Clare Hillclimb - 07-08 Jun 08

Review of the rounds 5 and 6 of the Magnus Technology Hillclimb & Sprint Championship 2008 for the Frank Keane Trophy at Corkscrew and Scalp, hosted by the Clare Motor Club.

Posted: June 17, 2008 2:13 PM

As the Magnus Technology Hillclimb & Sprint Championship approaches its half way mark Paul O’Connells domination continues unabated. Six wins out of six rounds for the young driver from Crecora in Co. Limerick gives him a perfect score after a second great weekend of sport in Co Clare. The Clare Motor Club team really rallied together to run two superb hillclimbs and gave the drivers great value with three runs on Saturday and four on Sunday. Sunshine both days made it a true summer event.

Championship sponsor Darryl Ramsay put up the most respectable challenge to O’Connells supremacy at Corkscrew on Saturday. He was runner up to Paul just under a second behind and won class 6. Third that day on The Corkscrew was Seamus Morris in his distinctive white Darrian sports car holding off some impressive single seaters including that of the fastest local driver, Sean Connole in the ex Syllvie Mullins Ralt RT33 which was 4th. Morris finally breaking the strangle hold which Simon McKinley had on class 3B. McKinley’s Escort was haunted with mechanical woes on Saturday and did not run on Sunday. 7th was the best he could muster up on the first day. He was headed by a very pleased Rory Stephens in a Radical collecting 1st in class 3A and 6th overall. Andrew Herman squeezed his Van Dieman into 6th while Adrian McCallion, Thomas Corey and Mark Cullen rounded off the top ten.

In the well supported class 1 for the smaller saloons and hatchbacks there was some tight competition between two Galway men in their Mini’s. Pete Ray had snatched the lead in the Class after Ray Cunningham had to miss one of the previous rounds in Galway. Pete kept the pressure on his rival such that Cunningham’s winning margin was less than three tenths of a second each day. Second place both days however was enough for Pete Ray to maintain his lead in the class championship. Trish Daly’s perseverance with fuel pump problems was rewarded with points for third of the championship registered drivers on Sunday after both Ian Quinn –third in the class championship - and Stefan Walsh succumbed to their mechanical problems. She’s firmed up her position of fourth in the class championship and first of the non Austin Rover drivers in her Ford Fiesta.

Declan Cundelan made a welcome return in class 2, especially since he didn’t register for points. The Mk2 Escort driver was fastest in the class both days but maximum points went to the always hard-charging John Bradley in a Corsa. Fiona Cullen bagged some useful points for second both days in her Fiesta despite running a 1300cc engine in this 1600cc class. John Farrell must have cloned his mark 1 Escort before it crashed in Ballyalban, he collected 10 points in class 4 on Saturday after a remarkable return to form. Ed Cassidy took 9 in his Sunbeam Tiger and 8 went to Frank Nuttall in the Graham that day, in the class that is decided on a handicap system. On Sunday former Hillclimb & Sprint Committee Chairman Dermott Quigley took the maximum, 9 went to his double driver in the Anglia, Gerry Freeman and 8 more went to class leader John Farrell.

We’ve seen already from the Class 1 and 2 results that the ladies are starting to make there presence felt, but none more so than Siobahn McCann driving a Formula Vee single seater in class 5A. In just her third weekend of Hillclimbing after a very aggressive charge up the Corkscrew on Saturday she edged out Gerard O’Connor on the final run to take her first class win. On Sunday she found herself in a battle with local youngster Cillian Cannole. He too had an excellent result on the Corkscrew, recording a fourth in class on his first ever hillclimb. The eighteen year old was even more impressive on The Scalp on Sunday. Siobhan was fastest on run 1 with 60.37 to Cillians 62.61. But then he struck back with a 59.20 to Siobhans 59.50 on run 2. Siobhan parried with a 57.53 on the third run and an even better 57.50 on the fourth. Cillian’s best response to that was a 58.13 on that final run to claim second. A truly excellent result when you consider class stalwart Gerard O’Connor took third with a 59.46.

In the three rally car categories, class 8 went to Simon Evans in an Austin Cooper S on both hills. Class 9 went to Michael Rogers in a Vauxhall Nova on Saturday and to Keith Naughton in a Honda Civic on Sunday. David Cullen wrestled his Hillman Avenger to first in Class 10 both days and collected a mighty 10th overall on The Scalp on Sunday equalling his brothers’ achievement on Saturday.

Adrian McCallion scored another top ten finish on the second day finishing ninth overall. Eighth was John Donnelly in the Coogar engined Ralt. 7th was Rory Stephens. Local driver Declan McNamara was sixth double driving the Ralt RT33 with Sean Connole who was fourth again. This time Darryll Ramsay in his OMS could only make third because – here’s where it gets interesting – Simon McKinley borrowed Rory Stephens’ Radical and looked very much like he was going to beat Paul O’Connell. McKinley was just 0.39 of a second of O’Connells initial pace on run 1. O’Connell responded to the pressure by goin 2.49 seconds quicker on the second run up the Scalp. Then on the next two runs he suffered mechanical problems of his own and couldn’t respond to McKinley taking chunks out of his time as he familiarised himself with the Radical. By run 3 Simon was just 1.1 seconds down. Paul held his breath, waiting for his opponents time on the fourth and final run and let go a sigh of relief to see that his Run 2 time held by just 0.9 of a second after run 4.

McKinley is second in the championship, 12 points back and the only person realistically in a position to challenge O’Connell on current form. It seems unlikely that the Escort could be pushed to that pace. The current problems could be a sign of fatigue but there are other cars in the McKinley stable. The championship continues with round 7 and 8 in Dungarvan Co. Waterford on the 5th and 6th of July.

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Irish Hillclimb and Sprint Championship Website

Results / Photos

Posted: June 17, 2008 2:10 PM

Saturday
1 Paul O’Connell (Delta T79 Warrior) 54.57s,
2 Darryl Ramsay (OMS-Honda) 55.62s,
3 Seamus Morris (Darrian T90 Ford) 56.45s,
4 Sean Connole (Ralt RT33 Opel) 57.82s,
5 Andrew Herman (Van Diemen) 58.66s,
6 Rory Stephens (Radical SR3) 59.30s,
7 Simon McKinley (Escort) 60.56s,
8 Adrian McCallion (Normandale) 60.85s,
9 Thomas Corey (Reynard SF80) 61.54s,
10 Mark Cullen (Darrian T90) 62.61s.

Class winners:
Ray Cunningham (Mini) 64.42s,
Declan Cundelan (Escort) 63.94s,
Rory Stephens,
Seamus Morris,
Donal Morrissey (Ford Nota) 65.16s net,
Siobhan McCann (Leastone FV) 66.64s,
Darryl Ramsay,
Sean Connole,
Simon Evans (Mini) 65.33s,
Michael Rogers (Nova) 67.25s,
David Cullen (Avenger-Honda) 63.62s.

Sunday
1 Paul O’Connell (Delta T79 Warrior) 44.73s,
2 Simon McKinley (Radical SR3) 45.63s,
3 Darryl Ramsay (OMS-Honda) 48.05s,
4 Sean Connole (Ralt RT33 Opel) 50.52s,
5 Seamus Morris (Darrian T90 Ford) 50.53s,
6 Declan McNamara (Ralt RT33 Opel) 50.59s,
7 Rory Stephens (Radical SR3) 50.76s,
8 John Donnelly (Coogar Rover V8) 52.57s,
9 Adrian McCallion (Normandale) 52.73s,
10 David Cullen (Avenger-Honda) 53.16s.

Class winners:
Ray Cunningham (Mini) 55.65s,
Declan Cundelan (Escort) 54.24s,
Simon McKinley,
Seamus Morris,
Donal Morrissey (Ford Nota) 55.90s net,
Siobhan McCann (Leastone FV) 57.50s,
Darryl Ramsay,
Sean Connole,
Simon Evans (Mini) 56.83s,
Keith Naughton (Civic) 57.57s,
David Cullen.

Photos:
[link=060920/100643]

Clare Motor Club

All systems go for the Clare Motor Club Hillclimb Weekend

Posted: May 27, 2008 12:47 PM

Left to right - Vicky Finn (event secretary),
John Mcnamara (clerk of the course),
Darren Hayes (sponsor hayes of ennis, mitsubishi)
Photo: www.rallyportfolio.com

It’s all systems go for the Clare Motor Club Hillclimb Weekend which takes place in Ballyvaughan and Carron on June 7th. & 8th. The event is rounds five & six of the Magnus Technology Irish Hillclimb Championship 2008.

The Clare club will use the ever popular Corkscrew Hill which is steeped in motorsport history dating as far back as the 1940’s, on the Saturday. The club have been using this hill for the past couple of years and it has proved very popular with championship drivers from all over the country north and south. The event under Clerk of the course John McNamara from Lisdoonvarna and his hard working team have recieved great recognition for the safe running and competitor friendly event from both Motorsport Ireland and competitors alike.

The event moves to Carron for the Scalp Hill on Sunday. It starts at the bottom of the hill at Michael Cusack’s GAA Club and climbs towards Carron Village.

The event is kindly being sponsored for the second year by Darren Hayes the local Mitsubishi Dealer from Ennis and the club would like to thank him for his valuable assistance.

Regulations are now available to download from the Clare Motor Club Website or by contacting the event secretary Vicky Finn who can also be contacted through the website.

The event is fully supported by the Ballyvaughan Development Committee and local businesses in the area as they appreciate the much needed revenue that the event brings at such a quite time of year. The club would also like to thank the residents on both hills for their support.

Anybody interested in helping out over the weekend should contact any of the club committee.

Regulations Available

Posted: January 28, 2008 10:41 PM

Clare Motor Club