Vintage flavour as Cavan Motor Club launches 2011 rally

County Cavan Motor Club and the Hotel Kilmore joined forces with owners of vintage and classic cars, tractors and auto jumble traders to launch the 2011 Cavan Stages Rally on Sunday. It was a new approach for the club and its long-time sponsor, and seemed to be working well on Sunday, as there were plenty of machines for enthusiasts to admire and discuss, from cars with rally pedigree such as a fantastic Audi Quattro and a Metro 6R4, to a curious looking tractor designed especially for ploughing and BSA motorbikes from the 1930s. Among the clubs represented were the Rover Enthusiasts Club of Ireland, Breffni, Ballinagh and Kilmainhamwood vintage clubs, and the Ford Cortina and Mini owners clubs. Eamon McKenna brought several vehicles from his collection and there with fascinating stationary engines were Mickey Brady, Tommy Brady, Kevin Boyle and Hugh Spears from Stradone. Damian Brady provided the music. The club hopes the vintage day and rally launch will become an annual event. The club and hotel officially launched their rally on the afternoon as well on Sunday afternoon. This year's Cavan Stages Rally on Sunday, May 29 is round four of the Dunlop National Rally Championship and round three of the Sligo Pallets Border Rally Championship. The stages are situated in the Farnham, Killeshandra and Crossdoney areas and rally HQ is the Hotel Kilmore. The service area is at the Quinn Direct offices on the Dublin Road in Cavan town. Entries are still available (the closing date is this Friday, May 20) and regulations and entry forms are at cocavanmotorclub.com. Rally programmes will be on sale the weekend of the rally, including detailed stage maps and entry list. You can follow Cavan Motor Club on Facebook. County Cavan Motor Club members in the Border and Dunlop National championships, current positions: Border - James Cassidy and John Norris are leaders of the overall border championship heading into round three, Cavan. Anthony Masterson and Andrew Browne, first in class seven; Damien O'Reilly first in class nine, Pa Bellew second; Peter Wilson, second in class 11; Trevor Mulligan, first in class 14. National - Chris Snow is leading the junior class, after a second place finish in Carlow with Sean Brunton navigating. James Cassidy is leading his class; Adrian Foley is third navigator in class 11; Pa Bellew is second in class nine Anthony Masterson is third in class seven. On the May bank holiday weekend, Mickey Conlon became the third different winner at Latton this year, joining Joe Smith and Mervyn Wedlock as overall winners.