The Ulster Automobile Club’s traditional Boxing Day Rally will start and finish at Allens beside Bangor’s Rathgael Roundabout, with the action taking place down the Ards Peninsula.

Irish drivers planning trips abroad in the New Year include Austin McHale putting a deal together to take his Corolla WRC on the Swedish while Eamonn Boland has entered the Monte Carlo. Eamonn has a 2002 Impreza WRC in the pipeline, but the new car probably won’t be quite ready for the Monte.

Clonmel’s Willie Walsh is the new co-ordinator for the 2003 KBB Doors Forestry Championship. He reports the series to be well on course and definitive regulations will soon be issued, pending the finalisation of Motorsport Ireland’s Safety Officer arrangements. The first event scheduled is the February 23^rd Willie Loughmann Memorial.

Shaun Gallagher has had a Puma Super 1600 test at Boreham and was very impressed at how easy the car was to drive. Shaun, runner up to Gary Jennings in the Peugeot 206 SuperCup series, would ideally like to campaign the second works 206 Super 1600 in 2003, not a cheap route even if the car was made available. 21 year old Shaun hasn’t ruled out another crack at the Peugeot 206 SuperCup series.

Kevin Barrett and Niall Maguire in their respective Impreza WRC’s are just two of the top entries for the 29^th December Carlow Club Rallysprint at Mondello Park. It is an event that always attracts a bumper entry, both in the paddock and on the track. Adrian McElvaney is sharing an entry with National Champion Maguire. Last year’s winner Brian Murphy, who was co-driven then by Austin McHale, was undecided whether to enter as we went to press.

David Armstrong, 4th overall in this year’s National Championship with his now rather elderly GpA Escort Cosworth, a result that doesn’t do full justice to his speed and consistency, has taken delivery of Mel Evans’ Escort WRC. David, from Newtownhamilton, could well be a bigger force to be reckoned with next season.

John Shanahan has acquired an Impreza Turbo, the rapid Killavullan man planning to build the car into forest specification for next year’s KBB Doors Championship.

Regards, Brian Patterson.