The Cork 20 International Rally had a launch last Friday evening in the new HQ hotel, the Radisson at Little Island just outside Cork City.  Murphy Construction has again agreed to  sponsor the 2 day final round of the Tarmac Championship.  All the Championship regulars are expected to enter while M-Sport has expressed an interest in sending a Ford in preparation for Rally Ireland.  The driver has not been specified but indications are that it may be Hirvonen or Pons.  The Cork 20 is also a round of the 023 Tiles Southern 4 Championship as well as the Irish Fiesta Sporting Trophy.

Withdrawals at the top end of the Ulster International rally list include Andreas Mikkelsen, Kevin Lynch and Emma McKinstry.  Lynch also withdrew from last weekend’s Galway Summer stages and cites pressure of work as the reason for stepping back from the sport.  Mikkelsen’s withdrawal is reportedly down to lack of a car following his accidents on Rally Germany and Rally Finland. 

Speculation on last week’s Irish Notes was that Kris Meeke had to find the backing to support his entry in the Mark Higgins/Pirelli Subaru. The funding is reportedly all in place and Paul Nagle will co-drive. 

Reigning Tarmac Champion Eugene Donnelly’s Reid Motorsport Impreza WRC has been placed on the for sale list by Prodrive but Eugene is confident of driving the car on the Ulster and finishing off the Tarmac Championship on the Cork 20. 

Stephen Moore has been confirmed as the winner of the Hankook Irish Forestry Championship which takes the pressure off regarding the final round in Killarney this weekend.  Greg Shinnors will co-drive in Killarney instead of regular co-driver Tony McHugh.  Stephen plans an extended rally programme next year in his Focus WRC and it is possible that Tony and Greg will share co-driving duties on different championships.  Brian McGillin is also amongst the top entries in Killarney and it will be interesting to compare the pace of the top Irish forestry drivers with the MSA Gravel Championship visitors particularly Marcus Dodd and Steve Perez (Hyundai and Focus respectively). 

Limerick man John Byrnes and his co driver Kenneth Shiel won the Junior category and finished 28^th overall on the recent 2 day Cork Forestry and are on course for this weekend’s Killarney Forestry. John, a 23 year old student mechanical engineer, drives a Civic and also won the category on the Carrick on Suir event. 

George Robinson, Former NI and National Rally Championship has traded his ex Boland pristine Escort WRC for a Subaru WRC.  George’s new Impreza P2000 model upgraded with paddle shifts.