The Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship is preparing to make its only trip of the year outside of the UK to the Mondello Park circuit in Ireland on Sunday.

After the opening rounds at Brands Hatch, James Thompson leads the standings in his new SEAT Leon. But right behind in second, enjoying his best start to a BTCC season, is Northern Ireland's Colin Turkington, driving Team RAC's MG ZS. The 24-year-old from Portadown took a fourth and two seconds on Sunday and is a former double winner at Mondello.

Also getting off to a strong start at Brands Hatch was Irishman Gavin Smith, the Rathfarnham racer achieving a best result of fourth in Vauxhall's Astra Sport Hatch and he will arrive at his home circuit of Mondello lying sixth in the overall drivers' standings.

But Turkington and Smith will have a job on their hands this year's BTCC grid is one of the most competitive on record and among the other big star names are SEAT's Jason Plato, from Oxford, Vauxhall team-mates Fabrizio Giovanardi and Tom Chilton, driving for VX Racing based at Greatworth, near Banbury, and the reigning BTCC champion, Matt Neal, in the Team Halfords Honda Integra.

BTCC series director Alan Gow said: "In recent years, Mondello has produced some of the BTCC's most exciting racing and a fair few controversial moments among the drivers. It's that kind of track and it makes for a great spectacle.

"I'm also sure with Colin and Gavin having done so well in the opening rounds at Brands Hatch there'll be a lot of support for them this year. We always receive a tremendous reception from the Irish people and the whole championship is looking forward to once again racing at Mondello Park."

The BTCC will be in race action three times at Mondello Park. In addition, there will be another four races from prestige manufacturers BMW and Porsche, with their Formula BMW UK and Porsche Carrera Cup GB championships, plus the latest rounds of Ireland's very own Formula Sheane and Dunlop Supercars series.

For more information about Mondello Park and the BTCC visit the www.mondello.ie and www.btcc.net websites.