Martin pulls out of Punchestown sprint

Motorsport Weekly ColumnFord World Rally driver Markko Martin is out of Sunday's Rallysprint at Punchestown. The Estonian ace miraculously survived a high-speed crash in the Rally Argentina and is recovering for the Rally Finland on August 6th.

Martin is being replaced by Scotland's Alister McRae, who will double drive Austin McHale's Ford Focus WRC. Freddy Loix will drive George Tracey's Peugeot 206 WRC, and sitting in with the Belgian will be rugby star Brian O'Driscoll.

Also hurtling around the four-kilometre Punchestown stage as co-drivers will be O'Driscoll's Ireland team-mates Victor Costello, Shane Horgan and Reggie Corrigan.

The Irish entry includes Andrew Nesbitt, Derek McGarrity, Eugene Donnelly, George Tracey, Cathal Arthurs and Aaron and Gareth McHale.

With four wins and a second, Kevin Lynch and Francis Regan have a 32-point lead over another Subaru crew, Kevin O'Kane and Martin Hanna, in the McCauley Trailers-sponsored National Forestry Rally Championship.

Lynch, O'Kane, Pat Norris, Dermot Kelly, Robbie McGurk, Glen Allen, James Murphy, Dominic McNeill, Kieran Shaw and Adrian McElvaney are listed for the two weekend rounds run by Cork Motor Club out of Mallow over 90 miles of off-road stages. Tomorrow's stages are in the Killavullen area and Sunday's action is in the Ballyhoura forest. The two events are also rounds four and five of the Ford Ka Rally Championship, led by Thomas O'Brien on 70 points.

Donegal's Damien Faulkner (Moville) will contest the remaining rounds of the Porsche Carrera Cup GB, starting at Croft this weekend. Faulkner joins team drivers Andy and Gary Britnell in a three-car team in the colours of SAS International.

Peter Dempsey (18) makes his Formula BMW UK debut also at Croft - a fantastic opportunity for the Ashbourne lad.

Tomorrow's racing at Kirkistown includes Formula Sheane and Formula Vee championship rounds.

WEEKEND FIXTURES

Saturday: Cork MC, Forestry Stages Rallies, start Mallow, 12.30 pm; Tipperary LC&MCC, 4x4 Challenge, Kilsheelan, 11 am; TDC, Autotest, Punchestown, 1 pm; 500 MRCI, Motor Racing, Kirkistown, Co Down, 1.30 pm.

Sunday: Cork MC, Forestry Stages Rallies, start Mallow, 12.30 pm; Tipperary LC&MCC, 4x4 Challenge, Kilsheelan, 11 am; GSMC, Rallysprint, Punchestown, 10 am; MRCCI, Midget Car Racing, Clondalkin, Dublin, 2 pm.