Gwyndaf Evans pronounced himself well pleased with his SEAT Cordoba WRC following an extended test run down at Bishopscourt yesterday. This car is an Evolution 3, the most recent one available. Whereas this time last year Gwyndaf had all sorts of last minute dramas, everything went smoothly this time. Gwyndaf remarked last night, "The car felt very fast to me, faster than before. However the engineers tell me it shouldn’t be any different from the last one I drove. Mind you that was quite a while ago, so maybe I’ve been away too long already! We’ll know at the end of the first proper stage." Derek McGarrity was delighted with his new car, his Subaru WRC. He also had a big test, it seeming a vast improvement over last weekend in Ypres. "If only it’ll keep going like this" remarked the Glengormley man, who has been dogged by bad luck. Kenny McKinstry admitted it had been a bit of a rush to get his Subaru sorted after the ravages of last weekend in Belgium, happily nine times winner here Kenny reckoning the car should be ‘ok’. Daniel Doherty was going to have a late night test session in his Impreza WRC, but reckoned it should be fine. Niall McShea was facing an anxious time overnight as his Celica ran into a 5^th gear selector fork problem yesterday. New parts were being brought up from Dublin last night and the mechanics were going to burn the midnight oil to get the car repaired. Denis Biggerstaff only got his Metro 6R4 back to his Dromora workshop at tea-time on Thursday. His team worked all Thursday night putting an engine in the car. By the time the 6R4 reached scrutiny last night it was certainly working, but not to Denis’ satisfaction. "Even if I rev it out to 9000 it will hardly get off the line. All the power is right up at the top end. It is difficult. Hopefully I’ll be able to make it a better before the start" Denis told us.

In many ways it sounds like the build up to most rallies – all sorts of last minute stories and feats of mechanical miracles. No doubt it will all come good and we’ll have another superb SEAT Lurgan Park Rally.There is more to the day of course than the battle at the front. GpN honours should be hotly contested, as will the two wheel drive battles, and throughout the 35 car entry every driver will out to prove something today. The icing on the cake, after the 9 special stages, will be the £2000 time trial winner take all contest…..

Changes to the entry list in the programme include:-

John Price, Hugh Dunne, Kieran Shaw & Ollie O’Donovan are non-starting.

Uwe Nittel is driving Terry Harryman’s Lancer, not Kalle Grundel.

Roy White, who has Motorsport News rallies editor Jim Holder co-driving, has switched from his Lancer, which was damaged in Ypres last week, to Bobby King’s Porsche 911 4wd.

Slotted in to the entry between 14 and 16 is Stephan Harron/Nigel Forster driving a Legacy with No.37 on the side. Philip Shaw/Nigel Frazer will have No.36 on the side of their Escort, Paul Spence/Stephen Shaw run with No.38 on their Lancer. Mark & Rory Doyle will start at 39 in a Lancer and John Hunter/Esther Hunter are No.40 in their Escort.

Outside Lurgan Park – Ryan Champion is leading the 106 brigade overnight at Charlemagne by a few seconds from Rory Galligan with Kris Meeke 3^rd and Gary Jennings 4^th.

LATE NEWS – Niall McShea’s gearbox not fixed – non starting.More news to follow…BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON