Former Champion Denis Biggerstaff in his Metro 6R4 is top seed on this Saturday’s Eurocables Rally at Kirkistown. Kevin Lynch (Impreza WRC) and Maurice Gass (Hyundai WRC) are at 2 & 3 for this 10 stage opener to the NI Championship, beginning at 09.00

Kevin Lynch is just one driver making the trip after Kirkistown to Carrick on Suir for the opening round of the McCauley Trailers Southern Forest Championship this Sunday. John McCarthy in a Corolla WRC heads the list for the 10 stage Wm Loughman Memorial Rally in Carrick on Suir, with former all Ireland Champion Kevin O’Kane, now in an Impreza WRC at 2, Lynch at 3 and Brian Murphy, making his long awaited Subaru WRC debut, at 4.

Cavan’s Patrick Elliot, normally a front runner on the Dunlop National scene in his Impreza WRC, is hiring a GpN Lancer for the Wm Loughman, although current GpN Champion John Shanahan is still expected to be the production front runner in his Subaru.

Enniskillen’s Raymond Johnston is the top GpN seed at Kirkistown, at 9, with Dickie Curran, always a front runner at the Co Down track, at 10 in his Lancer.

Nigel Hicklin has upgraded his WRC Subaru to S7 specification and intends to contest the 023 Tiles Southern 4 Championship, the Manx National and International events, plus other selected events in 2004.

The popular Punchestown Rally Masters event will now take place on Sunday 25^th July.

Letterkenny’s Brendan Kelly is returning to competition following his return to fitness after his accident on the 2002 Killarney Rally of the Lakes. Brendan will again have Rory Kennedy co-driving and intends to compete on the Sunseeker in a Lancer.

Former Irish water ski champion John Foley jnr, co-driven by Jonathan Waterman, is another Irish driver set to tackle the Sunseeker and the Evo Challenge. Foley, winner of the Fisher Foundation Award, will travel on to the John Haugland rally school in Norway.

Limerick’s Sean Mullally will co-drive Stephen Harron in a McKinstry Motorsport Subaru on the Sunseeker.

 Brian Patterson