Donegal (Knockalla) Hillclimb Weekend - 1-2 Sep 07

Posted: September 20, 2007 2:26 PM

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Report
This years Premier Machine tools Hillclimb and Sprint Championship for the Frank Keane Trophy culminated in a massive three way battle between a Galway man, a Limerick man and a Dubliner. Frank Byrnes after a brilliant performance which saw him making history as the first southern driver to win the Northern Hillclimb Championship a couple of weeks ago has been hot on the heels of young guns Paul O’Connell and Simon McKinley since mid season.

For Simon Mckinley, Donegal on the first weekend of September was time to take out the WMD. His fathers Escort was stabled and out came the Lant RT4 which he’s used very sucessfully in Libre racing. He blasted up the Knockalla climb and into the lead after run 1 with a time of 43.81. Rain showers were adding to the pressure so it was run 3 before Frank Byrnes could respond and took the lead with a 42.66. On run 4, the times fell further, Byrnes recording 42.18, McKinley up to 42.55 with Paul O’Connell closing in on 43.73. There was a fifth run but only O’Connell could improve his time to 43.12 to secure third.

Byrnes had done his job for the day and his campaign to do the double with both Irish titles was on track but he’d still have to win the remaining round in Donegal and the two in Wicklow on the weekend of 15th and 16th September. The pressure was on. McKinley uncharacteristically looked at the clouds and decided to opt out of the days competition, fearing rain. O’Connell put it in a steady first run, recording a 43.53. Then came Byrnes at full tilt no doubt keen to punch in a good time before the weather could deteriorate. He entered the infamous Wilhares corner on Knockalla with great commitment but he must have caught some gravel on the outside of the curve. His car spun across the road and connected with the Armco barrier at the opposite side. The railings did their job and fortunately the car was prevented from going towards the cliffs. Byrnes emerged from the wreckage of his Autocolor Pilbeam unharmed but the battle was over.

Paul O’Connell would go on to finish second behind a surprise winner. The expected rain never really materialised and Lee Stanworth who’d been 4th on Saturday put in a great performance on the final run to claim his second win of the season. 9 points for second were enough to put Paul’s tally out of Franks reach. Paul O’Connell from Crecora will be the Premier Machine Tools Hillclimb and Sprint Champion for 2007. A dream come true for the Limerick driver.

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Donegal Motor Club

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PRE EVENT NEWS
Knockalla – fit for a World Champion!
September draws nearer, and for the motorsport fans, this will mean only one thing, Knockalla Hillclimb. Organised and promoted by the Donegal Motor Club, on Saturday 1st September and Sunday 2nd September, the PREMIER MACHINE TOOLS Hillclimb Championship will move to Co. Donegal. The 2-day Motorsport Ireland backed championship event, consists of a speed competition each day, with drivers competing against the clock, over almost a mile of one of the steepest roads in Ireland or UK.

Regarded by many as one of the best competition hills in Europe, it was recently driven by none other that current world champion, Sebastian Loeb, who said, “reminds me of the Alps!” as he was about to drive the famous Knockalla stage of the Shell Donegal Rally last June.

For 2007, the event will again be sponsored by the Blaney Group, with the Milford Inn Hotel acting as host to the many fans and competitors who will visit the North Donegal coast road over the week-end.

Entries for the Donegal Motor Club event are still open, and provide an opportunity for the rally cars to ‘mix it’ with the race and sprint cars up the majestic road climbing almost one mile to the top of one of the most famous courses in the world, beside the Ballymastocker Bay recently voted 2nd most beautiful beach in Europe.

Clerk of the Courses for the events, Danny Gormley and Michael Kelly, are looking forward to a safe and enjoyable 2 days of competition. As usual, the event will start at 11 a.m., with roads closed to traffic at 9.30 a.m.

Entry level for the event is expected to top the 70 car mark, on both days, with many entries from across Ireland. For the spectators it is a treat to get up close to the action, and see some of the single seaters up close in the pits area, in particular some of the powerful race and sprint cars that were in action recently in the Phoenix Park races in Dublin.

Donegal Motor Club