Dickie Curran debuted his new David Greer built Lancer Evo 7 to maximum effect by taking victory on the Kirkistown stages last Saturday. Jaye Jordan and Fintan McGrady were 2^nd and 3^rd, each driving Escort Cosworths.

JJ Fleming has his fingers crossed this week that Eamonn Boland’s Impreza WRC makes it through the Monte Carlo unscathed as he will be taking it over following the event. This will be the 5^th ex Boland WRC machine the Galway man will have owned. JJ plans West Cork as his first outing and then will do selected Nationals.

Tipperary’s Roy White is planning on taking his FESP supported Lancer Evo7 to the Kall Kwik and Malcolm Wilson rallies for some gravel experience in the car before tackling the Tarmac Championship.

Garry Jennings is also planning a trip to the Kall Kwik. As the Trackrod wasn’t a round of the 206 SuperCup last season, the Ballinamallard man will gain valuable experience both of his Peugeot 106 Super 1600 and the Yorkshire forests.

Letterkenny’s Rory Kennedy is also doing the Kall Kwik, co-driving for Alistair Ginley as a shakedown for 8 WRC rounds in Alistair’s Impreza.

The 29^th March Kilbroney stage rally organised by the Rathfriland Club is now being opened up to 4wd cars and will be a round of the Tracker Championship.

The Tarmac Championship prizegiving will take place this Saturday night (25^th) in the Armagh City Hotel, and will also see the presentation of Fisher Foundation Awards. The hotel is the brainchild of Kieran McAnallen and the late Bertie Fisher, and is strongly tipped to be the new base for the Ulster Rally, which has been centred in Belfast for over twenty years.

The ever popular Sligo Rally (13^th July) is on an opt out year from the Dunlop National Championship but will this season be a counter in the UK National Tarmacadam Championship.