Kenny McKinstry has added Petter Solberg’s 2004 Monte Carlo Subaru Impreza WRC to his fleet.  The car was used by Alistair Ginley on the world rally championship, and it would now seem likely that Andrew Nesbitt will drive it on the Circuit of Ireland.

Derek McGarrity is strongly tipped to be switching from Skoda to Subaru, missing this weekend’s West Cork Rally, and will appear on the Circuit of Ireland in an Impreza S9. 

Rory Kennedy will now co-drive for Garry Jennings on the Circuit of Ireland in Garry’s Group N Lancer.  James O’Brien sat with Jennings on the Galway International, but he is now resumed his seat with Nesbitt.

Willie John Dolan is taking delivery of a new Subaru Impreza N11 this week and will use the car on the West Cork Rally this weekend as a familiarisation run for the Circuit of Ireland.

Waterford’s Eoin Doyle had an extensive test day at Mondello last Thursday with his Suir Engineering GpN Impreza, in preparation for this weekend’s West Cork Rally, where his chief GpN opposition should include James O’Sullivan and Kevin O’Donoghue.

Greenisland’s Trevor Moore, who finished 2^nd two wheel drive and 20^th o/a on the Malcolm Wilson Rally, driving his Ford Escort Pinto and on his first visit to the Grizedale forests, is hoping to contest the Mutiny Rally. Glenn Campbell will again co-drive.

Gareth McHale has decided to forego his run on the Circuit of Ireland and concentrate instead on the Tipperary Mitchelstown Forestry event as a follow up to winning the first round of the McCauley series in Carrick on Suir.

Kieran Shaw in his Mitsubishi Lancer WRC is the No1 seed on the NI Championship Easter Stages, a section of the Circuit of Ireland which runs on the Saturday. Glenn Allen, Denis Biggerstaff, Cahal Arthurs, Raymond Johnston and Craig Bennett make up the top six.

Gary White took his Escort Cosworth to victory on last weekend’s Kilbroney Stages event at Rostrevor, with Dominic Carson 2^nd in his Subaru.

The 2004 Killarney Historic Rally has been granted the accolade of Stage Rally of the Year at the International Historic Motorsport Awards evening in Kenilworth, Warwickshire. Clerk of the Course of the Killarney event, Tim Clifford, was presented with the award by former British and Irish Tarmac Champion, Russell Brookes.