Kenny heads entry list

McKinstry, who is a three times winner of the series and won last year's 'Circuit' National Rally, will be partnered by Noel Orr for the two-day event, which includes stages surrounding his Banbridge hometown.

Donagh Kelly starts the event at number two in his newly acquired Ford Focus WRC, and is hoping to take the challenge to the Banbridge rally ace.

Further down the order, Emma McKinstry and Stuart Biggerstaff are also among the World Rally Car entrants. The event will be Biggerstaff's first closed road rally, and he has already faced a number of issues during the days before the rally.

"Francis Regan was going to navigate but unfortunately he broke his wrist last week," Biggerstaff explained. "There was a panic to find another navigator but thankfully Anthony Nestor has stepped in."

In the Sunoco Fuels Group N category, Raymond Johnston and Fabian McAleer are the leading production category seeds, and start the event third on the road. Alan Carmichael and Ivor Lamont are next in line, while both Enda McNulty and Trevor Ferguson will be hot on their heels.

In the Hankook two-wheel-drive category, Draperstown's Camillus Bradley will wheel out his potent Mark 2 Escort. Frank Kelly is also looking forward to donning his night goggles, but unfortunately number 10 seed, Fintan McGrady, has been forced to withdraw his entry.

There will be some interesting battles among the Montgomery Motorsport Historic competitors, not to mention the Superdrive Junior category and Autofashion.ie Group A cup.

The event starts this Saturday morning with the Dundalk Rally Show. Crews will then have a short stop in Newry for service, before tackling the first loop of stages near Banbridge and Newry.

An 18-mile night stage will provide a real sting in the tail on Saturday evening. Those crews that reach the end of day one will then face an additional six stages on Sunday, before the winner is crowned at the Newry finish ramp.

Event programmes, which include detailed stage maps, are now on sale at various outlets. More details can be found online at www.nirally.com and www.circuitofireland.net.