RallyConnection Rally Scholarship

Posted: December 16, 2005 2:21 PM

The quality of these drivers who reached the second round and ultimately the final was above expectation and treated us to a wonderful display of car control at high speeds making the task of determining the eventual winner a difficult one for the judges who were none other than the Dunlop national tarmac champion Ray Breen and the McAuley national forestry champion and 2005 Billy Coleman award winner Gareth MacHale.

The final was contested in Mk2 Escorts been driven both clockwise and anti-clockwise on Level 1 of the Rallyschool and then 2 timed laps in each car clockwise again on level 1. The event was covered by On The Limit Sports TV cameras and Flat To the Mat motorsport magazine.

The finalists were
Christopher Doran from Kildare, Sean O Sullivan from Cork,
Tom Ryan from Clare,
Barry-John Mc Henry from Dublin,
Shane Healy from Carlow
and the overall winner 18 year old Michael Mc Kennedy from Clonakilty Co. Cork.

Michael earned himself a once in a lifetime opportunity of a free rally drive in next years Forestry championship which includes rally car hire, rally entry fee, tyres, petrol, all safety gear, co-driver and service crew, - a full arrive and drive package worth in excess of € 3,500.

Next years scholarship application forms will be available in early January on www.rallyconnection.com , so if you think you have what it takes to drive one of these Mk 2’s on the pace, now is your chance to prove it. Someone has to win! –
Could it be you?

• www.rallyconnection.com

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PRE EVENT NEWS 11/09/04
Over 100 applications already and still more to come!
First round starting Shortly! Become one of over 100 drivers with a chance to become a 'top of the range' rally driver by winning entry to a fully-paid-up gravel rally -- worth over €3,500

Application Form available

The Scholarship will involve 3 assessment rounds of competition type driving at the RallyConnection Rally School in Co. Waterford.

Round 1
Consists of an introduction to driving techniques followed by a period of instruction and assessment on a gravel course driving a MK 2 Escort. Competitors will be timed, however, we are not just looking for the fastest laps, judges will be looking for drivers who display a high degree of car control, combined with the ability to listen, learn and improve on the day. First Round Cost: €215.00 (open to everyone)

Round 2
If you have proved yourself worthy in Round 1, you will be invited to return to compete in Round 2, again costing €215.00. Round 2 is yet more involved, with more instruction and assessment concentrating more on car control at higher speeds. Judges in Round 2 will be looking for an ability to react quickly to rectify mistakes while keeping control of the car.

Round 3
RallyConnection will invite 6 drivers back to our free final, where you will be scrutinized once more. A panel of judges will be present to choose a winner, based not only on driving ability, but attitude and potential. The judges’ word is final. Their choice will probably be one of the best amateur drivers in Ireland today! The question is .... could that be YOU?

As the Scholarship winner, you will pilot a 1600 MK 2 Escort in a full gravel rally in next year’s Forestry Championship. Everything will be paid for by RallyConnection e.g. entry fees, safety notes, tyres, petrol, car hire, insurance, safety gear, co driver hire, service crew - total value approx. €3,500 - all for less than the price of a set of tyres!

This Scholarship will be a very prestigious event in Irish Motorsport, being the first ever, and will gain a lot of media coverage for itself and ultimately for the Scholarship winner. ‘On The Limit Sports’ will film the winner on the final day of Round 3 at the RallyConnection Rally School. He/she will also be filmed during the Forestry Rally and will be interviewed afterwards for the TV programme. Additionally, various other radio and written media will be present on the day of the final.

• Entry forms and further details on: www.rallyconnection.com