Clare Hillclimb Weekend - 4-5 Apr 09

REPORT:

Posted: April 10, 2009 9:31 AM

As in 2008 Fantastic weather and a large entry of 56 competitors for Saturday and 75 for Sunday made for a great motrosport weekend in North Clare for the Clare Motor Club’s Annual Hillclimb Weekend (Rounds 3 and 4 of The Magnus Technology National Championship). The weather helping the smooth running of the event with drivers getting 1 practice and 5 timed runs on Saturday and 1 practice and 4 timed runs on Sunday.

The newly surfaced Corkscrew Hill with its widened corners was the venue for Saturday. The Hill was a resounding success with all the competitors who travelled from all corners of Ireland to be greeted by the billard smooth surface which was laid recently in connection with the waterworks for Ballyvaughan. Competitors were ecstatic with this new surface and rivals any venue in the British Isles. Great credit is due to the members of the Clare Motor Club and Clerk of the Course local man John McNamara heaped praise on the Clare County Council for the cooperation he received from them leading up to the event.

Local Ballyvaughan man and Clare Motor Club member Sylvie Mullins set a blistering pace on the fifth run of 48.57 seconds smashing last years record by ten seconds in his 600 horse power Gould GR37. Sylvie was fastest on all five runs, starting with a time of 51.96 seconds for run one,51.56 on run two and 51.27 for run three. He discovered that the car was missing on two cylinders and after changing two spark plugs improved his time to 45.56 on run four and finally 43.96 on run five. The reigning Hillclimb Champion Paul O’Connell from Limerick in his Delta racing car finished second on 53.28 seconds which he achieved on run two while Rory Stephens from Dublin finished third on a time of 53.90 seconds in his beautiful Hyabushia powered Radical SR3 Racing car. Murt O’Loughlin from Ballyvaughan finished second in his class in his Van Diemen.

Round 4 on Sunday “The Scalp Hill” near Carron is a very challenging and bumpy hill and this year saw a thrilling tussle for top honours between three drivers, 2006 Hillclimb champion Frank Byrnes, who made his first appearance this year on the hills, Paul O’Connell and local ace Sylvie Mullins. Frank from Galway was first to head the time sheets after run 1 with a time of 47.09 seconds in his Pilbeam 5000cc. Then it was Sylvie Mullins who claimed the fastest time on run 2 with 46.05 seconds. Byrnes again made the top spot on run 3 with a time of 45.34 seconds followed by Paul O’Connell on 45.56. Sylvie ripped a tyre half way up the hill after clipping a rock and had to retire. Going into the last run there was 0.12 of a second between frank and paul and the reigning champion O’Connell showed his class by knocking more than 1.5 seconds off his previous time while Byrnes failed to improve. This left the 2008 Champion the winner on the day and looking odds on to take the 2009 championship. Paul commenting after the event that he pulled out all the stops on the final run and that it was scary stuff and frightening speed.

Frank Byrnes finished second while Sylvie had enough done to take third overall. Sylvie also claimed the trophy for fastest man overall on both day’s. Clare Motor Club member and Clerk of the Course John McNamara also raced his Coogar on Sunday and fiished fourth overall and third in his class while another club member Pa Baker from Newmarket on Fergus won the Novice Award in his Honda Civic.

Overall a great weekend sport and a great boost to local tourism at this relatively quite time of the year.

Clare Motor Club would like to thank most sincerely the residents on both hills, the business community and people of Ballyvaughan and Carran. The Ballyvaughan Development Committee, all the Clare Motor Club officials and marshals who helped to make this a very successful weekend for the Club. The Clare Motor Club would also like to thank the Gardai Siochanna, the Clare County Council, the emergency and rescue services, Motorport Ireland without whose assistance this event would not have been possible.

Photos:

Posted: April 6, 2009 4:48 PM

Rallyportfolio.com

Results

Posted: April 6, 2009 4:44 PM

Day 1
1 Sylvie Mullins (Gould GR37-Judd) 48.57s,
2 Paul O'Connell (Delta T79 Warrior) 53.28s,
3 Rory Stephens (Radical SR3 Hayabusa) 53.90s,
4 Padraig Forde Snr (Scott Climber) 54.15s,
5 Simon McKinley (Escort) 54.72s,
6 Pete Ray (Delta T80) 54.91s,
7 Declan McNamara (Ralt RT33 Opel) 55.11s,
8 John Donnelly (Coogar Rover V8) 55.66s,
9 Padraig Forde Jnr (Scott Climber) 55.68s,
10 Paul McNally (Westfield) 56.38s.

Day 2
1 Paul O'Connell (Delta T79 Warrior) 43.96s,
2 Frank Byrnes (Pilbeam MP45 Rover V8) 44.60s,
3 Sylvie Mullins (Gould GR37-Judd) 46.05s,
4 John McNamara (Coogar Rover V8) 73.30s,
5 Simon McKinley (Escort) 47.64s,
6 Declan McNamara (Ralt RT33 Opel) 49.41s,
7 John Donnelly (Coogar Rover V8) 49.88s,
8 Padraig Forde Jnr (Scott Climber) 50.31s,
9 Padraig Forde Snr (Scott Climber) 50.52s,
10 Rory Stephens (Radical SR3 Hayabusa) 50.63s.

Posted: April 6, 2009 4:39 PM

Left to Right - Donal Griffin (safety officer),
Vicky Finn (event secretary), Darren Hayes (sponsor),
John McNamara (clerk of the course), Sylvie Mullins (competitor)
Photo: rallyportfolio.com

Preview

Posted: April 2, 2009 9:04 AM

The “Hayes of Ennis Mitsubishi Clare Hillclimb Weekend” kicks into action this weekend April 4th. and 5th. The event is being held earlier than normal this year and hopefully will be blessed with the fine weather which it experienced last year.

Based in Ballyvaughan, The Clare Club who successfully revived The Famous Corkscrew Hill a couple of years ago will run it again this year on Saturday and will be followed by the Scalp Hill near Carran Village on the Sunday. The Corkscrew has been resurfaced and has its hairpin corners widened and is now as smooth as a racetrack and should make for fantastic racing. Also new to the Corkscrew for this year is the Paddock Area which is now based in a field at the bottom of the hill close to the start line.

"Hayes of Ennis", the main Mitsubishi Dealer for Co. Clare have stepped in again as the main sponsor of the event for the third year. Darren Hayes who runs the Mitsubishi Dealership in Ennis is very well known in both the motor industry and rallying circles, having competed as a driver and navigator at all levels Over many years. He is also a long standing member of the Clare Motor Club and the club are delighted with his generous sponsorship. The event is also rounds 3 and 4 of "The Magnus Technology Irish National Hillclimb & Sprint Championship.

All the championship contenders will attend including current Hillclimb Champion Limerick’s Paul O’Connell who has already clocked up two wins on the first two rounds of the 09 championship which took place last weekend in Wexford. Driving his Delta T79 Warrior racing car he leads Peter Dwyer’s Reynard FVL who finished second on both days in Wexford. Paul was fastest on both Clare Hills last year and will be aiming for a repeat performance this year.

Clare competitors who will be looking for results this weekend include Ballyvaughan’s Declan McNamara, Sean Connole Murt O’Loughlin , Killian Connole who won best novice on last years event and is now driving a formula ford 1600 Wimhurst which he has prepared. John Donnelly will drive John McNamara’s Coogar.

Sylvie Mullins from Ballyvaughan will compete in his newly acquired GOULD GR37 which is pumping out 600 horse power. Sylvie has been track racing the car and has already smashed the record on the national track in Mondello back in September 08 during the Leinster Trophy Event. He also set a new lap record in Angelesy in Wales back in July 08. The car has had a lot of Hillclimb Championship success in England and this weekend will be the first outing for the car in an Irish Hillclimb,.Sylvie is surely capable of taking on current champion Paul O’Connell for outright victory on the Clare Hills. There will also be a big turn out in the Rally Car Classes and will include a lot of Clare Motor Club members who will be fighting for positions in the various classes.

There will be a special prize this year for anyone who enters any of the Rally Car Classes on both days. Each Rally Class entrant will be entered into a draw at the end of the event for a free entry to this years Clare Stages Rally. The prize is being sponsored by Charlie McEnery of Banner Quickfit..

In addition to this Logue’s of Ballyvaughan in association with the Clare Motor Club are offering one lucky competitor a chance to win a prize of two nights b&b for the Galway Hillclimb Weekend which takes place in two weeks time 17th & 18th April 09. To be in with a chance of winning this prize you have to take an entry on both day’s of the Clare Hillclimb and entry is open to non rally car classes only.

Clerk of the course for the weekend is John McNamara from Lisdoonvarna and secretary for the event is Vicky Finn from Shannon. Mechanical & Document Scrutiny will take place at the Ballyvaughan Filling Station, Ballyvaughan on this Friday evening 3rd. April between 6-9pm.
Prizegiving will take place on Saturday Evening at Logues Lodge, Ballyvaughan at 8.30pm. and will be followed by music and entertainment. Meals will be available all day in the restaurant.

Prizegiving for Sunday’s Hill will take place in the paddock at Ml Cusack’s GAA Pitch at the bottom of the hill . Entry forms are now available to download from the club website -

The Event Secretary can be contacted on 086-2162464 between 7pm and 9pm only.

The Corkscrew hill will be closed to traffic on Saturday between 10.00am – 6.00pm and on Sunday on the Scalp Hill between 10.00am – 6.00pm. and Traffic Diversions will be in place.

The Clare Motor Club would like to thank the residents on both hills and the Business Community of Ballyvaughan for their assistance in making this one of the most popular rounds of the Hillclimb Championship.

Prize of 2 Nights B & B for Galway Hillclimb Weekend

Posted: March 20, 2009 2:32 PM

In addition to the prize of free entry to this years Clare Stages Rally 2009, Logue’s of Ballyvaughan in association with Clare Motor club are offering one lucky competitor the chance to win a prize of 2 nights b and b in Logues for the weekend of the Galway Hill Climb on 17th and 18th April 2009.

To be in with a chance of winning this prize you have to take an entry to both days of the Clare Hillclimb on 4th and 5th April and its open to the non rally car classes only.

All Systems go for Hillclimb weekend.

Posted: March 20, 2009 2:32 PM

Its full steam ahead for COC John McNamara and crew for the weekend of 4th and 5th April. Entries are now coming in steadily and John and team expect to start a full field on both “Corkscrew” and “Scalp” hills. The event is being held earlier than normal this year and hopefully we will be blessed with the fine weather that we have experienced in the past on this event.

There will be a vast range of expensive and powerful machinery on show at the weekend, some with a fairly impressive history attached. One in particular will be the Coogar of John McNamara.

The car is a 1974 Ralt RT1 Designed by Ron Turnack and first raced in formula 3. It was built by a company in GB called Gomme metals. First raced by Larry Thompkins and was 3rd in European F3 championship with a win in Monza and third in Monaco. Then it was developed into a hillclimb car by Mr Coombe and Mr Gairdner hence the name COOGAR. It ran for several years in the British championship with various different engines and was eventually run with a rover engine by Alan Payne who got it specially built by John Eales who specialises in Rover V8’s to this day. Richard Young from Belfast purchased it from Alan and won 3 Irish championships with it. He sold it on to John Leinster whom John McNamara bought it off. John has the car since 02 and was 2nd OA in the Hillclimb championship in 05 after which it was fully refurbished including a new tub from Gomme metals. Mr Gomme has passed away since and the factory has closed.

At the moment the cars spec is Ralt RT1 Chassis no 2. Brabham FG 200 F1 gearbox 5-speed H pattern, Original JE Developments Rover block re worked and built by John Donnelly. The engine capacity of 3900cc produces a whopping 350bhp. 13” X 10” wide slicks front AVON / 13” X 14” wide slicks rear AVON. Top speed is an impressive 148 mph .

Regulations

Posted: March 13, 2009 4:08 PM

Download Regulations

Rally Class draw for free entry to this year’s Clare Stages Rally

Posted: February 25, 2009 6:03 PM

There will be a special prize this year for anyone who enters any of the Rally Car classes for both days.
Each “Rally Class” entrant will be entered into a draw at the end of the event for a free entry to this year’s Clare Stages Rally.
This prize is proudly sponsored by Charlie McEnery of Banner Quickfit

Event Details

Posted: February 25, 2009 6:03 PM

Hayes of Ennis for Mitsubishi in Clare are once again stepping up to the mark and sponsoring the event.

Clare Motorclub’s hillclimb weekend is now fast approaching and plans and preparation are well under way. We plan on using the famous “Corkscrew Hill” on Saturday and “Scalp” hill on the Sunday. Please consult www.claremotorclub.com for event details. Regulations and entry forms will be available shortly.

Event Website / Details

Posted: January 1, 2009 12:01 AM

• Clare Motor Club