Sport

Elliott looking to stay in front

MOTOR SPORT: Sunday's Sligo Rally will be a truly testing event for Cavan's Patrick Elliott, the leader of the Dunlop National…

Brian Foley
Fri Jul 14 2006 - 01:00

MOTOR SPORT: Sunday's Sligo Rally will be a truly testing event for Cavan's Patrick Elliott, the leader of the Dunlop National Rally Championship by 10 points from Derry driver Charlie Donnelly.

Elliott has yet to win a championship round and tops the series at the halfway mark on sheer consistency, having scored points in all five rounds this year to date at the wheel of a Subaru WRC.

By contrast, Donnelly in his Toyota Corolla WRC has the edge on speed and following victory in the last two rounds, in Carlow and Cavan, he is set to take over the championship lead unless Elliott keeps him at bay over the 3x3 stages event at Lough Bo, Kilmorgan and Carrickbanagher.

Martin Doherty is third on 62 points, well behind Elliott (88) and Donnelly (78). The ever improving Aaron MacHale is next up on 56 points and that first-round win cannot be far away now that he is accustomed to driving the Ford Focus WRC rallied by his father Austin in the tarmac series.

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Record triple national champion Niall Maguire is fifth on 55 points and Group N leader Alan Ring is sixth on 48 points.

Four Irish drivers should extend their lead in British championship motor racing in the two-day meeting at Croft, near Darlington in North Yorkshire. Paddy Hogan (Killiney) on 196 points leads his team-mate Sebastian Hohenthal by 33 points in Formula Renault. Dundalk's Niall Breen (133 points) leads Dublin-born Euan Hankey (105) in Formula BMW, while Niall Quinn (Dunboyne) leads the Rookie Class. Co Donegal driver Damien Faulkner defends his title in the Porsche Carrera Cup in which he holds a two points lead over Tim Harvey.

Paddy Hogan has been nominated Dunlop Young Racing Driver of The Month for June.

WEEKEND FIXTURES Saturday: Tipperary LC & MCC, 4x4 Trial, Murroe, Co Limerick, 11.00am; Skibbereen & District MC, Autocross, Templemartin, Bandon, Co Cork, 12.30pm; Wexford MC, Sprint, Campile, Co Wexford, 1.00pm; TDC, Autotest, Burgage, Blessington, Co Wicklow, 6.00pm. Sunday: Connacht MC, Sligo Rally, starts Sligo Park Hotel, 10.15am; Tipperary LC & MCC, 4x4 Trial, Murroe, Co Limerick, 11.00am; Skibbereen & District MCC, Autocross, Templemartin, Bandon, Co Cork, 12.30pm.