Supermoto makes its Mondello Park debut on Sunday, the forerunner of a three-round summer series which is expected to attract many of the leading European riders to Ireland next year.
The Mondello rallycross course will be used for the inaugural event, Supermoto being the motorcycling equivalent to Rallycross.
Competing on Sunday will be racing specialists Woolsey Coulter, Simon Turner, Hilton Hincks, Marty Delaney and Barry Gill, the latter having won two clubman championships in the 250cc and 750cc classes. Jeremy McWilliams, who finished an admirable 10th in this year's 250cc World Racing Championship, is keen to compete if he can find a suitable machine.
In addition to the solos, the quad class will see Ulster riders Tommy Muldoon, Justin Reid, Richard Toye, Keith Rainey and Jim Gately in action, plus English visitors Paddy Thorne and Paul Winrow. Highlight of the day will be the "American Charge" with 14 starters, the last two per lap being eliminated until it's down to a two-man charge to the chequered flag.
Round 11 of the Irish Trials Championship will bring all the leading riders to Kilruddery Estate near Bray on Sunday, including Andrew Perry, Brian McLoughlin, John Loughran, Stuart Martin, Colin Perry, Gareth Andrews and Alan Claffey for the Stanley Woods Memorial Trial.
The regular Hewison Trophy contenders received a shock in the last round, at Carlow, with Ulster veteran Ken Irwin leading from start to finish in the slippery conditions to score a 5.3 seconds win over Dubliner Peter Grimes, the British and Northern Ireland champion.
Hewison holder Eamonn Byrne had his worst result in two years, 4.7 seconds down on Grimes in third place. J.J. Farrell had a bad day, with three pylon penalties dropping him to ninth position. For all that, Farrell still leads the championship on 179 points. But any slip in tomorrow's ninth round at Mondello Park could see him drop back behind Christopher Evans (174) and Byrne (171). Peter Grimes (147), Dermot Carnegie (143), Chris Grimes (140), Liam Cashman (139) and Paddy Power (131) are battling closely for placings outside the top three.
There is an interesting tie for the novice championship with Steven Bolton and Eddie Peterson on 28 points each and third-placed John Keohane is on 22.
Pat O'Connor of Straffan has been appointed clerk of the course for next year's ALMC rally, to be held in Laois on August 23rd. O'Connor is taking time out from rally navigating as co-driver to Noel Devlin, to plan this National Rally Championship event, and incorporate some new ideas after his visits to this year's Argentinian and Australian rounds of the World Championship. Bertie Fisher will campaign a Subaru on the home front.
The Erskine Twins chase yet another sporting trials win in tomorrow's Leinster Motor Club event at Newcastle, Co Wicklow. Gordon and Philip, double-driving their Harley Davidson Special, are now virtually unbeatable in mud plugs.
Neil Shanahan of Churchtown, Dublin, has been nominated for the RIAC Dunlop Sexton Trophy, the most prestigious award in Irish motor racing. At 18 he is the 50th and youngest recipient of the Walter Sexton Memorial Trophy.
Shanahan also won the Formula Ford 1600 Championship driving a Van Diemen RF82 run by Mick Merrigan Motorsport and is promoted by Oisin O'Briain through his "Champions of the Future" scheme.
He started kart racing in 1993 and was runner-up in the Irish Formula A Karting Championship in 1996. He dominated Formula Ford 1600 racing in his first year in this class, winning nine out of the 10 championship rounds plus victory at the Rothmans Phoenix Park meeting.
He was second on his Zetec debut in the Formula Ford Festival, and will campaign a Formula Ford Zetec Van Diemen.
He is currently studying for his Leaving Cert at St Mary's College, Rathmines. He plans to race in Britain once he has completed his exams in June.
Final placings in the MCUI Southern Centre Youth Motocross Championships are: 125cc Senior: 1, B Nolan 185 pts; 2, G Fetherston 152; 3, R Byrne 151. 125cc Experts - 1, G Fox 184; 2, S Kelly 120; 3, R Short 109. 80-100cc Big Wheel - 1, B O'Connell 186; 2, M Pollack 165; 3, R Dunleavy 110. 80-100cc Small Wheel - 1, R Brown 166; 2, W Tutty 154; 3, S Coade 138. 60cc - 1, D Leonard 188; 2, S Edmonds 151; 3, E Getting 120.
