The old saying “where there’s a will there’s a way” proved to be as valid as ever last weekend with the Clare Motor Club. Around midday last Friday Alan 0’Callaghan the Clerk of the Course for the Clare autocross got the type of phone call that every COC dreads. He was told that the quarry in Ennis was unexpectedly unavailable for the Sunday’ autocross. It looked like curtains for the Clare autocross but that would be to ignore the tenacity of O’Callaghan and the generosity of Bob 0’Connell owner of the quarry at Ardnacrusha. Within a few hours O’Callaghan and his team had all the insurance and documentation completed and the Clare autocross was back in business.
Posted: May 9, 2005 9:57 AM
All day Saturday was spent laying out a testing track for this the second round of the popular Munster Autocross Championship.
On Sunday morning it looked as if the gods were in favour as sunshine welcomed the crews to Ardnacrusha, and twenty eight drivers tried their skills on a tight testing track blessed with a lovely smooth surface.
As ever the specials were fastest and Michael O’Connor Jnr from Athea Co.Limerick posted his maiden win in his new Suzuki Special. O’Connor had a narrow margin of three hundreds of a second over Dave Fallon in a Vauxhall special.
Class 1 was dominated by the Mini Cooper of Frank Cunningham with the Honda Civic of Michael Lenihan second.
Class 2 was a dig dong battle all day between Clare Motor Club member Matt Shinnors (Ford Escort) and Corkman Jerry Lehane (Honda Civic). Shinnors lead after three runs but Lehane edged ahead by three quarters of a second on the fourth and final round.
Tony Murphy (Clare MC) had some good times to finish ninth in the class.
Clare members were in total control in Class 4.Christy Carey was the winner in a Subaru Legacy by a second from David Murphy (of David Murphy Car Sales) in a Subaru Impreza.
Rapid Manta driver Anthony O’Halloran was third in a Ford Sierra 4X4 complete with left hand drive.
Winner of the day Michael O’Connor was thrilled with victory in the new Suzuki and he paid generous tribute to Alan O’Callaghan and his team of marshals for securing the Clare Autocross in such a splendid location.
Class Class_Pos Overall Car FTD
1 1o/a Michael (Jnr) O'Connor Suzuki Special 01:43
1 1 Ray Cunningham Austin Mini 01:47.8
1 2 Michael Lenihan Honda Civic 01:48.2
1 3 Michael FitzGerald Honda Civic 01:52.7
2 1 James Lehane Honda Civic 01:48.1
2 2 Matt Shinnors Ford Escort Mk2 01:48.8
2 3 Andrew Lehane Honda Civic 01:49.3
4 1 Christy Carey Subaru Legacy 01:47.3
4 2 David Murphy Subaru Impreza 01:48.3
4 3 Anthony O Halloran Ford Sierra 01:49.0
5 1 Michael (Jnr) O Connor Suzuki Special 01:43.7
5 2 Dave Fallon Vauxhall Special 01:43.7
5 3 James Lucey Mazda Special 01:45.3
PRE EVENT NEWS
Due to unforseen circumstances, the venue for the Autocross on Sunday 8 May has been changed. The venue will now be:
Bobby O'Connell's Quarry
Ballycar
Ardnacrusha
Co. Clare
The new venue will be signopsted from the Elm Roundabout, at the end of the dual carriageway into Limerick from Ennis. If you have any difficulty contact COC Alan O Callaghan at 086-2367133
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