Austin McHale makes his long awaited debut at the wheel of the latest Toyota Corolla WRC (World Rally Car) in Sunday's Tipperary Stonethrowers Rally, run out of Clonmel. This event is part of a triple rally programme following which a decision will be made to leave the car in its left-hand-drive mode or change it to right-hand-drive to which McHale is more accustomed.
McHale has not always had the most competitive cars, certainly by comparison with his arch rival Bertie Fisher. Now the Toyota WRC will finally give him the opportunity to compete in some selected World Championship events as well as the Irish rallies.
A focus of attention in Sunday's event will also be on Shane Lynch of Boyzone fame who is taking on the regular contenders in the Ford Ka Rally Championship. He has only competed in forestry rallies in Britain and this will be his first Irish tarmac event. Lynch will face tough competition from the Ka series leaders - Ian Chadwick (76 points), Derek Daly (58), James Travers (56), Paul Callan (51), Keith Colton (48) and Oliver Stanley (45).
Red Mills National Championship leader Niall Maguire is not contesting round 10, but the Monaghan man virtually has the title in the bag with a massive 58 points lead over David Armstrong, on 145 and 87, respectively. Donegal's Hugh Martin Doherty in a Subaru Impreza is seeded behind McHale, and Londoner James Harrison in a Ford Escort Cosworth completes the top three. John McCluskey and Michael Barrable in Toyota Celica GT4s, Ray Breen in an Escort WRC, Dermot Kelly and Tommy Graham in Escort Cosworths and George Cullen (Subaru Impreza) are also competing at the front of the capacity entry.
The 3x3 stage locations are at Lisnamuck, Tubrid and Monroe.
At Mondello Park on Sunday, all the National championship races will be run. Vivion Daly, Michael Keohane, Gavin Smith and Noel Roddy are the top four in the Formula Europa race. Jonathan Taylor leads the Dunlop RT2000s and Jonathan Fildes heads the Dunlop Strykers. In Formula Vee, Brian Hearty on 240 points leads Ray Moore (174) and Paul Newport (150). Paul Dagg, Alan Ring, George McAlpin and John O'Hara face a new challenger in Robbie Coleman in a Formula Ford Zetec. The son of rally legend Billy Coleman, Robbie shook the establishment with a recent win at Kirkistown.
The 53rd Mid-Antrim 150 motorcycle road races take place tomorrow over the 3.6 miles Clough Circuit, a few miles from Ballymena. The 110.448 mph lap record was set last year by James Courtney on a 750cc Honda RC45.
