- BILLY COLEMAN AWARD UPDATE -

Posted: July 6, 2000 5:37 PM

Created by the sports governing body Motorsport Ireland, who along with each of the clubs currently organising a round of the National Rally Championship are funding the prize, the award is designed to enable a talented young driver devote the maximum time to the sport.

Thanks to their class winning achievements in this year's Dunlop National Rally Championship fellow Donegal drivers Adrian McElhinney and Stuart Darcy become two candidates for Ireland's richest motor sport award. Competing in class nine, driving a 1400cc Ford Fiesta, 23 year old McElhinney is having an impressive season finishing in the top three of all six championship rounds to-date. 25 year old Darcy is also enjoying a successful year taking four class nine wins in his 1600cc Honda Civic.

Another Dunlop National Rally Championship competitor to make the shortlist is Circuit of Munster class winner Colm Doyle. Driving a Peugeot 306 S16, the 25 year old from Kilkenny has three top three finishes to his credit this year. The fourth driver to meet the criteria is Dubliner Max McKillen who is contesting both the Peugeot Super 106 Cup and the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship. Qualifying from the National Forest Rally Championship, the 26 year old currently leads Formula 2 in the Tarmac series.

With the winner to be announced in December, a number of other drivers are expected to qualify for the Billy Coleman Award as they meet the criteria required to make the shortlist over the remainder of the season.

The first year of the annual award, Motorsport Ireland received much praise for the initiative from World Rally Championship leader Richard Burns when he visited Dublin recently.