Despite only driving his newly acquired Formula 3 Dallara for the first time, Clare driver Sylvie Mullins scored a double in the two fastest races of the weekend at the MEC two day meeting at Mondello Park. The former Irish Hillclimb champion narrowly beat his Limerick rival Paul O’Connell in both races, with less than a second between them at the finish each time.
Lee Newsome and Colm Blackburn had another of their close duels in the first Formula Vee Championship race until mechanical problems forced Dubliner Blackburn to retire, but he got his revenge in race two with a clear win, while Newcome couldn’t repeat his earlier victory, finishing fourth.
Brothers Eoin and Niall Murray, both former Young Driver of the Year Award winners, shared a Seat Leon to top place in the Open Endurance Race, finishing 15 seconds clear of runner up Rod McGovern in a similar car after almost an hour’s racing.
No fewer than six other drivers also managed to claim two victories over the weekend, with David Parks, Owen Purcell, Jackie Cochrane, Robert Savage, Cameron Fenton and Greg Kelly remaining unbeaten in their respective races.
The Cavan-Monaghan combination of Jonathan Pringle and Paul Sheridan took top place ahead of last year’s winners Enda O’Brien and John Butler in the Laois Heartlands Mini Stages Rally at Portlaoise, with just four seconds separating their Ford Escorts at the finish.
MOTOR ENTHUSIASTS’ CLUB RACE MEETING AT MONDELLO PARK:
BOSS IRELAND FORMULA LIBRE RACE 1 (16 laps):
1 Sylvie Mullins (Dallara Honda F305) 15m 18.77s, 72.07 mph,
2 Paul O’Connell (Dallara F302) 15m 19.29s,
3 John Stewart (Mygale M12) 15 laps.
Fastest lap: Mullins 54.581s, 75.82 mph.
BOSS IRELAND FORMULA LIBRE RACE 2 (17 laps):
1 Sylvie Mullins (Dallara Honda F305) 15m 50.31s, 74.03 mph,
2 Paul O’Connell (Dallara F302) 15m 51.00s,
3 Keith Sheehan (Dallara F301) 16m 28.41s,
4 John Stewart (Mygale M12) 16 laps.
Fastest lap: Mullins 54.947s, 75.32 mph.
SELCO.IE FORMULA VEE CHAMPIONSHIP RACE 1 (15 laps):
1 Lee Newsome (Sheane) 15m 52.05s, 65.20 mph,
2 Jimmy Furlong (Sheane) 15m 57.28s,
3 Anthony Cross (Sheane) 15m 57.69s,
4 Gavin Buckley (Sheane),
5 Luke O’Faolain (Sheane),
6 Jack Byrne (Sheane).
Fastest lap: Colm Blackburn (Leastone) 1m 02.374s, 66.35 mph.
SELCO.IE FORMULA VEE CHAMPIONSHIP RACE 2 (15 laps):
1 Colm Blackburn (Leastone) 15m 44.25s, 65.74 mph,
2 Anthony Cross (Sheane) 15m 50.01s,
3 Jimmy Furlong (Sheane) 15m 53.06s,
4 Lee Newsome (Sheane),
5 Jack Byrne (Sheane),
6 Gavin Buckley (Sheane).
Fastest lap: Newsome 1m 01.955s, 66.80 mph.
FORMULA VEE B & C RACE 1 (14 laps):
1 Gavin Buckley (Sheane) 14m 59.47s, 64.41 mph,
2 Shane McBride (Sheane) 15m 07.87s,
3 Mark Miller (Leastone) 15m 09.49s,
4 Ken Browne (Sheane),
5 Jack Byrne (Sheane),
6 Justin Gray (Sheane).
Fastest lap: Buckley 1m 03.389s, 65.29 mph.
FORMULA VEE B & C RACE 2 (12 laps):
1 Luke O’Faolain (Sheane) 12m 50.74s, 64.43 mph,
2 Gavin Buckley (Sheane) 12m 53.60s,
3 Ken Browne (Sheane) 12m 54.24s,
4 Tim Murray (Leastone),
5 Justin Gray (Sheane),
6 Nick Mulhall (Sheane).
Fastest lap: O’Faolain 1m 03.016s, 65.67 mph.
YOKOHAMA OPEN ENDURANCE RACE (49 laps):
1 Eoin Murray/Niall Murray (Seat Supercopa) 50m 11.26s, 67.34 mph,
2 Rod McGovern (Seat Supercopa) 50m 26.52s,
3 Shane Murphy (Seat Supercopa) 50m 40.36s,
4 Barry English (Seat Supercopa),
5 Damien Smith/John Murphy (Global Light/Locost-Honda),
6 Niall McFadden (Fiesta ST).
Fastest lap: Sam Mansfield (Radical SR8) 56.966s, 72.65 mph.
THE TRAILER COMPANY FIESTA ST RACE 1 (14 laps):
1 Michael Cullen 15m 54.57s, 60.69 mph,
2 Darragh McMullen 15m 55.12s,
3 Dave Maguire 15m 55.52s,
4 Trevor Farrar,
5 Barry McHenry,
6 Graham McDonnell.
Fastest lap: Maguire 1m 07.628s, 61.19 mph.
THE TRAILER COMPANY FIESTA ST RACE 2 (13 laps):
1 Graham McDonnell 15m 25.78s, 58.11 mph,
2 Barry McHenry 15m 27.24s,
3 John Denning 15m 29.02s,
4 Michael Cullen,
5 Paul Swords,
6 Neil McMullen.
Fastest lap: Denning 1m 08.023s, 60.84 mph.
FORMULA SHEANE RACE 1 (16 laps):
1 David Parks 15m 45.95s, 70.00 mph,
2 Brian Hearty 15m 48.72s,
3 Richard Kearney 16m 06.72s,
4 James Sunderland,
5 Keith Stafford,
6 Leslie Shaw.
Fastest Lap: Parks 58.592s, 70.63 mph.
FORMULA SHEANE RACE 2 (16 laps):
1 David Parks 15m 46.21s, 69.98 mph,
2 Richard Kearney 15m 47.70s,
3 Brian Hearty 15m 57.35s,
4 James Sunderland,
5 Leslie Shaw,
6 James Jones.
Fastest Lap: Parks 58.665s, 70.54 mph.
PATCH TYRE EQUIPMENT FIESTA ZETEC RACE 1 (13 laps):
1 Owen Purcell 15m 54.55s, 56.36 mph,
2 Colin Murray 15m 59.76s,
3 Darren Lawler 16m 00.51s,
4 Sean Woods,
5 Denis McCrudden,
6 William Kellett.
Fastest lap: Purcell 1m 12.587s, 57.01 mph.
PATCH TYRE EQUIPMENT FIESTA ZETEC RACE 2 (13 laps):
1 Owen Purcell 15m 54.65s, 56.35 mph,
2 William Kellett 15m 56.61s,
3 Mark Johnston 16m 08.70s,
4 Colin Murray,
5 Lloyd Murphy,
6 Sean Woods.
Fastest lap: Purcell 1m 12.663s, 56.95 mph.
HISTORIC RACE 1 (14 laps):
1 Jackie Cochrane (Sunbeam Tiger) 15m 34.80s, 61.98 mph,
2 Steve Griffin (MG Midget) 15m 38.49s,
3 Michael Doyle (Lotus Elan) 15m 53.10s,
4 Tommy Doherty (Ford Capri),
5 Clive Brandon (Lotus 47),
6 Wolfgang Schnittger (MG Midget).
Fastest lap: Cochrane 1m 03.782s, 64.88 mph.
HISTORIC RACE 2 (12 laps):
1 Jackie Cochrane (Sunbeam Tiger) 13m 32.38s, 61.13 mph,
2 Steve Griffin (MG Midget) 13m 37.45s,
3 Michael Doyle (Lotus Elan) 13m 40.56s,
4 Tommy Doherty (Ford Capri),
5 Clive Brandon (Lotus 47),
6 Wolfgang Schnittger (MG Midget).
Fastest lap: Cochrane 1m 04.304s, 64.36 mph.
PTG IRISH TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP RACE 1 (12 laps):
1 Robert Savage (Honda Integra) 15m 47.55s, 52.41 mph,
2 Eric Carroll (Honda Integra) 15m 47.92s,
3 Garreth Hayden (Honda Integra) 15m 49.49s,
4 Gareth Jennings (Honda Integra),
5 Pa Hudson (Honda Integra),
6 Philip Burdock (VW Golf).
Fastest lap: Carroll 1m 02.480s, 66.23 mph.
PTG IRISH TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP RACE 2 (15 laps):
1 Robert Savage (Honda Integra) 16m 14.22s, 64.38 mph,
2 Garreth Hayden (Honda Integra) 16m 17.33s,
3 Eric Carroll (Honda Integra) 16m 19.82s,
4 Gareth Jennings (Honda Integra),
5 Philip Burdock (VW Golf).
Fastest lap: Savage 1m 03.008s, 65.68 mph.
PIRELLI SUPERCAR RACE 1 (12 laps):
1 Cameron Fenton 15m 26.68s, 53.59 mph,
2 John Cardoo 15m 30.59s,
3 Alan Watkins 15m 34.49s,
4 Gary Corcoran,
5 Ray Finnegan.
Fastest lap: Fenton 1m 01.358s, 67.45 mph.
PIRELLI SUPERCAR RACE 2 (15 laps):
1 Cameron Fenton 15m 35.94s, 66.32 mph,
2 John Cardoo 15m 46.45s,
3 Alan Watkins 16m 00.35s,
4 Gary Corcoran,
5 Charlie Linnane,
6 Ray Finnegan.
Fastest lap: Fenton 1m 01.763s, 67.00 mph.
STRYKER RACE 1 (15 laps):
1 Greg Kelly 16m 01.06s, 64.59 mph,
2 Andrew D’Alton 16m 04.98s,
3 Paul Yeomans 16m 05.61s,
4 Bill Griffin,
5 David Reynolds,
6 Robert Griffin.
Fastest lap: Kelly 1m 02.971s, 65.72 mph.
STRYKER RACE 2 (13 laps):
1 Greg Kelly 15m 28.14s, 57.96 mph,
2 Bill Griffin 15m 30.66s,
3 Nicole Drought 15m 31.65s,
4 Paul Yeomans,
5 Andrew D’Alton,
6 David Reynolds.
Fastest lap: Kelly 1m 03.220s, 65.46 mph.
LAOIS RALLYSPORT CLUB HEARTLANDS MINI STAGES RALLY AT PORT LAOISE (ROUND 3 OF COLTON MOTORS MIDLANDS EAST CHAMPIONSHIP):
1 Jonathan Pringle/Paul Sheridan (Escort) 50m 17s,
2 Enda O’Brien/John Butler (Escort) 50m 21s,
3 Alan Smyth/Mac Kierans (Lancer Evo 10) 50m 40s,
4 David Condell/George Condell (Escort) 51m 08s,
5 Chris Armstrong/Keith Moriarty (Escort) 51m 20s,
6 Leon Galvin/Ger Foley (Escort) 53m 21s,
7 Jason Roche/John McCarthy (Escort) 54m 12s,
8 Brian O’Keeffe/Sean Hayde (Lancer Evo 9 Gp N) 54m 31s,
9 Alan Atcheson/Thomas Wedlock (Fiesta) 54m 36s,
10 Eamonn McGuigan/Micheal Moran (Escort) 54m 56s.
Juniors: 1 Michael Cunniffe/Barry Talt (Peugeot 106) 91m 21s.
TRIALS DRIVERS’ CLUB JAMES PRINGLE MEMORIAL AUTOTEST AT SANDYFORD, DUBLIN:
Overall: 1 Eddie Peterson (Mini) 375.5s,
2 Richard Meeke (Starlet) 384.0s,
3 Niall Murray (Starlet) 387.6s,
4 John Nolan (Starlet) 389.9s,
5 Mark Doran (Escort) 391.7s,
6 Piers MacFheorais (Mazda MX5) 392.9s.
JAMES PRINGLE TROPHY (NOVICES):
1 Rod McGovern (Starlet) 438.4s,
2 Dave Campion (Starlet) 508.2s.
BEGINNERS:
1 Eric Byrne (Starlet) 455.5s,
2 Aoife Ryan (Starlet) 490.8s,
3 Christopher Byrne (Yaris) 503.9s.
INTERMEDIATES:
1 Niall Murray,
2 Eoin Murray (Starlet) 414.7s,
3 Jay Donegan (Starlet) 431.7s.
The 2018 Patch Tyre Equipment Fiesta Zetec Championship reached its half way point as the championship raced on the reversed Mondello Park National Track today. The budget saloon racing series served up some quality racing with series leader Owen Purcell made to work hard for two wins which have extended his advantage at the head of the field.
