Sport

McGarrity in search of points

MOTOR SPORT: Derek McGarrity leads the Toshiba Tarmac Rally Championship on 27 points from Eamonn Boland on 18, with Maurice…

Brian Foley
Fri Jun 20 2003 - 01:00

MOTOR SPORT: Derek McGarrity leads the Toshiba Tarmac Rally Championship on 27 points from Eamonn Boland on 18, with Maurice Gass and Eugene Donnelly joint third on 15 points each.

Austin McHale is only seventh on 10 points, behind reigning champion Andrew Nesbitt (12) and top Group A driver Dick Curran (11) and just three points ahead of his son Aaron McHale who is lying second in Group N.

McHale runs at number one in this weekend's Donegal International Rally and after sliding out of the Killarney Rally of the Lakes in his own words he is "determined to give it a real go".

Andrew Nesbitt missed the Killarney event but is out again in Donegal, running in front of Killarney winner Eugene Donnelly and Circuit of Ireland winner Derek McGarrity.

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McGarrity's priority is to accumulate championship points rather than throwing caution to the winds in a bid for outright victory.

The maximum of 151 crews start today at 12 noon from Letterkenny. The real action will be over tomorrow's stages which include Fanad Head and Knockalla, and also on Sunday.

This evening (7.30p.m.) there will be a parade of racing sports cars from the 30s over the 13.7 miles Ards Circuit to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the first of the Tourist Trophy races which took place on the Newtownards to Comber to Dundonald circuit from 1928 to 1936.

Michael Cullen, who is currently lying second in the European Ferrari Challenge, has been invited to demonstrate Michael Schumacher's Fornula One Ferrari F2001 at Donington Park on Saturday and Sunday.

The Fiat Punto Abarth Cup races outside Ireland for the first time this weekend, in Rounds seven and eight of the Irish series at Pembrey in Wales. The points standings are: 1-Liam Denning 72, 2-Karl Leonard 61, 3-Quentin Smith 53, 4-Joey Freeburn 40, 5-Bob Copeland 39, 6-Gordon Kellett 37.

WEEKEND FIXTURES: Today: Donegal International Rally, starts Letterkenny, 12.00pm; Ards TT 75th Anniversary Parade, starts Dundonald, 6-7.00pm.

Saturday: Donegal International Rally, re-starts Letterkenny, 8.00am; TT Hillclimb, Ulster Folk and Transport Museum, Cultra, 9am-4pm.

Sunday: Donegal International Rally, re-starts Letterkenny, 8.00am; TT Hillclimb, Ulster Folk and Transport Museum, Cultra, 9am-4pm; Motor Racing, Mondello Park, 2.00pm.