Last year's winner Eugene Donnelly heads an interesting entry here at Lark in the Park today. The Maghera man knows full well that he is up against formidable opposition, but is determined to give it a real go. "It won't be easy to repeat last years's win, I know that" reports Eugene. Donnelly, who had the added strain of finally moving house last night, continued, "The Park is really well suited to a real snappy four wheel drive car. I think Biggerstaff's Metro 6R4 for example should be ideal. The Park certainly isn't easy though, especially when you are here for the first time. Terence McLaughlin - he set set some real quick times here last year, and he'll be a man to watch as well. Really though, there are a lot of drivers who could win, although I'll certainly be trying hard. It should be an interesting day, good fun. That is what it is all about." He went on to say that his G3 Escort really needed no work since Lurgan last Saturday, but that the car had been completely overhauled for that and "is in real good nick!." Eugene, who has his winning co-driver from last year Shane O'Neill sitting alongside him again, will run first on the road but with No2 on his Bio-Clear/Heaney Homes backed Ford. No.1 is left clear in respect for the Fisher family tragedy. Derek McGarrity was to be next up, but the Glengormley man can't make it. One of his Subaru Impreza WRC's has just been shipped to Cyprus, the other to Prodrive for an All-Stars customer day. Next in the line therefore will be Ivan Orr in the fabulous Maurice Gass Impreza WRC, then Denis Biggerstaff in his Metro 6R4, followed by Letterkenny's Ivan Stewart in his Escort Cosworth (2nd here last year).

Entry update: As already mentioned McGarrity is non-starting. Ivan Orr is driving Maurice Gass' Impreza WRC running at No.4 with Geoffrey Orr co-driving. John McKeown has Paul Fergus in the hot seat, Jim Crozier has Paul Callan. Ruben Gourley is sitting with Glenn Allen at 21 and Conor Murphy is with Philip Shaw at 23. Eugene Ferry at 24, running a 5/1 differential in his Escort for the first time, has John Gallagher co driving. Entries not on the programme include Kieran Shaw at 38 co driven by Crawford Henderson in an Escort WRC. Sean McArdle comes in at 39 with Ger McMonagle sitting in. Sean is driving a Kenny McKinstry Subaru, the same car that Markku Alen won Silverstone with a couple of weeks ago. Mervyn Johnston is substituting for Drexel Gillespie at 32. Mervyn has James Galway lookalike Willie McGarrigle co driving for him today. Not only does Willie look like Galway, but he plays the flute beautifully as well. Michael Carlin's Escort RS runs at 31 as advertised but now with Denis Durnan co driving. Caroline McLarnon is co driving for John Keatley.

More news later...BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON