Keohane aiming for early success

MICHAEL KEOHANE and Austin McHale face their respective assignments in Donington Park and the Circuit of Kerry with a common theme – success in a British Championship.

Keohane (22) is amongst 31 drivers in the line-up for the opening two rounds of the highly-acclaimed Avon Tyres British F3 Championship in the East Midland track, where fellow Cork driver, Matt Griffin, is also entering a new phase in his career in the British GT Championship.

The Clonakilty driver races with the Promatecme outfit. They have a vast amount of experience at this particular track and with Keohane’s record also strong at the venue, it’s not unreasonable to expect podium finishes as he begins an important year. Current Formula 1 stars, Ralf Schumacher and Jensen Button, raced with the Silverstone-based team, once again highlighting the series as a strong feeder category to F1.

Keohane tested the Dallara F303 Mugen Honda engined car at Pembrey and Donington earlier this week along with his Brazilian team-mate, Ernani Judice.

The Carlin team of Alan van der Merwe, who has set the pace in pre-season testing, Richard Antinucci, Ronnie Bremer and rising star, Jamie Green represents the strongest threat. For Keohane, qualifying is all-important. He is well capable of beating any of the Carlin outfit, but a strong qualifying position is imperative and would provide the perfect start to the season and in particular, the two 20 lap races in Donington, a track where he netted his double win last season.

Meanwhile, Portadown’s, Adam Carroll (Sweeney Racing) debuts the new Lola Dome car that will come under intense scrutiny in terms of performance. So too will the performance of Nelson Piquet, son of the legendary F1 ace.

The Scholarship Class includes Ballymena’s Ivor McCullough who races with the Meritus outfit.

Also in Donington Park, Matthew Griffin races with TECH 9 Motorsport in a Porsche 911 GT3 along with team mate, Patrick Pearse in the British GT Cup class. Griffin showed great promise at the official test last Tuesday. TECH 9 are top Porsche specialists in the UK and are the only Porsche team racing in the championship.

At home, top seed Niall Maguire (Subaru WRC) is out Sunday’s Tralee-based Circuit of Kerry as his car isn’t ready.

Austin McHale debuts his Subaru WRC as a shakedown for the Circuit of Ireland. “Apart from a few miles at the Punchestown track, I haven’t done any testing,” said the five times tarmac champion. “For that reason, I want to compete in Kerry to get a feel of the car for the Circuit of Ireland and the season ahead. The British Championship is my priority this season.”

With Peadar Hurson also unlikely to make the trip, the high content of Subaru WRC’s in the top ten is diluted to Tim NcNulty, Patrick Elliott, J.J. Fleming, and Donie O’Sullivan who hires a McKinstry car for the event in preparation for the forthcoming Rally of the Lakes.

Others among the Kerry entry are Sean Gallagher (Escort Cosworth), George Cullen (Toyota Celica) and Ray Breen (Metro). Aaron MacHale leads the Group N contingent and opposition in the showroom category includes other Mitsubishi drivers, Roy White, Tony Kearns, Pat Price and local driver, Peter Clifford (Subaru).

First car away is at 10. 00 a.m. with the finish at 6.30 p.m.

Racing gets underway in Kirkistown tomorrow and Mondello Park on Sunday. The Fiat Punto Abarth Cup headline the Kirkistown 50th. birthday celebrations. A total of 26 cars are expected on the grid for the series including that of inaugural champion Richie Faulkner (Murray Motorsport).

Tough opposition in the only manufacturer racing championship in Ireland will come from Joey Freeburn (Armagh), Brian Hade (Rathfarnham), Gordon Kellett (Castleknock), Liam Denning, Quentin Smith and Dave Maguire, all Rathfarnham. Newcomers to the series are Bob Copeland, Barry Rabbitt, Greg Conway and Leo Nulty. Rally champion, Andrew Nesbitt will drive the Blaupunkt liveried “guest” car in what will be his racing debut.

Essentially a clubman event, the itinerary at Mondello Park has the Fiat Challenge as its feature race propped up by Strykers, Historics and Libre races.