Based in Castlewellan, the Down rally is also the penultimate round of the Hankook Northern Ireland championship. The event will follow a similar format to last year, with the start in Lower Square in Castlewellan, four stages in the morning and four further stages in the afternoon before the champagne finish back at the Lower Square. The cars will return after every two stages for service in Castlewellan Forest Park.
In the National Forest Rally Championship, Pat O'Connell in his Evo 9 and John Reid driving his Corolla WRC have been on tremendous form all season. Tipperary man O'Connell won the first trio of rallies (Mitchelstown, Carrick on Suir and Moonraker), while Dubliner Reid was runner up on each occasion. Just six points separated them starting round four in Donegal, but disaster struck Reid when he retired with broken steering and it looked as if his championship aspirations were doomed, especially as O'Connell finished third. Suddenly the gap opened in O'Connell's favour, but the roles were reversed on the next round in Cork when Reid was the victor and O'Connell was third again. Reid could breathe again in the knowledge that he had a mathematical chance in the mountains of Mourne.
The championship is a six round series with four best scores to count. In addition, there are bonus points for starting every round. After round five, the leader board now reads O'Connell on 101 points and Reid with 79, a deficit of 22. When all the mathematics are done, the reality is that O'Connell needs just one point from the Down rally - which he gets for registering as a starter-even if Reid is the top National Forest finisher. There will also be a fight for third fourth and fifth overall, while many of the classes have yet to be decided. It ain't over until the fat lady sings.
It is a similar story in the Hankook Northern Ireland Championship, with contenders Stuart Biggerstaff and Mark Donnelly expected to continue their tussle for the 2010 title. Dromara driver Biggerstaff, in only his first year in the sport, holds a 7-point advantage at the top of the points table from Omagh's Mark Donnelly, with both the junior drivers improving and gaining experience as the season has progressed.
