Connacht Motor Club rally another victim of the heatwave

By Martin Walsh, Motorsport

Earlier this season it was the snow, now it’s the heat in Irish rally organisers’ ongoing battle with the weather.

At the beginning of the week the Connacht Motor Club, organisers of the FAAC Simply automatic Sligo Park Hotel Rally, round four of the Triton Showers National Rally Championship, decided not to go ahead with the event scheduled for this Sunday.

Melting tar on the roads posed a problem and in its desire to continue to foster good relationships with all concerned the club reacted responsibly by postponing the rally. At a subsequent meeting on Wednesday night last and further to ongoing discussions with key stakeholders, the organisers announced that they had secured the necessary permissions and support to run the event on Sunday week next, July 15th.

However they will continue to monitor conditions and make a further statement on Saturday evening.

Meanwhile, with the largest entry since its re-introduction in 2012, the Irish Formula Vee Association’s annual Formula Vee Festival takes place in Mondello Park tomorrow and Sunday. Several competitors from the UK Formula Vee Championship will compete in this charity event in aid of LauraLynn, Ireland’s Children’s Hospice. The festival committee have set a goal of raising over €20,000 from the weekend.

Tomorrow’s action includes a single round of the Irish Championship and a double round of the UK series. Both combine on Sunday for the Festival final.

Wicklow’s Lee Newsome and Kevin Shane, along with Dubliner Dan Polly, spearhead the Irish bid with others like Wicklow’s Kevin O’Hara and reigning Vee champion Colm Blackburn (Dublin) hoping to be on the pace over the national circuit.

The entry also features returnee Trevor Delaney from Carrickmacross. The weekend itinerary also includes races in the Open Endurance Championship, the Fiesta ST Championship, the Fiesta Zetec Championship, Strykers, Formula Sheane and Irish Touring Cars.

Elsewhere, the 5 Star Catering National Autocross Championship continues on Sunday with the Skibbereen and District Car Club’s event at Derryleigh near Skibbereen. A track that was used for the first time last February proved very popular and has been enhanced by a number of further improvements.

Galway’s Derek Deane (JB Buggy) can move further clear of his rivals but will certainly not have an easy passage with the likes of Padraig McHale (Beresford Special) and Mayo’s Lorcan Moore (Semog Buggy) giving chase. Laois driver Anthony Culleton and local ace Paul O’Driscoll from Clonakilty, both in Semog Specials, have yet to get title bids firmly off the ground and the battle for supremacy should be intense.

The local contingent also features Brian O’Mahony, Fachtna McCarthy, Stephen Lane, Diarmuid French and Dermot O’Riordan.

This year’s national championship also has an overall category for Saloons where Limerick’s Matt Shinnors (Subaru) and Cavan’s Paul McCann (Escort Cosworth) share the lead after the opening two rounds.

The event also counts towards the Munster Autocross Championship and the Carbery Plastics Skibbereen and District Car Club Championship.

The first of the three timed runs is scheduled to start at 10.45am.

In rallying, Ford Escorts dominate the 60-plus entry for tomorrow’s Rainbow Communication Loughgall Country Park Rally in Armagh. Defending champion and top seed Damien Toner has opposition from fellow Ulster drivers Keith White, Camillus Bradley and David Armstrong.

The first of the day’s six stages begins at 9.30am.