2003 Ford Ireland Focus Rally Championship

Posted: March 19, 2003 7:00 PM

The 2003 Ford Ireland Focus Rally Championship boasts a variety of changes with all of the 2.0 litre Championship cars receiving new ECU and a 5 speed dog engagement gearbox and uprated driveshafts to harness the increased power. The Prize Fund is also increased to Eur25,000 and the eventual winner getting at test-drive in a WRC Ford Focus at M-Sport in Cumbria.

The 2003 Ford Ireland Focus Rally Championship sees the crews tackle seven events throughout the country starting in May and finishing in Cork in October. Each round of the series has been chosen to offer each competitor the opportunity to gain experience on a wide variety of surfaces and style of event. The Championship goal is to make the series the most successful training ground for future Rally Champions providing each competitor with a broad range of experience in a high tech, professional environment at an affordable cost.

"We have introduced a variety of changes both to the Championship and the Championship cars for 2003. I am confident that these changes will provide us all with much more exciting action for the forthcoming season and once again establish the Ford Ireland Focus Rally Championship as Ireland premier one make rally series", said Tom Collins, Championship Director.

"We are looking forward to this years competition which promises to be even more exciting than last year, when we witnessed real head to head competition with the battle for first place going down to the very last rally. With the improvements to the cars the coming season and the presence of new competitors it is going to be the championship to watch," said Declan Foley, Brand Manager, Ford Ireland.

1 3rd & 4th May		Rally of the Lakes Killarney
			
2 1st June		Circuit of Munster Adare
			
3 29th June		Ravens Rock	Waterford
			
4 13th July		Sligo Stages	Sligo
			
5 6th & 7th September	Ulster		Belfast
			
6 21st September	Clare Stages	Ennis
			
7 4th & 5th October	Cork 20		Cork