As of today the Motorsport Governing Body in Ireland (Motorsport Ireland) have introduced a new section to their website designated to the Billy Coleman Award Winner.

For the remainder of 2010 you now have the option to keep up to date with Craig Breen and his progress throughout the season www.motorsportireland.com .

You will find the section under the "Most Popular" heading and then click on "Billy Coleman Award".

PREVIEW: Intercontinental Rally Challenge, round three of 12
Personal Rally Argentina
19-21 March, 2010

Rally Argentina preview

THE CHALLENGE

The dust might have only just settled on a thrilling Rally Internacional de Curitba but the Intercontinental Rally Challenge regulars are already gearing up for the third round of the series in Argentina next week (19-21 March).

Based in the picturesque town of Carlos Paz, 2,200 kilometres south of Curitiba, Rally Argentina might be new to the IRC but it is one of the world's most established rallies and celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2010.

Famed for its demanding terrain, challenging water splashes and enthusiastic fans that turn out in their thousands to watch the action, Rally Argentina is set to be one of the highlights of the IRC season.

In a break with tradition, two asphalt stages will be included on the mainly gravel-based itinerary this year: the two runs over the Super Special Stage Carlos Paz, which uses closed public roads in the centre of the host town. The first run will take place on the evening of Friday 19 March with the second bringing the event to a close on the afternoon of Sunday 21 March.

The stage, which measures 3.30-kilometres in length, runs past several landmarks in Carlos Paz by the banks of the San Roque Lake and is linked together by two hairpin turns. Crews will tackle the stage in pairs, albeit starting at opposite ends of the course, which is set to create an exciting spectacle.

Following a 20-minute service halt at the permanent service park in Carlos Paz, Saturday's leg features seven stages in the Calamuchita valley, with Sunday's action taking in the gravel roads of the Punilla valley, where six stages will be run before the second Super Special Stage in Carlos Paz. The competitive route is just shy of 240 kilometres. There will be a total of six visits to the Carlos Paz service park.

Although they are flowing in nature, the stages in Argentina are renowned for being slightly slower but more technically demanding than those experienced in Curitiba. The surface is also sandier, which increases the risk of punctures because of a greater likelihood of rocks being pulled into the road by the competing cars. Because the road surface is softer, ruts can form following the first pass. However, the forecast is for dry, albeit cloudy weather in the build-up to the rally.

The sandy surface could lead to anomalies in the stage times with the traditional Group N machinery, such as the Subaru Impreza and Ralliart Mitsubishi Lancer, likely to be more evenly matched with the Super 2000 cars (M-Sport's Ford Fiesta, Peugeot's 207 and Skoda's Fabia), which are set to challenge for overall victory.

Because the Super 2000 machines rely on normally aspirated power, they do not have the same levels of torque as the turbo-charged Group N machines and could be put at a disadvantage, particularly when exiting corners. It will require those in Super 2000 cars to adopt a smooth driving style in order to avoid excessive time loss.

Sixty-nine crews have entered Rally Argentina, the highest number to have registered for a round of the IRC so far this season. While the majority are based in Argentina, several have travelled from Brazil and Uruguay to contest the Codasur championship, which runs in tandem with the IRC and Argentine national championship on the event. The cars and equipment belonging to the IRC regulars who competed in Brazil were transported in convoy by road from Curitiba to Carlos Paz.

Juho Hanninen leads the IRC standings heading to Rally Argentina

THE COMPETITORS

While Curitiba winner and defending IRC champion Kris Meeke had the edge over his rivals in Brazil due to his previous knowledge of the stages, the Peugeot UK driver's experience of the Argentine roads is limited to a recce he carried out in 2005 when he was contesting the Junior World Rally Championship. Although the Northern Irishman has some idea of the terrain he will face, he admits he will be starting from scratch when he begins his preparations for the event next week alongside Irish co-driver Paul Nagle.

Juho Hanninen's experience of the event was garnered from an outing in the Production Car World Rally Championship in 2007 when he finished third in the Group N-based category. The factory Skoda Motorsport driver, who moved into the lead of the IRC standings following a hard-fought third place finish in Curtiba after an early puncture, says he is a big fan of the rally.

Jan Kopecky, Hanninen's Skoda Motorsport team-mate, has never competed in Argentina before so will be looking to call upon the Finn's knowledge of the stages in an effort to improve upon the fourth-place finish he achieved in Brazil. Both drivers will be fighting fit when they reach Carlos Paz for the recce early next week after undertaking a week-long training session.

Guy Wilks, who will line-up in a Skoda UK Motorsport-run Fabia, has fond memories of competing in Argentina after topping the Junior world championship classification on the event in 2006. After finishing second in Curitiba earlier this month, the British driver has high hopes of adding to his impressive points' total. He prepared for Argentina with a short break in Brazil before embarking on a fitness training programme in Argentina.

Nasser Al-Attiyah has described Rally Argentina as his favourite rally in the world so it is fitting, therefore, that the Qatari has chosen to make his IRC debut on the gravel event at the wheel of a Rene Georges Rally Sport-run Fabia. While Al-Attiyah might be an unknown quantity as far as the IRC is concerned, he has a strong pedigree in Argentina. He was second on January's Dakar Rally, which started and finished in the Argentine capital Buenos Aires, and won Group N on Rally Argentina last season.

Federico Villagra is one of Argentina's most successful rally drivers after winning his country's domestic title on eight occasions. The 40-year-old, nicknamed El Coyote, will give M-Sport's Ford Fiesta S2000 its latest outing in the IRC although his lack of time behind the wheel of the car could put him at a slight disadvantage during the opening stages. Rally Argentina is likely to mark Villagra's only outing in the IRC this season so he will be determined to put on a strong show.

Bruno Magalhaes starts Rally Argentina on the back of another IRC points haul in Brazil. Although he wasn't entirely satisfied with his performance in Curitiba, he used the closing stages of the rally to experiment with different set-ups on his Peugeot Portugal 207 S2000. The 29-year-old from Lisbon had not driven on gravel for nine months before competing in Brazil so will be better prepared in Argentina.

Stohl Racing's Daniel Oliveira is the last of the IRC regulars competing in Argentina and will start the Carlos Paz-based rally on a high after picking up his first points of the season in Brazil. The 24-year-old Peugeot 207 driver has only been competing for a year but has done the bulk of his rallies in Argentina so will have some useful experience to call upon.

Aside from the IRC regulars there will be a host of Argentine drivers capable of finishing in the top ten on the rally. Gabriel Pozzo is highly regarded and won the first round of the Argentine championship, Rally Mina Clavero, last month. He will team up with Claudio Menzi in the two-car Barettero Subaru team. Luciano Bernardi leads the Tango Rally Team's challenge in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X where he will be joined by Nicolas Madero, Alejandro Cancio and Marcos Ligato.

Brazilians Luciano Fleck and Rafael Tulio will be among the favourites for IRC 2WD Cup honours in their Peugeot 207s, as will Argentina's Pablo Palaez in a Honda Civic.

Kris Meeke's experience of the Argentine stages is limited

THE EXPECTATIONS

Juho Hanninen (Finland), Skoda Fabia S2000: "I like this rally a lot but it won't be easy because the local Group N drivers will be very strong. We will be fit and ready but the sandy stages won't be so good for our car because we don't have the torque that the Group N turbos do. As a result, you need to be smooth with your driving style to keep up the speed otherwise you can lose a lot of time. There is always a fantastic atmosphere on this rally with all the fans so I can't wait and it will be interesting to see what Nasser Al-Attiyah can do in his Skoda. I think he can be very strong."

Kris Meeke (United Kingdom), Peugeot 207 S2000: "I've a half idea of what to expect from the recce we did five years ago but it will be a clean sheet of paper approach when we get there. We'll have more opposition than we did in Brazil with Nasser Al-Attiyah and Federico Vilagra, who will both be strong because they are quick but also know the rally very well. The important thing is to get points. With the victory under our belts in Brazil we don't have to win in Argentina so there is less pressure on us this time."

Federico Villagra (Argentina), Ford Fiesta S2000: "I've done Rally Argentina many times now, which should certainly help us but I've not driven the Fiesta yet, although I hear that it is very good. I'm planning a test in Argentina with the car before the rally, and I will know a little more then. I have to say though that I have driven the latest specification Group N car, with the 33mm restrictor, and I was really impressed. So I think the 'normal' Group N cars will be very competitive in Argentina as well."

Federico Villagra is an eight-time Argentine rally champion

TV TIMES

Eurosport, Europe's largest television channel, will show highlights of each day of the rally. Highlights will also be available at www.rally-irc.com.

Saturday 20 March
00:00-00:30: Day one highlights (Eurosport and Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
Sunday 21 March
00:00-00:30: Day two highlights (Eurosport and Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
Monday 22 March
06:30-07:00: Day two highlights repeated (Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
08:30-09:00: Day two highlights repeated (Eurosport)
Tuesday 23 March
23:30-24:00: Magazine (Eurosport and Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
Wednesday 24 March
03:30-04:00: Day two highlights repeated (Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
09:00-09:30: Magazine repeated (Eurosport)
All times are CET

EVENT ESSENTIALS

Event: Personal Rally Argentina
Starts: Friday 19 March
Finishes: Sunday 21 March
Entries received: 69
IRC appearances: None
2009 winners: N/A
Surface: gravel (except for asphalt-based Super Special Stage Carlos Paz)
Number of stages: 15
Special stage distance: 238.62 kilometres
Liaison distance: 789.38kms
Total distance: 1028.00kms
Itinerary (all times shown are local): Leg one, part one (Friday 19 March): Start: 16:42hrs; SS1: Super Special Stage Carlos Paz 1 (3.30kms), 17:00hrs. Leg one, part two (Saturday 20 March): Service A: Carlos Paz, 06:10hrs; SS2: Las Bajadas-Villa del Dique 1 (16.57kms), 08:13hrs; SS3: Amboy-Santa Monica 1 (20.43kms), 09:00hrs; SS4: Santa Rosa-San Agustin 1 (21.53kms), 09:41hrs; SS5: San Agustin-Villa General Belgrano 1 (16.46kms), 10:24hrs; Service B: Carlos Paz, 12:14hrs; SS6: Las Bajadas-Villa del Dique 2 (16.57kms), 14:57hrs; SS7: Amboy-Santa Monica 2 (20.43kms), 15:44hrs; SS8: Santa Rosa-San Agustin 2 (21.53kms), 16:25hrs; Service C: Carlos Paz, 18:20hrs. Leg two (Sunday 21 March): Service D: Carlos Paz, 06:40hrs; SS9: La Cumbre-Agua de Oro (15.06kms), 08:13hrs; SS10: Ascochinga-La Cumbre (22.40kms), 09:13hrs; SS11: Valle Hermoso-Casa Grande 1 (11.34kms), 10:08hrs; SS12: Cosquin-Villa Allende 1 (19.18kms), 10:40hrs; Service E: Carlos Paz, 12:10hrs; SS13: Valle Hermoso-Casa Grande 2 (11.34kms), 14:08hrs; SS14: Cosquin-Villa Allende 2 (19.18kms), 14:40hrs; SS15: Super Special Stage Carlos Paz 2 (3.30kms), 16:23hrs; Service F: Carlos Paz, 16:33hrs; Finish: Carlos Paz, 16:53hrs.

LEADING ENTRIES (UNSEEDED)

Juho Hanninen (FIN)/Mikko Markkula (FIN) Skoda Fabia S2000
Guy Wilks (GBR)/Phil Pugh (GBR) Skoda Fabia S2000
Kris Meeke (GBR)/Paul Nagle (IRL) Peugeot 207 S2000
Jan Kopecky (CZE)/Petr Stary (CZE) Skoda Fabia S2000
Bruno Magalhaes (POR)/Carlos Magalhaes (POR) Peugeot 207 S2000
Daniel Oliveira (BRA)/Carlos del Barrio (ESP) Peugeot 207 S2000
Nasser Al-Attiyah (QAT)/Giovanni Bernacchini (ITA) Skoda Fabia S2000
Federico Villagra (ARG)/Jorge Perez Companc (ARG) Ford Fiesta S2000
Marcos Ligato (ARG)/Ruben Garcia (ARG) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X
Gabriel Pozzo (ARG)/Daniel Stillo (ARG) Subaru Impreza WRX

CHAMPIONSHIP POSITIONS

Drivers after round two of 12
1 Juho Hanninen (Finland) 14pts
2 Guy Wilks (United Kingdom) 11pts
3 Kris Meeke (United Kingdom) 10pts
= Mikko Hirvonen (Finland) 10pts
5 Jan Kopecky (Czech Republic) 9pts
6 Bruno Magalhaes (Portugal) 6pts
= Nicolas Vouilloz (France) 6pts
8 Stephane Sarrazin (France) 5pts
9 Eduardo Scheer (Brazil) 3pts
10 Daniel Oliveira (Brazil) 2pts etc

Manufacturers after round two of 12
1 Skoda 28pts
2 Peugeot 21pts
3 M-Sport 10pts
4 Ralliart 3pts

2WD Drivers after round two of 12
1 Kris Princen (Belgium) 10pts
= Marcos Tokarski (Brazil) 10pts
3 Luis Tedesco (Brazil) 8pts
= Pierre Campana (France) 8pts
5 Thomas Barral (France) 6pts
= Ulysses Bertholdo (Brazil) 6pts
7 Simone Campedelli (Italy) 5pts
= Luciano Fleck (Brazil) 5pts
9 Jean-Michel Raoux (France) 4pts
= Pablo Alejandro Palaez (Argentina) 4pts etc

2WD Manufacturers after round two of 12
1 Peugeot 26pts
2 M-Sport 14pts
3 Abarth 8pts
4 Skoda 5pts
5 Honda 4pts

Rally Argentina’s challenging gravel special stages are made famous by the unusually high number of river crossings that have to be negotiated, and Guy Wilks hopes to be walking on water when he attacks those watersplashes flat-out in his Škoda UK Motorsport Fabia S2000, in his quest for victory on Round 3 of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge (19-21 March).

Guy and co-driver Phil Pugh have contested the event once before, winning the FIA Junior World Rally Championship category there in 2006. They remember the stages well, but the loose road surface in such a wet region can change in character so much over four years, that previous experience may not give them the advantage they might have otherwise enjoyed.

Based in the town of Villa Carlos Paz – a popular holiday destination for Argentineans, on the shores of San Roque Lake in the province of Córdoba, around 435 miles (700kms) northwest of Buenos Aires – Guy is aiming to do well on Rally Argentina and return from his epic South American adventure with as many points as possible, having already finished 2nd on his first appearance on Rally Brazil (4-6 March).

Since Rally Brazil, Guy and Phil and the rest of the Škoda UK Motorsport team have stayed in South America, training together in the 32°C heat of Rio de Janeiro before flying to Carlos Paz for a pre-event test and recce.

Rally Argentina sees a very high quality entry. Guy, who is currently second in the IRC drivers’ table, will be up against his regular IRC rivals Kris Meeke and Bruno Magalhăes and his Škoda Motorsport stable-mates Juho Hänninen (current leader of the IRC) and Jan Kopecký, plus Nasser Al-Attiyah (six-time Middle East Rally Champion and 2010 Dakar Rally winner from Qatar), who is also driving a privately-run Fabia S2000.

Rally Argentina will also count for the Argentine and South American Rally Championships and is part of the country’s Bicentenary celebrations.  It has therefore attracted a very strong local entry, led by seven-time Argentine Rally Champion Federico Villagra, plus Marcos Ligato and Gabriel Pozzo.

In addition to scoring top points and helping Škoda maintain its lead in the IRC manufacturers’ standings, Guy would love to give the Škoda Fabia S2000 a rally win, so close to the brand unveiling the exciting Fabia vRS at the Geneva Motor Show. With an impressive 180bhp coming from its double-supercharged, four-cylinder 1.4 litre petrol engine, the road car is every bit as exciting to drive as the rally car.

Guy Wilks: “I’ve competed Rally Argentina once before, but in rallying terms, 2006 is a long time ago.  Whilst I can remember the stages quite well, the conditions might have changed a lot.  We’re going to go to a stage that’s not being used this year but was in 2006, to check our pace notes and see exactly what the situation is.

“In any case, the Škoda Fabia S2000 we’ll be driving this year is an awful lot quicker than the J-WRC car we competed in before, so the speeds will be significantly higher, the jumps higher and the watersplashes more hazardous, so in preparing for the event we have to take all of this into consideration.

“We want to try to win Rally Argentina. It’s never easy to win a rally, and that will be the case in Argentina because there will be a lot of high-quality opposition.  All our main IRC rivals are there and the local star drivers will be fast, but it’s certainly our aim to win.

“We had a two-rally game plan coming to South America, and part of it was to stay here between events to train in the heat. It’s a lot of work and a long time away from home, and to return to Britain with a first and a second place finish would be absolutely fantastic.

“We set ourselves very high standards and there is a lot Škoda UK Motorsport wants to achieve this year. Second in Brazil was a good result, but we really want to win one of these South American rounds, and doing that in Argentina would be very special.”

Rally Argentina will start on Friday 19 March at 17:00 with a spectacular 2.5 mile (4km) super-special stage on the streets of Villa Carlos Paz.

Leg 1 continues the following day, with six stages in the Calamuchita Valley region. Three stages in the morning are repeated in the afternoon, separated by service in Villa Carlos Paz, with the day’s competition totaling 85.45 miles (137.52kms).

Leg 2 takes place in the Punilla Valley on Sunday (21 March), with four stages in the morning and a repeat of two in the afternoon totaling 63.4 mile (102kms). The day includes the famous Ascochinga-La Cumbre stage which, at 14 miles (22.4kms), is the longest of the event.

There are 15 stages in total, equaling 150 miles (240kms). There are also 491 miles (790kms) of link road sections, which means very long days for Guy and Phil – starting at 06.00 and not finishing until well after dark each evening.

The rally will finish on Sunday afternoon with a repeat of the super-special stage in Villa Carlos Paz.

Eurosport and Eurosport 2 will broadcast recorded highlights from each day of the Rally Argentina, so please check TV listings for details.

Fans will also be able to follow Guy’s progress on Twitter (http://twitter.com/GuyWilks), Facebook and www.guywilks.com. 

Superb action from Ireland's most prestigious sporting event, the world famous Circuit of Ireland Rally.

This Duke DVD highlights four classic years from the mid-'80s and the early '90s. The famous battle between the Mantas of Jimmy McRae and Russell Brookes from 1985 gets proceedings off to a great start.

Then comes the year of the supercar, 1986, in which the fragile Group B projectiles fought a rally of attrition, which ultimately saw David Llewellin survive to take the win with the MG Metro 6R4.

Fast forward to 1990 and Llewellin claimed his second win, this time in a Group A Toyota Celica GT4. Colin McRae made a big impression that year on his way to third place in a 2WD Ford Sierra Sapphire RS Cosworth.

The final year on this collection is 1993, and the Circuit of Ireland had become an all Irish affair, featuring the Subaru Legacys of Kenny McKinstry and Bertie Fisher and the ultimate winner Austin McHale, driving a Toyota Celica GT4.

The Circuit of Ireland in those days was a true test of man and machinery, and Duke have yet again come up trumps with archive material which truly reflects this epic event.

Circuit of Ireland From Group B to the McRaes
Running Time = 173 mins
RRP = £19.56 (Duke Price £16.99)

RallyBuzz readers can receive a 10% discount by entering ‘RBUZZ’ at the checkout online www.dukevideo.com, or if ordering by phone on 01624 640000 just quote the code ‘RBUZZ’.

SRC:  "KILLER KIELDER" AWAITS

Reigning Scottish title-holder David Bogie, current points leader Jock  Armstrong and last year's runner-up Mike Faulkner head a field of 110 entries for next  Saturday's (March 20th) Brick & Steel Border Counties Rally, the second round of the Hankook MSA Scottish Championship.

The Jedburgh-based event will be Bogie's first competitive outing of 2010, and he will use it as a  "shakedown" for the start of the British series, the Bulldog International, the following weekend.

The Dumfries ace, who finished runner-up on the Border Counties last year, put his Mitsubishi Evo 9 through its paces during a half-day's testing at the Sweet Lamb complex in Wales earlier this week.

“The session went really well and we'll continue to work on the settings on the Border Counties”, said Bogie: “I've not driven the car competitively since Rally Scotland last November, so it'll be great to be in action again”.

Armstrong, meanwhile, comes off the back of a dominant victory on the season- opening Arnold Clark Thistle Hotel Snowman Rally, where he mastered the treacherous conditions and finished with a winning margin of more than two and a half minutes.

Since then, Armstrong's Subaru Impreza has been "re-mapped" and consideration will also be given to suspension settings for the demanding Kielder and Border forest stages.

"We changed the front suspension settings for the Snowman and the car was turning in better, so we might look at that again, depending on the conditions ", said  the Castle Douglas driver.

Mike Faulkner took a well-earned final podium spot in Inverness ("it was a  case of survival") and is determined to keep up the momentum as he chases the Scottish title.

"We just want to get stuck in to maximum attack on the famous “killer Kielder” roads!", declared Faulkner, adding:  "The strength of the entry means there is no room for error. We'll have to be on the pace from the word go or we could finish outside the top ten. To have that kind of entry is fantastic and just the challenge we are looking for."

Fourth seed Dave Weston Jnr will be back in action on the Border Counties as he continues to gain experience in his new Subaru Impreza N2010, in preparation for his BRC campaign.

The 19-year-old Aberdeen competitor had an impressive debut in the new car, winning the Production Cup on Rallye Sunseeker at the end of February.

Rally car preparation expert Wayne Sisson is aiming to kick-start his Hankook SRC campaign, following a day to forget on the first round, when his Evo 9 ended up stuck in snow after sliding off on the second stage.

"The plan is to finish and get some points on the board", said Carnforth-based Sisson: "The Snowman was a big disappointment, but we've got to put that behind us and crack on".

Stonehaven's Barry Groundwater will also be targeting a strong performance, after a difficult day in the Highland forests which saw him finish just inside the top 30 in his Mitsubishi Evo 9.

The SRC regular has a good record on the Border Counties, with top ten finishes in both 2008 and 2009.

For Alick Kerr, finishing runner-up on the Snowman was  a "dream start" to the season, and the 21-year-old Bothwell driver, with experienced navigator Neil Shanks on the notes, is out to build on his championship challenge.

This will be Kerr's first "Borders" outing in three years: last year he was between cars in making the switch from a Ford Fiesta to his current Subaru Impreza, while in 2008 he had to sit out the event following an operation.

After being hit by five punctures and running out of spare tyres, Rory Young was more than a little surprised to end the day fourth overall on the Snowman in his Mitsubishi Evo 5.

The Dumfries farmer, currently lying second in Hankook Group N behind Armstrong, has had a run of consistent results on the Border Counties in recent years, finishing seventh in 2009, and sixth the previous two years.

Fellow GpN challenger Shaun Sinclair endured "a very frustrating" Snowman, conceding that he had suffered from poor tyre choice in the unpredictable conditions., and is aiming to getting his campaign back on track.

"We just couldn't get the tyres to work on the Snowman, and lost so much time, there was  no way back", said Sinclair's co-driver Chris Hamill: "But hopefully, it'll be business as usual on the Border Counties, and we can put some pressure on the GpN front-runners".

Andy Horne rounds off the top ten starters in Jedburgh in his DAM 4100Gti – the Inverness-based  driver mightily relieved with a sixth-place finish on his home event, after  eight straight DNF's last season.

Having replaced the V8 engine with a V6 just prior to the event, Horne is hoping the Snowman result signals the start of a more reliable phase for his ever-popular Metro 6R4-based machine.

The Escort Mk2 contingent is led by Northern Ireland's Frank Kelly with his car fresh from a recent rebuild.

Further work, including a new 5 cylinder, 2 litre engine, is on the cards as the season progresses.

Last year, Kelly declared the Kielder stages as "being very different" to any surface he had driven on previously. He subsequently honed his "Scottish" driving style by participating in the majority of Hankook SRC rounds.

Opined Kelly: " I firmly believe that if you can go hard in Scotland, then you'll be able to go hard anywhere! It's such a challenge to keep a Mk2 on the road and still try to compete given the various levels of grip".

One driver who knows how to get the best out of the Scottish stages is fellow Mk2 maestro Steve Bannister from Malton, who finished tenth overall on the Jedburgh-based rally last year,  while Duns-based Mike Horne will also be aiming for a strong showing on his home event.

Amongst the various categories, Alnwick farmer Carl Tuer will be looking for a repeat of last year's top honours in Class 4 in his MG ZR S1600, but can expect strong competition from current points leader Stewart Davidson of Aboyne in a Protron Satria, and Paisley's  Alasdair Graham in a Vauxhall Corsa.

The class also includes a number of Honda Civic competitors,  led by Euan Duncan, Ross Hunter and Graeme Schoneville – who, as well as chasing SRC points, will also be contesting the inaugural round of the Brick & Steel Civic Ecosse Challenge.

The new format will run alongside the hugely-popular and successful 205 series, with, amongst others, Garry Pearson, Steven Smith and Jamie Watson all looking to impress in their respective "Pugs" in the Border forests.

Competitors will tackle five stages, totalling around 44 miles, in the Kielder and Wauchope forest complexes, including some sections which have not been used for several years.

After the success of last year, Rally HQ will again be based at the refurbished town hall in Jedburgh, overlooking the start/finish in Abbey Place.

The first car will be flagged off at 0830 on Saturday, with the first car due to finish around 1345.

Full details, including a seeded entry list, can be found at www.bordercountiesrally.co.uk

For news of all SRC events, go to www.scottishrallychampionship.co.uk

Brick & Steel Border Counties Rally – Top 10 seeds, with car no.

1  David Bogie (Dumfries)/Kevin Rae (Hawick)  Mitsubishi Evo 9

2  Jock Armstrong (Castle Douglas)/Kirsty Riddick (Haugh of Urr) Subaru Impreza

3  Mike Faulkner (Lockerbie)/Peter Foy (Bingle)  Mitsubishi Evo 6

4  Dave Weston Jnr (Aberdeen)/Ieuan Thomas (Dyfed) Subaru Impreza N2010

5  Wayne Sisson (Carnforth)/David Macfadyen (Inverness) Mitsubishi Evo 9

6  Barry Groundwater(Stonehaven)/Daniel Paterson (Stonehaven) Mitusbishi Evo 9

7  Alick Kerr (Bothwell)/Neil Shanks (Elgin) Subaru Impreza

8  Rory Young (Dumfries)/Allan Cathers (Carlisle) Mitsubishi Evo 5

9  Shaun Sinclair (Oban)/Chris Hamill (Oban) Mitsubishi Evo 9

10 Andy Horne (Inverness)/Jim Howie (Kilmarnock) DAM 4100 Gti

Event sponsor Fintan McGrady and Clerk of the Course Paul Conlon gearing up for the Ballynahinch and District Motor Club event.

This Saturday 13th March 2010 the McGrady Insurance Bishopscourt Stages Rally, round two of the Hankook Northern Ireland Rally Championship takes place. Despite the current economic climate, an extensive entry has been received for the event, run by the Ballynahinch and District Motor Club.

The entry is lead by last year’s winner, reigning Northern Ireland Champion, Derek McGarrity who recorded a win on the first round of this year’s Hankook series at Kirkistown. At number two, former NI Champion George Robinson is fresh from a third place finish at Kirkistown and he like Derek McGarrity will be Subaru mounted, albeit an older P2000 model.

At 3, Belfast garage owner Gary White in his 555 Subaru is hoping for better luck than Kirkistown when the car sheared its wheel studs on the start line of the first stage! 21 year old Stuart Biggerstaff is at number 4, in an S9 Impreza, the rally rookie fresh from a fantastic second place finish at Kirkistown.

Raymond Johnston leads the Group N chargers in his Mitsubishi Evo 9, Raymond the Group N winner at Kirkistown, and rally car trader Kieron Graffin is next up having finished a close second to Raymond at Kirkistown.

John McGlaughlin and Alan Carmichael are in similar Evo 9’s at 7 and 8, whilst top two wheel drive seed is Drew Stewart, fresh from finishing 6th overall at Kirkistown in his MK2 Escort. On his tail is event sponsor Fintan McGrady in his 2 litre MK2 Escort. Fintan had a great run on this event last year.

The top ten is only a sample of the 90 odd entrants who will race off the start line of the first of six stages just after 9 am on Saturday morning. You can also keep up to date with the stage times on the event, as live results are available on www.rallyscore.net

McGrady Insurance Bishopscourt Stages 2010 - Top 10

1 Derek McGarrity TBA Subaru Impreza WRC S12
2 George Robinson Tommy Speers Subaru Impreza P2000 WRC
3 Gary White Dominic Carson Subaru Impreza 555
4 Stuart Biggerstaff Damien McCann Subaru Impreza S9 WRC
5 Raymond Johnston Fabian McAleer Mitsubishi Evo 9 “N”
6 Kieron Graffin Neil Doherty Mitsubishi Evo 9 “N”
7 John McGlaughlin Graham Curry Mitsubishi Evo 9 “N”
8 Alan Carmichael Ivor Lamont Mitsubishi Evo 9 “N”
9 Drew Stewart Steven Park Ford Escort MK2
10 Fintan McGrady Cormac McGrady Ford Escort MK2