02/08/08 - Rally action returns to the forests in County Fermanagh this weekend with round seven of the Pacenotes Northern Ireland Stage Rally Championship. Organised and promoted by Enniskillen Motor Club, the Fisher Engineering Stages Rally sees some of the country's fastest drivers lock horns in a bid to emerge king of the Fermanagh forests.

With headquarters at the Lough Erne Hotel, Kesh, current championship leader, Connor McCloskey, will lead the field away in a Ford Focus WRC. Consistent points scoring finishes see the young Kilrea man head the tables in his maiden season with a World Rally Car, but his advantage is a slender one point over reigning champion, Glenn Allen.

Cookstown's Allen will drive his usual Toyota Corolla WRC, and he will also need to keep a close eye on Sean Devine, as well as McCloskey. It was Devine who led the championship until August's Dogleap Stages, where he rolled his Subaru out of contention. The result dropped him to third in the series standings, one point behind Allen.

The Fisher Engineering event has also attracted former Production World Champion, Niall McShea, back into action on home ground. The Fermanagh man has a Toyota Corolla Super 2000 beside his name on the entry list, and it will be the first time that one of the Super 2000 category cars has been seen in the Pacenotes series.

Meanwhile, local man Richard Cathcart has swapped his Group N Subaru for a World Rally Car, and given his past performances, he should be among the leading times. Emma McKinstry and Seamus Devine will also bring their World Rally Cars into the forests.

In the Sunoco Fuels Group N category, Raymond Johnston has returned to the production class with a Group N Lancer, and could pull a few surprises out of his hat. It was Johnston who tussled with McShea for outright victory a number of years ago - could history repeat itself?

There is another solid entry in the Superdrive two wheel drive category, with Wesley Patterson returning to the woods. He will face stiff opposition from the likes of Frank Kelly, Adrian Hetherington, Seamus O'Connell and James Kennedy.

All the action kicks off this Saturday 13 September, when competitors leave the start at Fisher Engineering's premises in Ballinamallard.

Fisher Engineering Stages Rally - top 10 entries

1 Connor McCloskey/Francis Regan (Focus WRC)
2 Glenn Allen/Damien Connolly (Corolla WRC)
3 Sean Devine/Damien Duffin (Impreza WRC)
4 Richard Cathcart/Martin Brady (Impreza WRC)
5 Niall McShea/Marshall Clarke (Corolla S2000)
6 Raymond Johnston/Richard Bell (Lancer Evo 9)
7 Brian McFall/TBA (Lancer Evo 7)
8 John Walker/Dessie Wilson (Lancer Evo 9)
9 Trevor Ferguson/Patrick Gallagher (Impreza N12)
10 Neil McCance/TBA (Lancer Evo 9)