West Euro Cup Champion Paddy White begins his season this week with the Galway International, and intends to defend his West Euro title during the year. Navan businessman Paddy has had his Impreza WRC engine upgraded to S8 level during the winter.

John McCarthy has obtained one of Austin McHale’s Corolla WRCs, the Carrigtwohill agriculture engineer having moved his ex Bertie Fisher Impreza on to George Cullen.

Enfield’s Tom Holton has upgraded to a Celica 205, an ex Kankkunen, Ian Greer car. Tom has had the machine converted to RHD and will have Frenchman Bruno Brissart co-driving in Galway. Holton has had an extensive test session with his new car and is very impressed with the power level.

Denis Cronin has purchased Tom Holton’s Celica 185 and will drive it in Galway. West Cork man Cronin has also retained his very special BMW M3, which he will use on events which suit 2 WD.

Waterford’s Ray Breen has moved back to a Subaru Impreza WRC for the Galway Rally, Tony Davies having bought his Metro 6R4.

Eamonn Boland will use his RHD Impreza WRC, the Cork ‘20’ winning car, in Galway.

Gilford’s Mark Doyle had a brilliant run in his Peugeot 106 to win both days of the Kings Hall Rally Sprint last weekend. On the Sunday Richard Hogg was 2^nd in his Lancer and Maurice Gass did enough to take 3^rd before crashing his new Hyundai WRC heavily, happily without serious injury. Garry Jennings in his Peugeot 106 Maxi was 2^nd on the Saturday, which was for 2 wd cars only.

The Birr Mini Stages (Feb 29^th) will this year be the opening round of the Top Part West Coast Championship. The rally is backed by the Racket Hall Hotel, while the Championship will this season have six rounds, Circuit of Kerry, Munster, Galway Summer, Clare Stages and Kerry Single Stage.

Kieran O’Neill has entered this year’s Barbados Rally in his Kadett, and will skip any Irish rallies until after the May Caribbean outing.

Newly married co-driver Michael Gibson starts his season this week with Mark Higgins on the Swedish, and will also sit with Pirelli’s Dick Cormack on the Scottish Championship, plus with Dermot Hanafin on the Tarmac, all co-incindentally in various Subarus.