert is also back in action after a huge crash in the Isle of Man in 1994 and he will also be on a Honda in the 125cc race.

Another Ulster rider Johnny Rea will compete on a 250cc Honda for the first time since the early 90s. He usually races 600cc/700cc machines. Chris Richardson is another more usually associated with the big bikes and will also be on a Honda in what promises to be a cracking 125cc race.

Other big names on the Killalane programme are Dennis McCullough (125cc/250cc Hondas), Alan Irwin (Kawasaki and Ducati), Jason Griffiths, Bob Jackson, Derek Young and Dave Leech.

This is the last road race meeting, of the year and the 13th Killalane event. Eight races will be held over the 3.6 mile circuit near Skerries. Phillip McCallen set the lap record of 104.20 mph riding a 750cc Honda in 1991. The fastest part of the circuit is the main Dublin Skerries road where the 750s reach speeds of over 160 mph.

The Northern motor racing season closes today with the 500 MRCI's Kirkistown meeting, which features Formula Ford, Formula Vee, Formula Libre Metro saloons and roadsports.

The final two rounds of the Hillclimb championship will be run at Glengesh Pass, just west of Ardara in Co Donegal, where three drivers are in contention for the Frank Keane Trophy. Former champion Jenny Kennedy of Crossgar, in her two litre Crossle 33F, and Padraig Forde of Loughrea, in his four litre Scottclimber, are equal first on 65 points. Another former champion Richard Young in his four litre Cougar is third on 60 points and has an event in hand. With a two point bonus in Sunday's final round, the championship is likely to go all the way down to the wire. Dublin veteran Des Cullen has won class three, but all the other classes have to be decided.

Five times RIAC Hewison Trophy champion Eamonn Byrne got off to a perfect start in the 1996/ 97 season of autotests with a double win in Cork last weekend. Dermot Carnegie, another motorsport veteran with a record 10 Hewison wins, is third in the standings on 45, behind Byrne (50) and Christopher Evans, (47). Round three is the Co Kildare MC event at The Curragh.

Final round of the Tarmac Rally championship is the Fitzpatrick's Silversprings Cork 20 on October 5th-6th. The championship has already been won this year by Bertie Fisher and Rory Kennedy.