Motorsport Fans Spoiled For Choice This Weekend
As the Easter holidays draw to a close there is no let up in top motorsport action with a host of Motorsport Ireland events taking place up and down the country this weekend.
Top billing this weekend goes to the Munster Car Club’s Moonraker Forestry Rally which is based out of the Abbey Hotel in Ballyvourney. Nearly 60 crews have entered for the event and the format will be 4 stages repeated twice, giving a total of 64km. Championship leader Michael O’Brien heads to the event with a narrow 5 point lead in the Valvoline Irish Forestry Championship over Northern Ireland’s Niall Henry while Andrew Purcell, who won the previous round in Donegal is also entered. 2 of the more interesting entries are those of World Rally Championship hopeful Keith Cronin who will tackle the event in an Citroen DS3 R5 while tarmac regular Daragh O’Riordan will venture into the woods in his Ford Fiesta World Rally Car for the first time. The first cars will leave rally headquarters at 9am this Sunday with last year’s rally winner and reigning forestry champion Owen Murphy leading the field away.
Elsewhere County Cavan Motor Club are hosting the third round of the MC Blinds Autocross Championship at Latton Quarry near Cootehill with proceedings getting underway at 10.30am on Sunday. Petrol heads in the west and east of the country will also be in for a treat with Clare Motor Club holding an autotest in the Mart in Ennis on Saturday and Sunday while Wexford Motor Club will host their popular hillclimb at Carrig-On-Bannow on Saturday starting at 12.30pm.
Photo; Padraig Foran of Rally Focus Media.
