"The changeable weather, heavy showers, many different surfaces, some very slippy, made it difficult, but it was a good event" commented Philip Shaw when he took victory on last Sunday’s professionally run Triton Showers backed NorthEast Stages asphalt rally outside Ardee. Cookstown man Shaw, co-driven by Derek Brannigan in his famous black Mk2, had 10 seconds in hand at the finish over Norman Armstrong, with Gilford’s Martin Teggart, also in an Escort, 3^rd.

Trevor Elliott and co-driver Eddie Duggan are the winners of this year’s HM Preparations NI Beginners Stage Championship. Next season the series will be re-badged ‘Clubmans’ and will consist of eight rallies beginning with the 8^th February GMW forest stages in Co. Antrim.

Derek McGarrity was listed in the Toshiba entry as to be driving a Focus WRC, although he drove a Subaru. "The Focus is for the future" reported the Glengormley man.

Niall Maguire will receive his 2^nd Dunlop National Championship crown at the prizegiving dinner in Letterkenny’s Mt Errigal Hotel on Saturday night 23^rd November.

Eugene Donnelly, new KBB Doors Southern Ireland Forestry Champion and runner-up in the NI series, has hired his Celica GT4 to Seamus Heron for next weekend’s Galway West 2002. Eugene is hiring a RHD Impreza WRC from Stan Harper for the event but made the surprise statement last weekend that he is taking next year out from the sport.

Tyrecall have taken over Philip Johnstone’s CSE/Pitlane and will use that concern to look after all Pirelli competition tyres in Ireland.

The Ford Ireland Focus Championship promises to go down to the wire on next weekend’s West 2002 International Rally. Colm Murphy is the leading points scorer, with three other drivers, Oliver Stanley, Hamilton Bell and John Foley all in a position to take the inaugural title.

Tim McNulty is listed in the top ten seeds for this weekend’s West 2002 but has sold his ex Bertie Fisher Impreza 555 and is lining up a Subaru WRC for next season.

 Brian Patterson.