AS Ballygurteen's Michael Keohane returns to motor racing this weekend after an absence of some 22 years, it is perhaps fitting that his return takes place at Donington Park in Leicestershire where he will campaign a Porsche Carrera GT3 with Century Motorsport.

In his Formula 3 days the former Irish Karting champion enjoyed great success at the circuit now owned by Jonathan Palmer's MotorSport Vision organisation.

‘My first win in Donington was with the Meritus team in 2001. Actually I won twice there that season.’

Progressing from the Scholarship Class to the main series with Carlin Motorsport, the 2002 season brought further success including a famous double victory in Donington when he became the first Irish driver in 20 years to win a round of the British Formula 3 Championship.

That same day (April 14th, 2002) Keohane, then 21, did it on the double – two weeks after he hurt his back during the opening races of the season in Brands Hatch. Following that memorable victory, he remarked, ‘It's absolutely fantastic. Winning the first race was great but to win them both is just absolutely fantastic. When it fully sinks in I think I will remember this weekend for quite some time.’

Indeed Keohane has said – and as he told The Southern Star at the end of last year – that the desire to go back racing has been with him all through the years. The time has come and on Sunday, he will compete in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB series with the Warwickshire-based Century Motorsport outfit under team boss Nathan Freke.

‘Donington was always good to me, but racing in the Porsche will be very different to what I was used to in the single-seaters.’

As always, he has a measured approach.

‘It's a very different car, it's an acquired driving style that is quite different with the engine mounted in the rear. The technique in driving the car is also very different to what a single-seater would be,’ he said.

Understandably, it's a learning process.

‘I've had to change my driving style quite a lot over the last number of weeks. Getting that technique is tricky. I suppose the other noticeable change since I was last racing is that the current crop of drivers are doing an awful lot of work on simulators and they are on the pace straight away.’

Competing in the Masters category, Keohane will have 15kg of ballast on board the Keohane Readymix liveried Porsche Carrera GT3 to deal with.

‘I'm actually carrying lead in my car to make up the required weight difference.’

Recent test sessions have allowed Keohane to become more familiar with the Porsche Carrera GT3.

‘It's all new. I think the weight of the car, compared to a single-seater, the downforce, there's obviously an awful lot more and there's a lot of horsepower in the car. I want to go and enjoy it all. It's also very much about the people that are travelling with us, that support us and are around it all.’

Qualifying takes place on Saturday from 12.35pm until 1.05pm with Sunday's pair of races timed for 12.10pm and 4.35pm respectively.

Michael Keohane. (Photo: Martin Walsh)

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The EARS Munster Moonraker Forest Rally is set to take place this Saturday but due to the current situation regarding ongoing fuel blockades, the situation is being monitored on a daily basis by the organising Munster Car Club, who, in consultation with Motorsport Ireland, were planning to make a final decision last night (Wednesday).

The six-stage event is the second round of the Motorsport Ireland National Forest Rally Championship and round three of the MI Junior Rally Championship (MIJRS) series.

Last year's winners Cashel's Pat O'Connell (Ford Fiesta R5) and his Mitchelstown co-driver Mark Wiley are the top crew in the 124-entry list. Midleton's Daragh O'Riordan is set to drive the ex-Jason McSweeney Skoda Fabia R5.

Ballylickey's Robert Cronin (Opel Corsa Rally4) will compete in the two-wheel drive category. Currently, he is equal third in the MIJRS, ten points behind Antrim's Ben McFall (Ford Fiesta Rally4), who won last weekend's Junior category of the Severn Valley Rally.

Cavan's Oran England (Peugeot 208 Rally4) lies in second spot, seven points ahead of Cronin, who shares third with Wexford's Jack Byrne (Peugeot 208 Rally4).

Elsewhere on the entry list, Ballincollig's Brian Duggan calls the pacenotes for US-based Liam O'Sullivan (Ford Fiesta); Bandon's Daniel Seaman co-drives for Killarney's Colin O'Meara (Peugeot 208 R2) and Ballyvourney's Ciara Griffin partners Wexford's Sean Cahill (Proton Satria). The first of the day's six stages begins at 10.16am.