Rounds 2 & 3 Of The MicksGarage.com Formula Sheane Championship - Bishopscourt

Bishopscourt was the venue for round 2&3 of the MicksGarage.Com Formula Sheane Championship 2013. Seventeen Formula Sheanes were entered all looking great and with a handful of new drivers to boot.

The weather would play a major part in how the weekends racing would unfold. There were frequent showers on Saturday and a change to less showers on Sunday except Sundays shower lasted from 8am until 1pm !!

Saturday consisted of two free test sessions with Qualifying at 15.10. This would determine the grid positions for both race 1 and race 2. The best time was for race 1 second best time was for race 2.

Conditions were very tricky because the track was neither dry nor wet also one side of the track seemed to dry quicker than the other so which setup to opt for ?

This is how it went by driver.........
K Sheane 1.015.080 Got pole but only just.
R Allen 1.015.260 On the pace
B Rabbitt 1.015.494 On the pace
T Swail 1.16.912 Sand and gravel !!
K Hogg 1.17.364 Struggled with set up/conditions
B Hearty 1.17.698 "
G Corcoran 1.18.633 "
E Crowley 1.18.676 "
J Linnane 1.19.711 "
R Kearney 1.20.133 "
D Clarkin 1.20.142 "
A Byrne 1.20.613 "
F Begley 1.20.765 "
M Sammon 1.22.960 "
J Mullan 1.23.105 "
B Carr 1.28.801 "
R Parks 1.33.424 Mechanical problems

Sunday the weather was truly shocking. It was cold and very wet so the first race was almost certainly going to be a wet one. Race 1 started at 11.50 and was wet, very wet ! All looked good from the start but on the entry to turn 1 that changed. Rabbitt and Hogg touched. Corcoran took to the grass as did a few others but all most unbelievably all cars got going and were still racing ! Check out the on-board footage from Tim Swail's car.

This however let Sheane, Allen, Hearty, and Swail away. Sheane pulled out a sizable lead he was not to lose. He was followed home by Hearty and Linnane then Kearney,Byrne,Clerkin,Crowley,Sammon and Jennifer Mullan Rabbitt. Parks and Begly "Went off"and stayed off.

Hogg and Allen had mechanical issues and finally Swail was disqualified after an incident under yellow flag conditions. It should be noted that Corcoran and Carr were "not classified " as their transponders were deemed to be not working. The race was eventually red flagged on lap 10. All cars were retrieved from their resting places to the paddock for repairs and readied for race 2.

Race 1 results:
1 K Sheane
2 B Hearty
3 J Linnane
4 R Kearney
5 A Byrne
6 D Clerkin
7 E Crowley
8 M Sammon
9 J Mullan

Race 2 started at 17.00. The weather had been dry for a while and previous races had dried the track but on the horizon there was one big inky black cloud heading our way with Formula Sheane written all over it.

Barry Rabbitt had pole from Robbie Allen and Sheane then Swail, Hearty,(Hogg non starter) Corcoran, Crowley, Linnane, Begley, Byrne, Clerkin, Kearney, Sammon, Mullan, Carr and Parks.

The race started in glorious sunshine so dry conditions,from the off. Sheane made the better start but Rabbitt held the lead into turn 1 from Sheane and Allen swiftly followed by the pack. All made it around turn 1 this time ! Barry Rabbitt ran wide before the chicane in turn 2 and this let Kevin Sheane and Robbie Allen pounce. It was now Sheane and Allen leading the pack. There was nothing between Sheane and Allen for lap after lap. On lap 5 as the rain poured down Crowley and Sammon had an incident in turn 2 which left Crowley and Sammon stranded in a dangerous position from which the marshals, who it should be said do great work, were unable to move the stricken cars to safety. The safety car was deployed and that was the way it finished. Brian Hearty had a mechanical problem which put him out so it was......

Race 2 results:
1 K Sheane
2 R Allen
3 B Rabbitt
4 T Swail
5 R Parks
6 J Linnane
7 D Clarkin
8 G Corcoran
9 A Byrne
10 F Begley
11 J Mullan

And finally it is heartening to see new faces in Formula Sheane so a big welcome to Richard Kearney, Fergal Begley and Brendan Carr.

Brian Hearty had problems starting his car before the start of race 1 but to see 3 or more fellow competitors doing their best to sort and sorting the problem hence getting him out to race just shows what Formula Sheane is really about.
A big thanks to David Sheane his knowledge and parts were in demand.

Regards until the next time,

Kevin Sheane Snr.