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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday March 7th
TOP
CONTENDERS GEAR UP FOR THE Round two of the Pacenotes Northern Ireland Rally Championship takes off on St. Patrick's Day, March 17th, at Bishopscourt Racing Circuit. The entries are flowing in for the McGrady Insurance Bishopscourt Stages Rally, with an incredible one hundred and thirty cars expected to start the first of six timed special stages, totalling forty stage miles. Amongst the entries are the winners of the first Northern Ireland Championship round, and last weekends Willie Loughman Memorial Forest Rally, Stephen Moore and Tony McHugh in their fabulous Ford Focus WRC '05, Toshiba Rally winner Sean Devine in his Subaru S9 WRC, and 2006 championship runner up Glen Allen in his slightly older Toyota Corolla WRC. Fermanagh's Raymond Johnston in his Impreza WRC and the similarly mounted Denis Biggerstaff from Kinallen, and Kilrea's Kieran Shaw could also be dark horses for outright honours. It will be a World Rally Car extravaganza at Bishopscourt, but rallying of all classes is catered for, from WRC to clubmen, including a huge entry in the rear wheel drive modified class. Event sponsor, Downpatrick's Fintan McGrady, will be "swinging the tail" of his pristine new MK2 Escort, with James Kennedy' similar machine and the Escort Maxi Kit Car of Roy Haslett also set to provide fireworks in that class In the Group N class for near standard Production cars, Evo Challenge front runner Neil McCance starts as favourite in his Mitsubishi Evo 9, with tough opposition from a healthy Group N field including Ballynahinch Club members Jim Crozier, Evo 8, John Walker, Evo 8, last years Group N champion Stanley Ballantine, Evo 9. The Group N boys will also be racing for a free fill up as Sunoco Race Fuels are awarding a free drum of racing fuel to the Group N winner on the day. Other interesting entries include Davy Francis in his lightweight 500 horse power Escort Cosworth acting as a course opening car and a couple of early entries in the new Historic class, including the MK1 Escort of Phillip McDowell, and the MK2 of Alan Jardine. Hugh Murdock is making his way from Scotland to compete and there is also a healthy entry from Donegal. The Ballynahinch & District Motor Club have already started the busy job of assembling the course, with many artificial chicanes being erected to add to the challenge. It promises to be an action packed event, For
further general information contact
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