O’hara holds on in Donnelly Trophy thriller
PRESSURE AFFECTS PEOPLE IN different ways. Some crumble under it, others thrive. Kevin O’hara falls into the latter category and he proved that in no uncertain manner at Kirkistown, becoming the first threetime winner of the Martin Donnelly Trophy. In a titanic 21-lap FF1600 battle, he fought off a series of determined attacks all the way to the flag.
O’hara clinched pole in an earlier qualifying race, with victory over James Roe. Noel Robinson and Jordan Dempsey lined up on the second row and, with both showing strong pace all day, nothing was certain heading into the final. O’hara got the drop as they ran down to Colonial for the first time with the pack close behind, Robinson getting shuffled down the order by a fast-starting David Mccullough.
Roe mounted the first attack, getting alongside O’hara several times, but left the door open too long and allowed Dempsey to slip into second. Dempsey applied intense pressure to the leader, setting fastest lap in the process and even getting ahead briefly, before the cool O’hara re-established himself at the front. Robinson and Mccullough had their own battle for position, but soon joined the top trio, creating a five-car battle for the lead, until the latter’s adventures caused him to fall back. Robinson then passed Roe and Dempsey, to become O’hara’s latest tormentor, drawing alongside several times but never quite managing to grab the lead.
At the flag O’hara, Robinson, Dempsey and Roe were covered by just 0.8 seconds. Ivor Mccullough, in his first race for more than a year, took fifth ahead of Alan Davidson, whose Mondiale had earlier followed winner Roe home in the Northern Irish FF1600 finale.
If anything, Formula Vee produced an even more intense battle for the Emerson Fittipaldi Trophy. Race-one winner Ray Moore took the honours, despite the best efforts of a 10-car train, which changed every lap until the flag. Adam Macaulay took second ahead of Dan Polley, Anthony Cross and Gavin Buckley.
Even the normally placid Roadsports gang got in on the Kirkistown battles, with Jim Larkham and Mike Johnston enjoying plenty of side-by-side action. Johnston got ahead a few laps from the finish, only to spin at the Hairpin on the final tour and hand the win to Larkham.
Race two might have been quieter, with