Irish Notes 22nd December 06.

First Choice Flooring is again backing the 3^rd/4^th Feb Galway International. Regulations should be out now and can be sourced on www.galwayinternational.com. John O’Connell is still the Clerk of the Course, although he is hoping that his deputies Gary Leonard and Ross Forde will lighten his load. John plans a ceremonial start in Eyre Square, is looking at the possibility of a test stage, and there is definitely a new HQ Hotel, The Clayton, on the Galway Ring Road near the racecourse.

 

Austin MacHale has won the Galway International six times and has a great affinity with the event, and of course he also has a lasting relationship with David Hogan of Tom Hogan Motors in Galway who sponsored him for many years. It is against that background that Austin would of course love to see Marcus Gronholm and his son Gareth there in M-Sport Focus’, but the deal is as yet unconfirmed.

 

Gareth MacHale did test a new Focus WRC last week at M-Sport in preparation for this season, and commented “I found it very comfortable and easy to drive, although the stage was a bit tricky with ice. The left hand drive took a wee bit of getting used to, especially right hand corners, but still I was delighted with the car, roll on the new season!”

 

Donegal man Hugh Martin Doherty has increased the specificatiion of his Focus WRC and plans to tackle two Tarmac Championship International  events, Galway and Donegal, as well as the Dunlop National series, Michael McBride will co-drive.  Kevin Lynch is also reportedly preparing to submit an entry for Galway, to drive a Focus WRC.

 

Qatar driver Nasser Al-Attiyah and his Ulster co-driver Chris Patterson may possibly compete on the Donegal or Ulster rallies in preparation for Rally Ireland. The pair plan a full programme to defend their Middle East and Production World titles this year in a Subaru Impreza N12. There is also a strong possiblity of two outings in a full WRC machine, as yet unspecified.

 

The National Forest Rally Championship will now have seven rounds instead of 8, as the Birr event couldn’t be re-scheduled around the mating habits of the hen harrier. All seven rounds will count. Hankook Tyres are going to sponsor the series. The rounds are:- Carrick on Suir (March 4^th): Wicklow (April 13th): Munster (May 15^th): Monaghan (June 10^th): Cork 2 day (Aug 18/19^th) and Killarney (Sept 2^nd). Early interest is high. Just some indicators include Stephen Moore, the winner of 2 rounds last year, in an upgraded 05 Focus WRC. Brendan  Crealey has committed in his ex Galligan Lancer while Ray Breen has acquired gravel parts for his Focus WRC in order to tackle the early rounds, with his son Craig co-driving.

 

Brian Patterson.