The
atmosphere was electric for this second visit to the Co. Kildare track for the
second time this year. With a packed venue and all eyes on them, the
Micksgarage.com Formula Sheane Championship certainly didn’t buckle under the
pressure; instead they put on what was renowned by Motorsport Ireland as the
racing of the weekend. The series has been credited with that honour at every
track it has visited this year and long may it continue. Testing on Friday had
its victims, Chris McCabe succumbed to engine woes early in the morning but he
and his crew worked relentlessly to change the engine and get the car back and
race ready for qualifying the next day. The track its self was very
uncharacteristically slippy some suggesting that it was from the drift cars the
week before but that meant that every single car was on the exact same pace and
no one driver was able to bang in super quick lap to set the pace, every
session bringing with it a different pace.
Qualifying
The
drivers arrived to a wet and changeable track on Saturday morning with many
spending it contemplating what wet set-up they would run if it didn’t dry out
by the time qualifying started. Luckily enough several other classes were out
beforehand to clear a nice dry line which meant that the drivers could push on
and go for that one quick lap to secure pole. All the cars lined up in assembly
ready to go out with all eyes on the sky praying it would stay dry the whole
way through. Qualifying being the fiery devil she is took no prisoners right
from the start in the form of driveshaft failure for Gary Corcoran who didn’t
manage to get a single lap time in sealing is fate to the back of the grid for
both races. Usual business resumed for the battle for pole between the top in
the championship, Dave Parks setting the pace early on before suspension
failure brought is qualifying to an end and a red flag to the session. With
Parks car removed the rest of the grid positions were battled out in the same
manner we know and come to expect from these guys. Sheane snatching the pole
position only for a second before the Master Hearty snatched it off him. Allen
then banged in a lap to put Sheane to 3rdwith Hogg in 4th. Sheane
then put in a lap that couldn’t be measured with a microscope, only .015 of a
second behind Hearty. Hearty went on to set an even quicker lap time and extend
the gap slightly with Hogg snatching 3rd of Allen. Parks early pole
time was good enough to see him take 5th on the grid with Kearney,
Paul McLoughlin, Newcomer to the class Sean Doyle only managing 8th
after struggling with set-up, Linnane and Carr rounding out the top 10. True to
form, Sheane blasted in a last ditch pole lap and reclaimed the top spot on the
grid from Hearty.
Race One.
18 cars
lined up in assembly for the first race of the weekend for the series, all
looking fantastically turned out and ready to race. The cars all had a quick
green flag lap to find out where the grip was on the ever changing track
conditions. The packed grid all took their positions, the rev’s raised in
deafening anticipation of the lights going out and as they did Keith Hogg, from
the second row of the grid took off like a bullet out of a gun and picked of
Hearty and Sheane to lead into the first corner. A fantastic start from
Doyle put him into the action fast and onto the back of Allen’s gearbox as they
turned out into the country, simple driving around cars on the outside to slot
in behind the leading pack. Around the cars came all noses to tail like they
were stuck together Hogg leading from Sheane, Hearty, Allen and Doyle who was
quickly lining up Allen with his eyes on Hearty. The rest of the field
thundered through a few cars missing in first lap incidents and all scrambling
for places. Gary Corcoran coming from the back of the grid was already inside
the top ten, an absolutely incredible first lap by the County Wicklow man.
Doyle moved up to 3rd after making the moves on Allen and Hearty and
the battle for the lead changed as Sheane snatched it away from Hogg. Sheane
got the head down and set about building his lead from the chasing pack. Parks
managed to take Allen for a few laps before Allen re-claimed the 4th
position from him. Doyle set his sights on Hogg and more ultimately Sheane in 1st
but he had forgotten one thing the man who he had just overtaken, Hearty who
threw every year of his experience at Doyle to take the place back. That battle
raged on for a few laps with both touching at nearly every corner of the track
which ended in the only way it could like that, Doyle’s throttle sticking open
coming into the esses saw him drive into the back of Hearty and push him around
the corner causing both terminal damage that saw them both retire a few laps
later. That promoted Allen and Parks to 3rd and 4th
positions which would soon be 2nd and 3rd as Hogg
developed an engine problem that he tried to nurse home in the effort to grab
some points but would eventually retire a lap from the end. Battles raged all
the way through the field and other cars ran into problems in battle which
promoted Paul McLoughlin up into 4th with drive of the day driver
Gary Corcoran driver bringing his car home in 5th. The 2nd
Micksgarage.com car was brought home in 6th spot in the hands of
guest driver Michael Sweeney. Brendan Carr and Gilbert Clancy managed to keep
their noses clean and avoid all the trouble to work their way through the
field. That’s how the race ended, Kevin Sheane, Robbie Allen and Dave Parks the
big winners in points for the battle for the championship. This one race has
blown the whole championship open and made it a 5-way battle at the top as they
all closed in on Hearty. After all that excitement the crews and supporters
peeled themselves away from the track to which they had been glued to
congratulate the podium winners up in the scrutiny bay. That was all the action
for the Saturday, race wise anyways and good few teams having to work on into
the evening carrying out repairs for the race on Sunday.
Race Two
Sunday
morning, and as the drivers, crews, families and supporters arrived they were
greeted by a very overcast Mondello Park but again most importantly it was dry
which set the race up to be as fast paced and action packed as the day before
was. A few slight changes in grid positions for the start, the biggest being
Hearty taking the pole position spot from Sheane. The tension was high and
everyone was on tender hooks as the cars rolled up to the grid for the start.
The lights went out and another blistering start by Doyle off the line, Sheane
got the drop on Hearty as they approached the first corner. Hearty seemed to
have a problem initially as Hogg got the overtake finished before turn in,
Allen took avoiding action to the left of Hearty, Doyle to the right and out
over the pit line to slot in in-behind Hogg for the corner. As they went out into
the country for the first time Hogg did everything in his power to hold off
Doyle who looked everywhere for a way around but couldn’t. Sheane scrambled to
get the head down and try pull away whilst the others squabbled over the
positions. Doyle threw it up the inside of Hogg coming into the last corner and
made it stick; now he set his sights on Sheane. Across the line Sheane took the
defensive line into turn one but again Doyle drove out onto the pit lane and
around Sheane to take the lead. That was 7th to 1st in 8
corners…not bad for only his 3rd race in the series. Allen tried to
make a move on the outside of Hogg going into turn one which resulted in him
running out of track and that was the end of his days racing. That off brought
out the safety car, not exactly something you see every day in Irish Circuit
racing but was needed none the less as Allen’s Car was in a dangerous position.
The Safety car gathered the cars up and they awaited the green light to go
racing again. The midfield battles were sensational too, Gary Corcoran and Sean
Hynes Slicing their way up the grid from the back with Clancy, Sweeney and Carr
all swapping positions anywhere they could. On the restart Doyle lead the train
of cars across the line into the first corner. Doyle set about trying to pull a
gap but Sheane and Hogg had set themselves up right under Doyle’s rear wing
where they stayed throughout the rest of the race never letting him more than a
car length away. The Chequered Flag dropped and Doyle took the win from Sheane
in 2nd and Hogg in 3rd. Brian Hearty was in 4th
just in front Parks who claimed 5th from Mayo man Sean Hynes in 6th.
Corcoran with another incredible drive finished 7th from the back of
the grid. Paul McLoughin slotted in 8th John Linnane made it home in 9th
after a great drive from him in his immaculate machine. Brendan Carr rounds out
the top 10 positions.
And that
was it rounds 7 & 8 were done and dusted and the series was leaving the
track with 2 more winners this year which brings it to 5 different winners from
8 rounds, that alone goes to show how close this class is in terms of pace and
quality. The Second race on the Sunday was credited as being the best race of
the weekend which is another accolade that the series can take, Formula Sheane
has now been the best racing at each of the 4 race weekends it has attended
this year so far and with the championship after been blown wide open with
those results you can be sure that they will take that title at the next 2 in Kirkistown
and Mondello Park. As Doyle was not involved in the Main Micksgarage.com
Formula Sheane Championship he will not be awarded points for the win, Everyone
below Doyle will be bumped up a place in the final race positions for points
meaning, Sheane takes full points for race 2, Hogg takes 2nd and
Hearty moves up to 3rd to round out the podium positions and
likewise throughout the rest of the field.
Formula
Sheane would like to take this opportunity to thank all the Drivers, the Crews,
the Marshalls, the Organisers, the Families and the Fans of the Series. Without
any of you none of the class would be possible and we love putting on the show
for you. Everyone certainly felt the support this weekend. The Micksgarage.com
Formula Sheane championship proving time and again (and at every race circuit
this year!) why it is Ireland’s Premier Racing Series. You will not find a
higher calibre racing in Ireland. There’s a long break now until round 9 but
let it Roll on and let these guys continue in the fight for the Honours in
Irelands Top Tier racing series!!!
Image credit: James Foley
