YOUNG GUN OWEN MURPHY (17) GOES FOR BILLY COLEMAN AWARD

Posted: November 8, 2004 10:57 PM

• 2004 West Cork Rally - Peugeot 106 Ralyee 1st in Class A5 - 63rd Overall
  KDMC Junior Lakes - Peugeot 206 Cup - 1st in Class A6 - 2nd Overall
  
• North East Single Stage - Peugeot 206 Cup - 3rd in Class A6 - 22nd Overall
  
• Galway Summer Rally - Peugeot 206 Cup - 2nd in Class A6 - 35th Overall
  
• Clare Stages - Peugeot 206 Cup - 2nd in Class A6 - 30th Overall
  
• Fastnet Rally - Mitsubishi Evo 5 - 8th in Class N4 - 18th Overall

As well as the above on a tarmac surface, Owen was the first junior ever to win an Autocross outright with 1st Overall in Tipperary - January 2004. He also won the Sunday Run in the Cork Forestry Rally and also managed to find the time to compete and win the Killarney & District Motor Club Darby O'Gill Junior Autocross and he currently holds the lead in the Munster Junior Autocross for 2004.

On the Cork STARTREK Navigation Trial, 6-7 November he drove on his first Night Navigation Trial and finished 1st overall!

Owen is the youngest rally driver to be selected by Motorsport Ireland as a Billy Coleman Young Rally Driver of the Year 2004 Finalist.

Plans for next year include the Peugeot 206 Cup which starts on 25th February 2005 with the Sunseeker Rally and a further 7 rounds around the British Isles. At home he will be contesting the Pirelli Irish Tarmac Championship kicking off in Galway on 6th February 2005.

Here's looking to a bright and successful future for an up and coming star.