Jack retains his national Junior rallycross crown
JACK BYRNE from Ballinaboola has become the Junior Irish rallycross champion for the second year in a row, securing the national title at the final rounds of the IRX Championship in Mondello Park by winning five of his seven races on the day.
Going into the final rounds with a narrow lead, it was all to play for, but a convincing win in the first final, leading the race from start to finish, was enough to ensure he brought the title back to Wexford for another year.
Jack, a fifth year student in Good Counsel College, began racing when he was 13 with the Wexford Motor Club youth academy and progressed to rallycross in 2017.
After winning the Junior IRX championship title in 2018 in his 1250cc Fiesta Zetec, he secured sponsorship to also compete in the Junior Ginetta championship for 2019.
Racing in Ginetta G20 cars in Mondello and Kirkistown, some strong performances and a couple of podium finishes earned him the Andrew Clarke Perpetual Trophy for best newcomer 2019.
Jack continues to be involved with the Wexford Motor Club youth academy, and his team-mate for the final round in Mondello was the youth academy’s RX works driver for 2019, Aaron McGrath from Ballinabanogue.
The promising Aaron earned his drive through the youth academy’s programme and was making his rallycross debut in Mondello Park in the NCRS-prepared Peugeot 106.
Fourteen-year-old Aaron put on a strong performance in challenging conditions, drawing on his experience from autograss racing to bring the car home without a scratch.
Youth academy graduate and 2018 works driver David Hamilton was also competing in his newly-acquired Zetec Fiesta and delivered some excellent results, with a second place and two third place heat finishes.
The Wexford Motor Club youth academy is open to all children aged from ten to 17 years who have an interest in motorsport.
In conjunction with Non-Stop Karting Waterford, the 2020 programme introduces a new format which will see students karting at each of the six workshops.
A championship-style leader board will determine the winners for the kart and rallycross drives for 2020.
For anyone interested in joining the youth academy, Wexford Motor Club are holding an open day in Non-Stop Karting Waterford on Sunday, December 15, from 10 a.m.