STARS FOR CIRCUIT CELEBRATION

Circuit of Ireland winners to join special event

Seven former winners of the Circuit of Ireland will gather in Killarney at Easter to celebrate the history of Ireland’s most famous rally.

The Circuit Deja Vu event has captured the imagination of those with a love of the famous rally and the highlight of the weekend will be a run over stunning Kerry mountain roads on Easter Sunday (March 27), revisiting classic stages from the event’s history.

As well as seven winning drivers, 10 victorious co-drivers will be on hand and the organisers have been forced to close the entry. A total of 150 cars and crews have entered following a remarkable response to this non-competitive event.

Ireland’s best-known rally driver Paddy Hopkirk will head the field in a replica of his Monte Carlo-winning Mini Cooper ’33 EJB’. Hopkirk won the Circuit five times between 1958 and 1967. Seventime winner Jimmy Mcrae and triple winner Russell Brookes will also be there, with Brookes driving his Talbot Sunbeam Lotus.

“This great circuit reunion would not be the same without Jimmy Mcrae,” said organiser Beatty Crawford of the most successful driver in the rally’s 85-year history.

Irish ace Billy Coleman, another three-time winner, will drive a Rothmans Porsche 911, while Adrian Boyd, winner in 1960 and 1971, will drive his recently restored Alpine Renault.

Cahal Curley and David Llewellin are the other former winners on hand, while former racing driver Graham Birrell will drive a BMW and famous co-drivers Ian Grindrod and Terry Harryman will also take part.