Racers competing in this year's Pirelli International Rally, one of Cumbria’s biggest motorsport events, are set to visit Carlisle later this season.

Following a fast and furious opening round over the undulating roads of West Cork, the FIA Celtic Trophy contestants face a new and daunting challenge in round Two of the series.

They will head to the Northumberland National Park and the vast Kielder Forest complex where the fast forest tracks, all blind brows and deep ditches will pose a new and completely different set of problems for the crews.

The Pirelli International Rally is the only loose surfaced round in the series, something that will call for major adjustments from both drivers and cars and it will be interesting to see how the FIA Celtic Trophy runners match up to the conditions and the challenge of the crews from the Prestone MSA British Rally Championship who will be out in force.

The opening round of the Celtic Trophy was dominated by the Moffett brothers, Sam and Josh, the men from Monaghan going well in West Cork until a puncture cost Sam two minutes time loss, dropping him to third place, leaving Josh to take victory and the family bragging rights.

The experienced Alistair Fisher took the runner up slot and, as all three have experience of the mainland forests it is going to make for an interesting, not to mention exciting contest when the Celtic Trophy runners pitch up in Carlisle.

A whole array of top rallying talent will be heading for Cumbria as, in addition to being the next round of the FIA Celtic Trophy, The Pirelli International Rally is also a round of the Prestone MSA British Rally Championship, the Mintex MSA British Historic Rally Championship plus the SG PETCH/ANECCC and Motoscope Northern Historic Series.

All of which should ensure a top quality entry for the two-day event which, as usual, sees the action take place in the vast Kielder complex.