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RALLY: Details announced for New Millennium Autos Galway Spring Rally

11 March 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

Details were announced this week of the new Galway Spring car rally, supported by Millennium Autos, the Galway Fiat and Alfa Romeo main dealer. It forms round 2 of the Dunlop National Rally Championship, and the opening round of the Top Part West Coast championship. It will be based in the Shannon Oaks Hotel, Portumna.

The new Clerk of the Course is Ray Bent, a Galway Bank Official with many years Rally organising experience with Galway Motor Club. Ray who originally hails from Nenagh was educated at Nenagh CBS where his late father, Roddy Bent, was Assistant Principal. He has spent almost his entire Banking career with AIB Bank in Galway City and he now works in the University Branch in Newcastle. He is married to Cora and they have three children, Niamh, Ronan & Elaine all of whom will be helping on this Rally.

The Millennium Autos Galway Spring Rally 2000 will take place on Sunday 26th March. The route consists of eight very competitive Special Stages in the Portumna and Woodford areas. It is expected that there will be 150 cars competing in this, the second round of the Dunlop National Championship and the West Coast Championship Rally.

To run an event of this size takes a very large team of about 130 people and this team, with Ray at the helm hopes to run a very successful, enjoyable and safe sporting event that should be exciting for both competitors and spectators alike. It also takes much goodwill and assistance from the many residents living on and near the Special Stages and Ray wishes to publicly acknowledge this co-operation. He also wishes to acknowledge the assistance of Portumna Gardai and Portumna Fire Brigade.

The Rally will commence with the scrutineering of all the competition cars at Portumna Fire station on Saturday 25th March from 3.00pm. The public is most welcome to come along here to view these magnificent cars at close quarters. The cars will leave from The Shannon Oaks Hotel, Rally Headquarters, at 11.00am on Sunday 26th and they are expected to return at approximately 5.30pm.

Rally programmes including maps and times of the Special Stages and a full list of entrants will be on sale in the local shops.

Text provided by Brian G Thornton

Editors Note: To view hundreds of hot racing photos and art, visit The Racing Photo Museum and the Visions of Speed Art Gallery.