Round two of the 2016 Valvoline Motorsport Ireland National Forest Rally Championship, the Moonraker Forest Rally takes place at the weekend.

The Munster Car Club promoters and organisers of the renowned Moonraker Forestry Rally have moved the rally to a Saturday for the first time, with four stages done twice, under new Clerk of the Course Paul Browne.

"This is a Rally run by competitors for Competitors,”says Paul. “I am delighted to have the Abbey Hotel Ballyvourney as event Headquarters for this the second counting round of the Valvoline Motorsport Ireland National Forest Rally Championship. We look forward to welcoming old friends and new to Ballyvourney for what will be one of the best Forestry Rallies of 2016."

After scoring maximum points on round one, Patrick O’Brien in his Evo 9 is amongst the favourites. The Omagh charger is seeded at number four behind former forestry champion Pat O’Connell and Liam Ryan both also in Evo’s, and Niall McCullagh who led much of the first round in Carrick on Suir . Ger Lucey and Michael Carbin are in older Evo’s but much of the interest circles around other four wheel drive machinery.

The WRC brigade are represented by Martin Cairns in his Subaru, and John Reid in his familiar Corolla. However at number eleven is Adrian Hetherington, the two wheel drive ace, debuting his newly acquired Corolla WRC on the event, and it will interesting to see how the spectacular Tyrone driver adapts. Desi Henry is also now a late entry, and Brendan Cumiskey brings his R5 Fiesta, in what is a highly competitive four wheel entry, especially when Don Keating, Cathan McCourt and Andrew Fanning are added into the mix.

The two-wheel drive racers will be lead away by reigning champion- Micky Conlon in his 2 litre Escort. With a new Toyota engine installed into his Starlet, Shane McGirr’s progress will be interesting to watch, and John Gordon in his class 12 MK2 Escort, showed even more speed on the first round. Damian McGauran’s rear wheel drive Corolla, the Citroen DS3 of Dean Raftery, and the Escort’s of Hugh McQuaid, David Condell and David Crossen in a freshly rebuilt car provide further excitement. Derek Mackeral in his Vauxhall Nova is back to defend his Junior lead, with Shane Kenneally, Ian Downey and Alan Moran amongst the tough opposition.