Former classmates scoop top rally honours

IN a remarkable coincidence, the County Dublin village of Swords netted the young Driver of the Year awards for rallying and racing as Motorsport Ireland honoured its top achievers yesterday.

Former classmates at Coláiste Choilm, Swords, Robert Barrable and Patrick McKenna, both 23, were the respective winners of the Billy Coleman Award and the Dunlop Sexton Memorial Trophy, both of which carry a support package of €50,000. Barrable won the Irish and British Citroen C2R2 championships while McKenna finished second in the US F2000 race series.

Barrable outlined his plans: “We are going to the Czech Republic tomorrow to test a Skoda S2000 and later in the week, I am due to test the JRM Mitsubishi in Donegal. My first preference is the Skoda but if that doesn’t work out, it will be a Mitsubishi. I want to tackle the British Rally Championship in 2011 and I would also like to give something back to the national championship here and Motorsport Ireland for this award.”

Meanwhile, Patrick McKenna will head to the States in February to test at the Sebring race circuit in Florida. Having won the Sexton award for the second year in succession, he is hoping to race in the Star Mazda series in 2011.

Cork driver, Keith Cronin, the double British Rally champion, was voted International Driver of the Year and winner of the Manley Memorial Trophy.

nOther award winners that were honoured at the prestigious gala lunch held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Dublin were: Tommy Graham, National Rallycross Champion; Gerard Brennan, National Autocross Saloon Champion; Chris Culleton, National Autocross Special Champion; Eddie Peterson, National Autotest Champion; Simon McKinley, National Hillclimb/Sprint Champion; Martin Rafferty, Clubman of the Year Award and winner of the J.C. Millard Memorial Trophy; John Norris, winner of the King Hussein of Jordan Trophy; Shane Burke, National Junior Kart Champion and winner of the Neil Shanahan Memorial Trophy; Robert Lyttle, winner of the Ivan Webb Memorial Trophy; Jackie Cochrane, National Racing Champion; Melvyn Evans/Patrick Walsh, Dunlop National Rally Champions; Pat O’Connell/Mark Wiley – National Forest Champions; Arthur Kierans/Ashley McAdoo, National Navigation Trial Champions and Gareth MacHale/Brian Murphy, Irish Tarmac Champions.