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Press Release No. 5 Counting Down... Competitors and organisers alike are currently making final preparations for the 2000 Cork '20' International Rally, which gets under way at 0900hrs. this Saturday morning, October 7th, from the Start Ramp at Cork County Hall. Some of the country's top drivers will battle it out over two days for one of the oldest prizes in Irish motorsport, and the victorious crew will join an illustrious list of predecessors, which includes names such as Coleman, Vatanen and McRae.Four of the top five seeds for the 2000 event are past winners: Ian Greer (1998 & 1999); Austin McHale (1983, 1985, 1987 & 1990); Frank Meagher (1995) and Kenny McKinstry (1991& 1994). The interloper is Andrew Nesbitt, runner-up on last year's event and 2000 Toshiba Computers Tarmac Champion-elect. All of the above named will be piloting the latest World Rally Cars from Toyota, Subaru and Ford. Greer, Meagher and McKinstry make their debuts in WRC versions of the Corolla, Focus and Impreza respectively. McKinstry made a late decison to enter the Cork '20', having bought the car Derek McGarrity originally intended using in the event, and he takes over the No.5 slot originally earmarked for McGarrity. Nesbitt (Impreza) and McHale (Corolla) are in their usual machines. The local challenge is led by Donal O'Donovan in his Toyota Celica. His usual navigator, Pat Lordan, has to remain on the sidelines this weekend, however, as his neck is not fully healed following an accident on the Clare Rally last month. His place is taken by the experienced Mick Morrissey. Current Munster Motor Cycle & Car Club President, Frank O'Mahony, and Killarney's Johnny O'Sullivan will both be aiming to clinch the Yokohama Tyres Southern Four Rally Championship, the Cork '20' being the final round of both this and the Toshiba Computers Tarmac Rally Championship. At 1740hrs. on Sunday evening, the victorious crew will arrive at the Finish Ramp at the County Hall. With the high caliber of the entry, it is impossible to predict a winner - the only certainty is that the individuals spraying the champagne will be the toast of Ireland's second City on Sunday night. Top Ten Seeds
PR5/Oct.04’00
Press Release 4 Scene Set for Thrilling Contest The 2000 Cork '20' International Rally will bring together competitors from five championships to do battle on Saturday and Sunday, October 7th and 8th. The Munster Motor Cycle & Car Club has attracted a capacity entry for the event, which is the final round of the Toshiba Computers Tarmac Rally Championship, the Yokohama Tyres Southern Four Rally Championship, the Ford Ireland Ka Rally Championship, the Ford UK Ka Rally Championship and the penultimate round of the Toshiba Computers Historic Tarmac Championship. Cork has long had a tradition of motorsport. Ireland's second city played host to a Grand prix in 1938, and the Cork '20' itself can trace its roots back to 1912. In recent decades, the City and County have produced many of the Ireland's most successful rally competitors, while the county's massive roads network has played host to many thrilling events down through the years. 1998 and 1999 Cork '20 victor, Ian Greer, will lead the field away from the Start Ramp at the County Hall. The Hillsborough man will be making his debut in the Toyota Corolla WRC he recently acquired from Italy, and his chances of pulling off a hat-trick of wins may well depend on how quickly he adapts to his new mount. Andrew Nesbitt has already won the Donegal International, the Summit Rally and the Manx Tarmac Rally so far this year, and has secured the 2000 Toshiba Computers Tarmac Rally Championship crown. However, he may find that he will have to work harder for success in the Cork '20' than in any of the foregoing events. His Subaru Ireland Impreza WRC will face opposition from three other World Rally Cars - aside from Ian Greer, top-spec machinery will also be in the hands of Austin McHale and Frank Meagher. For McHale (Corolla WRC), the Cork '20' represents an opportunity to salvage something from a largely disappointing Tarmac Championship season, although he will be encouraged by his win on the non-championship Rally of Ireland during August. Frank Meagher was an early leader of last year's event, before being stymied by an off and punctures - his eventual fourth place finish was less than he deserved. He has secured a deal with the Works Ford World Championship Team, M-Sport, to run a Ford Focus WRC in Cork. While the arrangement is initially for this event only, it may yet be extended for all of 2001, so rivals and spectators alike will watch Meagher's pace with great interest. Clonakilty's Donal O'Donovan heads the Cork challenge, and he is joined by Liam McCarthy and Munster Motor Cycle & Car Club President, Frank O'Mahony in the task of upholding local honour. The absence of Yokohama Southern Four Championship leader, Stephen Murphy, from the entry, gives an opportunity to Johnny O'Sullivan and Frank O'Mahony, currently second and third in the points standings, to snatch the title from Murphy's grasp. James Travers and Shaun Woffinden have already wrapped up the Ford Ireland Ka and Ford UK Ka Rally titles, so it will be interesting to compare the pace of the two champions head to head. There are twenty Kas in total amongst the entry. In the Toshiba Computers Historic Tarmac series, Porsche 911 driver, Dessie Nutt, has a 15 point lead, but he still will be anxious to put further points on the board in advance of the final round in Killarney in December. The Cork '20' International Rally is sponsored by the Rochestown Park Hotel (Rally Headquarters); Cork County Council; National Vehicle Deliveries, Esat Digifone; Core Fuels; Aer Rianta Cork; FESP Project & Construction Managers and Toshiba Computers. The 2000 Cork '20' starts at 0900hrs. on Saturday 7th October from Cork County Hall. Eight stages are tackled in the Mitchelstown-Kildorerry area, before the crews return to Parc Ferme at the Rochestown Park Hotel at 1837hrs. Day 2, Sunday October 8th, begins at 0900hrs., before a further eight stages are undertaken in the Macroom-Millstreet area. The winning crew is due at the Finish Ramp at the County Hall at 1740hrs. on Sunday evening.
PR4/Sept. 26, ‘00
Press Release No. 3 World Rally Cars Galore!!Heading the quality field of entrants and bidding for his Cork ‘20’ hat-trick is Ian Greer, in a WRC Corolla, just the second of its kind in the country after Austin McHale’s similar spec Toyota. The entry is provisional, pending delivery of the car, which is currently being re-build by TTE in Cologne, including some new development parts. Andrew Nesbitt, having tied up the Championship in the Isle of Man, returns to home ground to be crowned "King of the Road" in the Cuisine de France backed Subaru Impreza WRC, which is the latest customer spec. machine available. WRC spec. entries are further swelled by Tipperaryman Frank Meagher’s new M-Sport Ford Focus WRC. This was a test car for Colin McRae & Tomas Radstrom and has been rallied by Sohlberg. It has been rebuilt by M-Sport. Cork "20" International Rally will take place in the Mitchelstown and Millstreet/Macroom areas on Saturday Oct. 7 and Sunday Oct. 8 respectively. Sponsors: Toshiba Computers, Cork County Council, Aer Rianta Cork, National Vehicle Deliveries, CoreFuels, Esat Digifone, FESP, Ka Rally Championship 2000 & Rochestown Park Hotel (Rally Headquarters), Final Rounds of Toshiba Computers Irish Tarmac, Yokohama Tyres Southern 4, and Irish & British Ford Ka Rally Championships and penultimate round of the Toshiba Computers Historic National Championship. PR3/Sept. 18, 2000
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