Eugene Donnelly, currently rated amongst the very top rally drivers in Ireland, has made the surprise move of clinching a deal for a Corolla WRC. Donnelly, who has won the Dunlop National Championship this season (in an Impreza WRC) as well as the NI series (in a Celica), drove the Erik Weiver Toyota last week in Holland, and was stunned at it’s speed and handling. Ian Greer won the 1999 Tarmac Championship in the same car. It has since been upgraded to an even more ultimate asphalt specification by Weiver. Donnelly, who counted the Killarney Rally of the Lakes amongst his 20 plus rally victories this year, plans a full scale attempt at the Tarmac Championship in 2004 with Paul Kiely co-driving.

At the glittering National Rally Championship prize- giving in Carlow’s Seven Oaks Hotel, Dunlop Ireland’s retail director Richard Warbrick announced an extension of the tyre company’s backing for the Motorsport Ireland National series into 2004. Warbrick’s intention is to increase the company’s commitment to encompass further TV coverage in the Dunlop package.

Eugene Donnelly took the Dunlop National drivers’ title, Michael Barrable runner-up and young Adrian McElavanny 3^rd, all in Subaru’s. Barrable’s co-driver Dermot O’Gorman took the co-driver’s title, while Paddy Toner, who sat with Donnelly, missed the first round and had to be content with runner-up.

Cavan’s Patrick Elliott was a front runner in the Dunlop series but missed several rounds following an accident on the Monaghan round. Elliott does intend a full assault on the series in 2004 with his Impreza WRC but may switch to the Tarmac Championship if the organisers of the constituent National rounds persist in using ‘water dividers’ as chicanes. These entail a judge of fact and 30 second penalties for moving them, more akin to autotesting than special stages and caused an acrimonious row on the ALMC event.

Well known scrutineer Robert Corrigan had his famous beard shaved off on stage at the Dunlop prizegiving and raised the staggering sum of over 20,000 euro for his efforts, the funds going to the Crumlin Children’s Hospice.

Billy Coleman Award finalist, Tipperary man Aiden Bourke, will step up to a Super 1600 Renault Clio next season thanks to Martin Kirwan of Midland Tyres. Aiden, who turned in a giant killing act this year of overall GpN and class wins on the Dunlop National series in his Civic, plans to contest the Pirelli British series and some Tarmac rounds.

Front running Escort Mk2 man Seamus Donnelly is going to dip his toe in the 4wd waters, having secured an ex Prodrive 2 door Impreza. The Magherafelt man plans to compete on the Galloway Hills as a shakedown.

Bernard O’Neill, co-driven by Eugene O’Kane in an Escort, did enough on the Gullion Stage Rally to clinch the NI Tracker Clubmans Championship.

Moneyreagh’s Raymond Mason is another planning to contest the Galloway Hills, but switching his long time association with GpN Subarus to a Lancer.

The Get Connected Championship, which has been pushing for a real presence in Irish Rallying over the last few years, will have a different name and a much reduced Irish programme, probably only West Cork, in 2004.