Irish & British go head to head for 2nd weekend in a row
Following on from the hugely successful Irish and British Rallycross meeting at Mondello Park last weekend, this weekend sees competitors from both sides of the water compete head to head once again on the ALMC Stages Rally based out of Trim, Co. Meath. The rally, a counting round of the loughransigns.com Midlands East Rally Championship is also a round of the Reis MSA Asphalt Rally Championship with the latter championship accounting for 40 entries from the other side of the Irish Sea this weekend.
UK drivers fill slots 1-7 on the entry with the field being headed by Simon Mauger in his unusual but rapid, Millington engined Metro. He will be closely followed by Steve Simpson in a Subaru Impreza World Rally Car. Simpson, a regular competitor in Ireland will be looking to make up for a disappointing 2014 ALMC rally which saw him crash out of the event. Long term REIS competitor will start at number 3 in his Ford Focus World Rally Car. The highest seeded local driver is Monaghan’s Brendan Cumiskey who will start at number 8 in his Group N Subaru Impreza while top local 2 wheel drive pilot is Ashbourne’s Jack Newman in his 2 litre Mark 2 Ford Escort but Newman will face stiff competition from experienced drivers like Pat Donegan, Trevor Mulligan and Liam Howlett to name but a few. Top junior competitor will be Enfield’s Tom Holton Jnr but with 9 crews entered the pace will be hot from the start whil John Reid leads a 3 car historic entry in his Mark 2 Ford Escort.
A ceremonial start will take place in the car park next to The Courthouse and Cannon in Trim this Saturday from 7pm with approximately 20 cars on display which the public can get to see up close as well as head interviews with the drivers. The action will start on Sunday morning with the cars leaving the Castle Arch Hotel a 9am before tackling 3 stages repeated 3 times. Service will take place in the Oaktree Business Park and the wining car is expected back at event headquarters for the finish ramp celebrations at 5.15pm.
Elsewhere, Cork Motor Club will run an autotest at the Corrin Marts in Fermoy. Competition will start from 5.30pm.
