Motor Sport: Dublin driver Gavin Smith has landed the prized third drive for VX Racing, alongside former champion Yvan Muller of France and Belfast's Colin Turkington, in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC).
In his first season of racing, 27-year-old Smith won the Fiat Uno Championship in 1998. He then competed in Formula Opel, but took a year out in 2001 due to family commitments.
After a year in British Formula Three, Smith returned to saloon racing in 2003 and 2004, finishing fourth and fifth, respectively, in the Seat Cupra series. Last year he won three races in Britain and attracted the attention of VX Racing who signed on their second Irish driver following a test and evaluation programme.
Smith said: "When you are looking at various options you always aim high and you can't get much higher than driving for the most successful team in the BTCC. I hope to be on the pace right from the start of the season, at Donington on April 10th."
VX Racing, championship winners for the last four years, will run three of the new Vauxhall/Opel Astra Sport Hatch models in the BTCC, which visits Mondello Park on July 23rd and 24th, where Muller has scored a number of wins and Turkington won last year driving for MG.
Dunlop Supercar drivers Rod McGovern, Jonathan Fildes, Robbie Bolger, David Hall, George Rogers, Michael Fitzgerald, Mark Turley, father and son team Jerry and JJ O'Riordan, Kieran Shaw and Michael Halvey will ensure a lively start to the Irish motor racing season at Kirkistown, Co Down, tomorrow.
The championship will feature 17 races over nine meetings, visiting Silverstone for the first time on June 4th and including Phoenix Park on August 13th and 14th. The big attraction to ensure a closely contested series is an opportunity for the winner to compete in the British Touring Car Championship in 2006.
More competitive racing is promised in Formula Ford 1600. Veteran Joey Greenan returns to the track in three races. The 500 Motor Racing Club of Ireland will open the new Kirkistown clubhouse tomorrow.
Sunday's Circuit of Kerry run out of Tralee is Round Two of the Dunlop National Rally Championship. Mayo winner James Harrison leads on 20 points from Daniel Doherty, who is on 18.
Record three times champion Niall Maguire and Kevin Lynch are desperate to get some points on the scoreboard after disastrous non-finishes in the opening Mayo round. Last year's Kerry winner Donie O'Sullivan is seeded at number three.
Wexford MC's two weekend speed events at Fethard-on-Sea are the first two rounds of the Dunlop Hillclimb Championship. Champion Pat Roche and 2003 winner Michael B Roche are the leading challengers for honours in this very competitive series.
WEEKEND FIXTURES
Saturday: Wexford MC, Hillclimb, Fethard-On-Sea, Co Wexford, 11.30am; Leinster MC, Sporting Trial, Hoggs farm, Greenane, Co Wicklow, 12.00pm.
Sunday: Kerry MC, Circuit of Kerry, starts Tralee, 10.00am; Co Wexford MC, Hillclimb, Fethard-On-Sea, Co Wexford, 11.30am; IKC, Kart Racing, Mondello Park, 11.30am; Co Cavan MC, Autocross, Ballybay-Cootehill Road, Cavan, 11.30am; Birr Autocross, Cloughjordan, Co Tipperary, 12.45am; Connacht MC, Autocross, Trotter's Quarry, Lurganboy, Co Leitrim, 1.00pm.
