Motorsport Ireland weekend preview home/away
Kerry Motor Club will once again hold their popular RallySprint this Saturday in the confines of Tralee Racecourse. Clerk of the Course Jason Brick has laid out a challenging 2.3km stage consisting on a mixture of tarmac and gravel. The stage will be run four times throughout the day and the event has attracted some high profile entries including two time winner Pat O’Connell in his Mitsubishi Evolution 9. Other high profile entries include the rapid Ed O’Callaghan in his Mark 2 Ford Escort and Irish Forestry Rally Championship frontrunner, Owen Murphy. Gates open at Tralee Racecourse at 10.30am on Saturday with the first run expected around 11.30am. Admission is just €5 with under 16’s going free. For more information on the event, visit www.kerrymotorclub.com.
On Sunday, Clare Motor Club will host round 5 of the Pat Kerley Doors & Windows National Grass Surface Autocross at Ballymulcahel, Kilmurry, Co.Clare. Clerk of the Course this year is Christy Carey. After scrutiny, practice will begin at 11am sharp followed by the first timed runs at 11.30am.
Looking abroad, Waterford driver Craig Breen will look to extend his lead in the FIA European Rally Championship in Estonia this weekend. Breen, who holds a 21 point advantage in the series in his Peugeot 208 T16 will be keen to secure more points after a non finish on the previous round of the championship in Belgium. Breen’s rally will start with qualifying on Friday morning before a spectator stage that evening. Saturday will see Breen and his UK co-driver Scott Martin tackle nine stages before six stages on Sunday which will conclude the event. The fast gravel roads in Estonia are much akin to the famous rally roads of Finland and will provide a stern challenge for Breen, as will a number of local entrants in R5 cars but the Irishman is focused on getting another strong result; “We go to Estonia with the same goal as we went to Ypres, and that is to extend our championship lead by winning. We will have plenty of driver’s intent on stopping us but have a very proven package on this terrain.”
