Meeke but not mild – IRC leader to drive at Rally Show – the Irish are coming!

It has been confirmed by Peugeot GB that their driver and current leader of the FIA Intercontinental Rally Challenge, Kris Meeke will be coming to The Rally Show at Chatsworth to drive the Peugeot 207 S2000. Just last weekend, 7/8 May, Meeke won his second IRC victory in a row at the Sata Rallye Azores, halfway across the Atlantic, and took the lead of the championship.

Meeke’s appearance at Chatsworth in June will be the only time that British rally fans will get a chance to see him in action with the Kronos Peugeot before November, when he is due to enter the Rally Scotland. All but that very last round of the IRC take place in countries scattered around the globe, from Brazil to Japan and from Kenya to China.

HM Plant Honda Heads To Northern Ireland for Legendary North West 200 Road Race

Hot on the heels of its participation in last weekend’s annual Thundersprint event in Northwich, the HM Plant Honda team today heads to Northern Ireland for this weekend’s legendary North West 200 road race, which is celebrating its 80th anniversary.

The HM Plant Honda team and riders John McGuinness and Steve Plater, have enjoyed previous success around the 9-mile ‘Triangle Circuit’, which runs between the towns of Portrush, Port Stewart and Coleraine. This year sees both riders competing in Saturday’s two Superbike and two Supersport races on Honda’s class-leading CBR1000RR Fireblade and CBR600RR respectively, with John McGuinness also competing in the 250cc race with the Padgetts Honda team.

Wright aiming for a successful Plains debut

Bentham-based David Wright will be back in rally action next weekend (May 16th) when he competes in the fourth round of the BTRDA rally championship, the Plains rally. Wright and co-driver Michael Wilkinson will be driving a GPM Mitsubishi Evo 9 backed by Grove Hill Garage and Kumho Tyres.

It will be Wright’s first attempt at the event but after an excellent start to 2009 which sees him lie third in the championship he is optimistic that a good result can be achieved.

Shelley targets top spot on Plains rally

Lancaster’s Shelley Rogerson resumes her BTRDA rally championship challenge next Saturday (16th May) when she will contest the Plains rally with Andrew Burton in his Peugeot Cosworth.

Shelley, 23, has a good record on the Welshpool-based event having finished second in 2007 with Burton and taking victory in 2005 with Geoff Jones in a Subaru Impreza. Hopes are high for another good result.