The inaugural round of the Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge in Ireland kicks off with the Safety Direct Galway International Rally this weekend when registered crews will be battling to be the first ever winner of the all-Irish, all-asphalt series.
The Galway Rally marks a significant point in the history of the official one-make championship for Group N Lancer Evolutions, as it hosts the first Evolution Challenge event ever to be held outside Britain.
About to start its eighth consecutive season, the UK championship features a calendar of mainly gravel surface events, whilst the Irish series includes six tarmac rallies, with competitors counting their best five scores towards their final points' total.
Organisers meanwhile have reported a great deal of interest from Irish Mitsubishi competitors and, with 12 teams already registered, it is expected that this figure will rise before the action starts on Saturday.
Leading the Evolution Challenge charge on this event is reigning Irish Tarmac Production Class champion Colm Murphy, who will be driving a James Foley Rallysport prepared Evo IX.
Murphy is followed by a trio of junior - under 25 - drivers, the increasingly impressive Damien Tourish, 2006 Billy Coleman award winner Owen Murphy and 2007 Fiesta ST UK champion Jonny Greer, all out to further their careers by joining the Mitsubishi series.
Regular Irish Tarmac competitors Tom Curley and Stanley Ballentine are next in line followed by Alan Carmichael, who switches to the Irish Evo Challenge for 2008, having contested a full season in the UK Mitsubishi championship last year.
Although a bit further down the field, strong performances are also expected from Brendan Cumiskey, Darren Caldwell, Michael Murray, Andrew Connor and Michael Cunningham, all of them destined to score far better than their seeding suggests.
