Niall Maguire received his Dunlop National Champion’s award at a glittering presentation in Letterkenny’s Mt Errigal Hotel last Saturday night. The Monaghan man, who was co-driven mostly by Paul McLaughlin during the season, also by Paul Nagle when McLaughlin got hurt in a cycling accident, declared his intention of trying for a third National title in 2003, again driving his Stan Harper prepared Subaru WRC.

Patrick Elliott (Subaru) and Sean Gallagher (Escort Cosworth) were 2^nd and 3^rd overall in the Dunlop series. Aaron McHale (Lancer) received the GpN title. Border Champion John Kelly, on his first season in rallying, was presented with the Mickey Farrell Award. Martin Brady was awarded the Brian McGrath Trophy.

Martin McKenna, chairman of the Rallies Committee, stated in part of his address at the awards evening -"the insurance is pretty much tied up for next year. We have what appears a good deal, pleasantly surprising, allowing us to go forward in an invigorating way, albeit with some new rules." This was in relation to insurance worries following several tragic and personal injury accidents this year. Alex Sinclair, of Motorsport Ireland, said they did not have a written quotation as yet, but it had been intimated that the premium increase would be in the region of 22%.

This weekend’s Dromhall Hotel based Killarney Historic Stages Rally will provide the 150 entries with some superb asphalt special stages, including Molls Gap, Healy Pass, Ardgroom and Cods Head. Dessie Nutt in his Porsche has three wins to his credit in the historic section and will face opposition this time from John Keatley in a similar 911, Drexel Gillespie (Lotus Cortina) and Philip Wylie (MGB) to name just a few.

Manx based Martin Freestone heads the Post Historic section in Killarney, with Lloyd Hutchinson (Mini Cooper S) and John Farrell (Escort RS2000) seeded just behind. WRC scribe David Williams is also on the list in his Mini Cooper S.

Phil Collins and Gareth Lloyd in their respective Mk2 Escorts will take on some of the best of the Irish ‘Classic’ competitors in Killarney, including local men Donie O’Sullivan and Tom Randles, as well as Philip Shaw and Kieran O’Neill from North of the border.

Eight young drivers, Colin Britton, David Crossen, Trevor Elliott, David Graham, Gareth Logan, Philip Morrow, John McLaughlin and Jonathan McKenna have been selected to appear before a judging panel this Friday night to decide the destiny of the NI Junior Rally Driver Scholarship. Richard Hogg, Fintan McGrady and Michael Gibson are behind the initiative. Gibson, injured on the Dogleap Rally back in August, made his first move back to the stages on Rally GB where he was doing gravel note duties for Mark Higgins.