Niall McShea has secured a deal to drive a Coulsoul Lancer on this weekend’s Ypres Rally, with Gordon Noble co-driving. Shaun Gallagher is also competing in Belgium, in a Citroen C2 Super 1600.

Adrian McElvaney has sold his ex Richard Burns Rally GB winning Impreza WRC back to Burns and is keen to hire a McKinstry Gp A Impreza for his home Monaghan forestry rally this weekend, a round of the National Forestry series.

Camillus Bradley, Norman Armstrong and Mervyn Wedlock in their respective Escorts head an 80 strong entry for this weekend’s North Armagh Motorcycle and Car Club 8 special stage Loughgall Country Park Rally.

Former Peugeot works driver and current leading light in the Evo Challenge Rory Galligan is the driving force behind the new Irish Peugeot 206 Challenge. Two open meetings are planned, one for the 6^th July in Monaghan’s Squealing Pig, and one on the 7^th July in Cashel’s Kearney’s Castle Hotel, both at 8 pm.

Despite crashing out of last weekend’s Ravens Rock Rally, Niall Maguire still leads the Dunlop National Championship with 78 points, Jim Harrison has moved up to 2^nd with 68 and Cahal Arthurs is now 3^rd on 66. Ravens Rock winner Kevin Lynch seems on paper to be well down the list with 45 points, but with two non-scores, 5 rounds remaining and 20 points for a win, anything is possible.

Alan Ring’s 10^th o/a and GpN win in his Subaru on the Ravens Rock Rally was enough to depose Johnny O’Sullivan from the top of the 023 Tiles Southern 4 Championship points. Munster Joinery man Ring has 44 points, Johnny O’Sullivan 31 and Willie Fannin, who also leads GpN on the Dunlop National series has 30. Fannin is contesting the Jim Clark Rally this weekend in his GpN Subaru.

Trevor Harding who has bought the ex Latvala Puma Super 1600 was doing course car duties on Ravens Rock but crashed on the 7^th stage. His entry on the Jim Clark Rally is now in doubt.

Brian Patterson