Rally series gives drivers window of opportunity

MOTOR SPORT/Weekly Column: Ford Ireland introduce the next stage in the "Ford Ladder of Opportunity" for young Irish rally drivers with the new Ford Focus Rally Championship.

The new series is based on a 2.0-litre Ford Focus, front-wheel-drive only, relating to Group A specs. The championship will be run in conjunction with five international rallys within Ireland in 2002. The successful Ford Ka Rally Championship will continue for a fourth consecutive season this year.

The MG ZR Super 1600 (EX258) makes its rally debut in the opening round of the FIA World Rally Championship, the Monte Carlo Rally, which started yesterday. The MG will run in the Junior World Rally Championship, and will be driven by Wales' Gwyndaf Evans and co-driven by Ulster's Chris Patterson.

After some initial doubts, the British Rally Championship has been confirmed for 2002. The championship will cover eight events, including the Ulster Rally on September 6th-7th.

Meanwhile, reigning champion JJ Farrell, on 221 points, leads Eamonn Byrne by three points in the RIAC Hewison Trophy Championship as the series enters the last seven rounds, with nine rounds run. Byrne has been the outstanding autotest exponent of the 1990s, winning the Hewison seven times and again in 2000. The all-time record of 10 championships is held by Dermot Carnegie, who first won the Hewison in 1967.

Carnegie, winner of several Irish and British rallycross championships, is currently the fastest rallycross driver in a Ford Focus and lies seventh overall in the Hewison series. With the best 12 scores to count out of 16 events, the quest for Hewison points continues this weekend.

WEEKEND FIXTURES: Saturday - 500 MRCI, Kirkistown Rally, Co Down, 9 a.m.; Carrick-On-Suir MC, Hewison Trophy Autotest, Mill River Business Park, Carrick-On-Suir, Co Tipperary, 11 a.m.; Garda MC, Sporting Trial, Bohernabreena, Co Dublin, 11.30 a.m. Sunday - Co Tipperary LC & MCC, Hewison Trophy Autotest, Industrial Park, Brown's Road, Waterford, 10.30 a.m.; Dublin & District MCC, Jacob Cup Trial, Lacken, Blessington, Co Wicklow, 11 a.m.