Sport

Paul chasing Shanahan

In Tomorrow's races at Kirkistown, Co Down, on the Ards Peninsula, Jason Pollock (Carrickfergus) and Neil Shanahan (Dublin) are…

By BRIAN FOLEY
Fri Aug 28 1998 - 01:00

In Tomorrow's races at Kirkistown, Co Down, on the Ards Peninsula, Jason Pollock (Carrickfergus) and Neil Shanahan (Dublin) are the fancied drivers for championship honours in Formula Opel and Formula Ford Zetac, respectively.

Pollock leads Vivion Daly (Dublin) by 11 points with Peter Duke (Portadown) in third slot, only three points down on Daly. Duke has a new car after his recent major accident at Kirkistown. Michael Keohane (Clonakilty) scored a win in the last round at Mondello and has a double chance with two Formula Opel Championship races programmed.

Shanahan has a 12-points lead over Chris Paul in the Ford of Ireland Formula Zetac class, 87 points to 75. Philip Kehoe is next up on 61, ahead of Richard Ryans (51), Mark O'Connor (44), George McAlpin (39), Paul Dagg (38) and Alan Ring (31).

The race for Formula Vee Championship points is also on in earnest. The points standing in Class A is: Dominic Dillon (89), Ray Moore (81) and Andy Kavanagh (79). Enda O'Connor leads Class B by 15 points and is expected to be back in action following his recent up-and-over at the non-championship Phoenix Park two weeks ago. O'Connor on 96 leads Philip Rafferty (81) and Kevin O'Rourke (75). And in the National Championship, Dillon (82) leads Moore by just one point, Kavanagh is third on 67 closely followed by O'Connor (65) and Paul Newport (63).

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The second annual Leitrim Road Races will be run over the 4.2-mile circuit near Carrick-onShannon on Sunday. Last year the races were revived after a lapse of 11 years, and now with all races counting for the Irish Road Race Championships the entry has topped the 80 mark.

On current form James Courtney will be the pace setter on his 750cc Honda, and with Denis McCullough, Gary Dynes, Adrian Archibald and Mark Curtin competing, racing is sure to be exciting.

Final placings (in the Status Hydraulics Under-21 Motocross Championship, run over four rounds, are): 1, G Vigors 376 points; 2, D Nally 336; 3, G Fox 334; 4, C Lawless 330; 5, M Rubotham 283; 6, G Kinsella 265. The top three riders in each grade were: Vigors (A); Lawless (B) and G Fetherson (C), also 10th overall.