Monticello, New York -- Rally New York, the third round of the 2005 Eastern States Rally Championship (ESRC), will take place this weekend on the gravel and tarmac roads of the Catskill Mountains outside of Monticello, New York. The ESRC is the most competitive regional rally championship in North America covering a geographical area from Tennessee to New York.

With the Mid-Atlantic and New England states hosting the largest number of US licensed rally drivers nationally, Rally New York has attracted the cream of the crop for this event. Over 40 teams are entered, with names like Burke, Lawless, Drislane and Donnelly. Competition should be close for this weekend's event.

While the Seamus Burke driven Libra Racing Hyundai Tiburon is the fastest driver/car combination in the event, 2004 Rally New York winner John Drislane and co-driver Ronan Burke in their Mitsubishi Evo 6 will be right on the pace from the start. Current ESRC points leader Patrick Lilly and co driver Bernard Farrell in their Mitsubishi Evo 4 will be gunning for the top spot as well. In addition, Tom Lawless and co-driver Jason Gillespie in their Mitsubishi Evo 8 are at the top of their game, and a finish could mean first place. Patrick Farrell and co-driver Kieran McElhinney along with the Martin Donnelly entry are always on the sharp end of the field and a consistent run would bring great results for both teams. Last year's ESRC Champion Danny O'Brien and co-driver Stephen Duffy are developing the new 2.5 liter based Subaru STi and set several top five stage times in the last event in Tennessee.

In the two wheel drive classes, expect close competition between Donal Mulleady and co-driver Robert Amato in their Mazda 323, J.D. Ackley and Scott Williams in their VW Golf, and Mark Spence and co-driver Jeremy Wimpy also in a Golf.

Organizer Ivan Orisek is excited about the event. "We've got a field of over 40 cars and we've got 63 special stage miles that are both fast and technical," he commented. "The rally should prove to be a real battle, with some excellently matched drivers, and excellent road conditions."

ESRC Series Promoter John K. Shirley of Rally Promotions, LLC, added, "Rally New York always brings out one of the most competitive fields in US rallying and with any one of the top 10 having a chance to win. Last years event came down to the last stage and I predict the same this year."

The 2005 running of the Rally New York is sanctioned by NASA Rally Sport, organized by Ivan Orisek and Rally New York, Ltd., and constitutes Round Three of the ESRC, coordinated by Rally Promotions, LLC. For more information, visit www.rallynewyork.com, www.nasarallysport.com, or contact Wilson von Kessler at [email protected].