The top Irish drivers are ready for the Circuit of Ireland Rally which gets underway in Bangor.
The four day AA Circuit of Ireland rally will visit Mullingar, Wicklow and Tallaght and finish up in County Down on Easter Monday.
The organisers estimate that the event will attract up to 200,000 spectators.
Conor Faughnan of the Automobile Association says that field is like a who is who in Irish rallying.
All of the top drivers are taking part.
This year the focus of attention is on the battle between Fermanagh driver Bertie Fisher in the Subaru Impreza and Dubliner Austin McHale in the Toyota Celica. Bertie Fisher won the rally last year for the fourth time with Austin McHale in second position.
This year Austin McHale has already won the Galway rally and is feeling confident for the cahllenge ahead. He previously won the Circuit of Ireland in 1993 driving a Toyota Celica.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 2 April 1998. The reporter is Peter Leonard.
