The Cork Mini Stages Rally which takes place on Sunday, June 8th 2008 has attracted an oversubscribed entry of 198 cars.  Only 151 cars will be allowed to start the event leaving those on reserve with an anxious wait to see if they get a run. The event takes place in the Donoughmore area and is the fourth round of the National Junior Rally Championship. The club are pleased to announce that the highest finishing registered driver in this category will receive a free entry to the Cork Forest Rally in August.

The number one seeds are local men and event sponsors Leonard Downey with William Kiely in the passenger seat in their Mk2 Escort. Leonard is a very quick and spectacular driver and starting at number one in what is a home rally for him should give him an even bigger incentive. At number 2 are very familiar and welcome Welsh visitors Gwyndaf Evans and Martin Henry also in a Mk2. Gwyndaf has had many fine results over the years in the West Cork Rally. At three are the Kerry crew of Dave Slattery and Ger Somers who will fancy their chances of a good result in yet another Escort. Number 4 seeds are Barry Meade and Colin Fitzgerald. This young crew are extremely quick and must start as one of the favourites for outright victory in their Mk2 Escort.

Breaking the Escort dominance is the Darrian T90 of Killarneys Willie Power with Adrian Deasy in the left hand seat. The Darrian is an extremely quick car and could well lead the Escorts home. Ed Synan with co-driver Denis O’Connell is at 6 in an Escort. Ed hasn’t a lot of rallying done in recent years, but finished a fine second in the Limerick Mini Stages in January. At seven is Edward O’Callaghan who won the Limerick Mini Stages and performed very well in West Cork also. He has switched from his Manta to an Escort for this event and will be thereabouts at the finish.

Three more Escorts are at numbers eight, nine and ten in the hands of quick West Cork driver Fintan Canty, Clareman Mike Moloney in his rotary engined Mk2, and Michael Curran from county Meath. Potential winners aren’t confined to the top ten however, as there are many more competitive drivers in the top twenty. Included in these are Diarmuid Keohane, former Billy Coleman award winner Owen Murphy in his Fiesta, as well as Kerry trio John & Charlie Hickey and Adrian Randles.

Damien McCarthy leads the contenders for the National Junior Rally Championship at number 29, followed by Peter Wilson and Jason Ryan at 30 and 31 all in Civics. Current championship leader Mark Sheahan is at number 35 in his Peugeot 206. The action gets under way at 11am with the first of four stages beginning at 11.50am. The first car is due back in Donoughmore after the last stage at approximately half past three.  The marshals meeting point is at Donoughmore Community Centre at 9.30am. Press & media sign on for the event will also take place at the Community Centre from 9.30am till 10.45am on that morning.

The stages times are as follows;

S1 & 3 Courtbrack – 11.50 & 14.22

S2 & 4 Meenahony – 12.25 & 14.57

Service will take place before stage 1 and after stage 2