MOTORSPORT:Following his Galway win last weekend Marcus Gronholm drives a Ford Focus WRC in totally different conditions in the snow and ice of this weekend's Rally Sweden - Round Two of the World Championship in which he is lying third behind Sebastien Loeb and Dani Sordo.
When Eugene Donnelly crashed his Subaru out of the lead in Galway on the penultimate stage, it was assumed to be driver error. However, it has now come to light that the accident was due to a directional control system malfunction. On top of the bitter disappointment of retiring within sight of victory, Donnelly faces a big repair bill as the chassis suffered severe damage. The three-time Irish champion is likely to give his rebuilt Subaru a serious shakedown on the West Cork Rally on March 17th/18th prior to the next championship round, the Circuit of Ireland at Easter.
Ford M-Sport gained invaluable knowledge of Irish rally conditions in Galway, and it is likely that Citroen will follow suit and run the new C4 for triple World Champion Sebastian Loeb on the Circuit of Ireland.
In the build-up to Rally Ireland on November 16th/18th, Subaru will likely run Chris Atkinson (Australia) and Petter Solberg in the Donegal International on June 15th/17th and M-Sport may return to Irish rallying with two Ford Focus WRC's for Miko Hirvonen (Finland) and Matthew Wilson (Britain) on the Cork 20 on September 28th/30th. None of these events clash with World Championship rounds.
Tadhg Buckley (24) from Ballyhaunis won the opening round of the new Ford Fiesta Sporting Trophy in Galway, beating Conor Harvey (21) from Letterkenny and Fermanagh's Alastair Fisher (18).
The series is supported by M-Sport and will take in seven rounds of the Global Irish Championship - Galway, Circuit of Ireland, Killarney, Donegal and the Cork 20, as well as two events on gravel, the Cork Two-day Forestry Rally in August and the Enniskillen based Lakeland Stages in September.
This is a great opportunity for younger drivers to go rallying in a cost-effective and competitive class, which with some sponsorship support can be done on a realistic budget.
There is also the possibility of competing in British championship rounds, one of which was won last year by Cork driver Owen Murphy who is now rallying a Mitsubishi in Group N.
Another initiative for young drivers is the new Jondol Junior Championship which runs alongside the Motorsport Ireland Rallycross Championship at Mondello Park, and is sponsored by John and Dolores Quinn of Jondol Furniture, Naas.
The series is open to drivers aged between 14 and 16. The opening round was won by George Tracey Jnr, son of rallycrosser George, who beat Matthew Nesbitt, son of rally driver Andrew Nesbitt. John Quinn Jnr. was sixth. Next round is on February 18th.
WEEKEND FIXTURES: Saturday:Donegal MC, Navigation Trial, starts The Rock, Churchill, Co Donegal, 20.45; Skibbereen and District CC, Navigation Trial, starts Parkway Hotel, Dunmanway, Co Cork, 22.30 . Sunday:Co Cavan MC, Autocross, Latton near Cootehill, Co Cavan, 10.30.
