THE ALMC has attracted a quality entry for Sunday's Montage Hotel Stages Rally, headed by Stephen Murphy, double winner of the RIAC/Coras National Rally Championship, driving the Statoil Ford Escort RS Cosworth.
Two former champons, Kenny McKinstry and Austin McHale, Liam O'Callaghan in the Esso Toyota Celica GT, Eamonn Boland, John Gilleece, Gabriel Snow and Charlie Mavity in Escort Cosworths, Denis Biggerstaff and Ray Breen in Metro 6R4s will ensure vary hot competition for Murphy.
McKinstry will either drive his Formula 2 Ford Escort RS2000 or his Group. A Subaru Legacy.
O Callaghan is set for maximum attack, anxious for a win in what has been a difficult year so far.
McHale makes a rare National Championship appearance at the wheel of his older type Celica GT and will be very competitive it his car is reliable over the nine stages.
The 3x3 stages in Co Laois are at the Rock of Dunamase, Knightstown and Mount Henry, with service on a closed section of road at Coolbanaher. This is the closest rally stage event to Dublin, and will no doubt attract the spectators.
In addition to the battle to outright victory, there will undoubtedly he keen competition for honours in the various classes.
Tomorrow's Kirkistown race meeting on the Aids Peninsula sees crucial rounds of various championships.
In the Bridgestone Formula Opel series, Michael Edgar on 93 points leads Derek Cunneely 79, Jason Pollock 75, Vivion Daly 59, Adrian Pollock 51 and Mark O'Connor 44. But the man to watch is 1993 champion Wayne Douglas, seventh on 40 points. A late comer to the 1996 championship. Douglas followed up a Mondello win with a dominant victory at Phoenix Park.
Ulster Centre sports Promotions, in association with North Monaghan MCC, organise the first motor cycle road races to be held in Co Monaghan on Sunday. Seven races will be held over the 2.6 miles Glaslough Circuit, which is six miles from Monaghan town. The total prize fund is £7,000 and the main sponsors are McElvaney Motors and Scania. Clerk of The Course will be Billy Nutt who was also Clerk of the Course for the famous North West 200 and Ulster Grand Prix.
All the leading road racers will be in action at Glaslough, including Derek Young, James Courtney, Gary Dynes, Dennis McCullough, Robert Dunlop, Nigel Watt, Dave Leach, Alex Donaldson, Ray Hanna, Brian Campbell, Richard Britton, Aubrey McCauley and Dave Cutler.
The Tipperary Raceway Hot Rods, motorcycle stunt rider Gary Rothwell and a demonstration by 10 monster racing trucks are part of the "Truckfest" at Mondello Park. Over the last three ears there has been a big upsurge of interest in hot rod racing and no doubt the cars from the Tipperary Raceway will provide variety from the more usual Mondello fare. Well known rodders racing at Mondello are Neville Stanley, Pat Canavan, Terry Falvey, Gary Woolsey, Denis Kinane and Mike Riordan.
