The Ulster-Munster combination of Niall Maguire (Monaghan) and Anthony Nestor (Limerick) looked unbeatable as the 14-event Red Mills National Rally Championship reached the mid-point mark.
With Maguire at the wheel of a Subaru Impreza and Nestor reading the pace notes, they established a lead on 103 points from David Armstrong and Gabriel Snow (53 each); Dominic Loughran (48) and Hal Lewis (42).
John Gilleece, championship winner in 1997/98, is trailing badly, joint fifth along with James Harrison on 34 points - a long way behind Maguire, his close rival of last year.
Maguire and Nestor won last year's Raven's Rock Rally and start Sunday's Round Seven as favourites in a quality field that includes Gabriel Snow in a similar Subaru Impreza, Pete Doughty and Ray Breen in Ford Escort WRCs and Toyota Celica GT4 drivers Michael Barrable and John McCluskey. The event is run out of Waterford and local drivers competing are Tom Geraghty and Shaw Power in Escorts and Tom Fitzpatrick in a Ford Fiesta.
This event is also the third round of the new Ford Ka Rally Championship, which is led by Killarney's Derek Daly, with two wins, from Ian Chadwick of Cork.
The 14 competitors in this popular series are seeded number 112 to 114 (inclusive). The rally follows the usual 3x3 stages format, with the stages located in the Haughton's Cross, Shanakill and Bealough areas. Service is at Carroll's Cross on the Waterford-Cork Road.
The Dundalk Motorcycle Road Races take place on Sunday, the second meeting to be held over the 3.2-mile By-Pass Circuit. The lap record of 115.50 m.p.h. was set last year by Richard Britton of Enniskillen on a 620cc Shimmel Honda. He makes a racing return at Dundalk, his first outing since he received arm injuries in a fall in the Cookstown 100 races in April.
Joey and Robert Dunlop, Cary Dynes, Denis McCullough and Owen McNally top the 140-strong entry for the six-race programme.
James Courtney, winner of the two open races at Dundalk last year will miss the event. The Ulster rider will be out of action for several weeks following a high-speed crash in the Lightweight 250cc TT in the Isle of Man.
There is motor racing at Kirkistown, Co Down tomorrow, and next week the ex-airfield circuit on the Ards Peninsula hosts two evening meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday for motorcycle racing.
