Wexford Motor Club is honoured to stage the final tarmac rally of the millenium - the Lighthouse Single Stage Rally in Fethard-on-Sea, Co. Wexford, on December 12th.

As this year brings the 1990s to an end, so too does this event, a special bonus competition to welcome in the third Millenium.

The Lighthouse Single Stage Rally is sponsored by Hotel Naomh Seosamh and other Fethard-based businesses thanks to the input of Hook Tourism.

Clerk of the Course is Eamonn Kehoe of Ballywilliam, aka the Bullet, assisted by Deputy Clerk Michael McCabe.

The Stage Commander for the Lighthouse Rally is Joe Dwyer, and he's picked a testing 9.6 mile circuit that begins and ends in Fethard village itself.

The first section of the course will test the drivers to the limit, twisting upwards towards the Duncannon Line.

Once those windy stretches have been negotiated, then it's a super-fast stretch all the way back to Fethard, which the speed merchants will appreciate.

There will be one practice run of the circuit, followed by three timed runs - the last one taking place in the dark, another test for the 130-strong field, sixty of which hail from Wexford.

The service centre after each stage will be St. Mogue's GAA pitch on Fethard Main Street.

After the powerful machines that graced the main Wexford Rally, this competition has been restricted to two litre two-wheel drive non-turbo cars, so the usual sight of Metros, Imprezas and WRCs will be absent from the highways and byways of Wexford this time round.

As a result, the entry list sees Gorey's David James as number 1 in his G3 Escort, followed by 1999 South-East Rally Championship winner John Treacy of Kilkenny in the yellow Mk II.

The first overseas competitior in the entry list is Welshman Clive Williams in an Escort, with Tomás O'Rourke featuring in the second Wexford car at number 6.

The first ladies crew consists of Margo Doyle and Marie Dunne of Wexford in a Honda Civic in Class 10A - this pair have won the ladies prize in the last four Wexford Rallies.

They finished 41st in last weekend's Bannow Beach Single Stage Rally.

Also appearing will be Denise Ryan, daughter of well-known driver Des Ryan, who finished second in this year's Uno Challenge.

Due to the fact the Lighthouse Rally is not part of any championship, a large amount of novice drivers have signed up to take part.

And as with this year's Wexford Rally, all the action will be relayed stage-by-stage on the internet on our award-winning website at http://wexfordrally.tripod.com.