FESTIVAL VICTORY FOR BLACKBURN
Reigning Irish Formula Vee champion Colm Blackburn has had a tough season thus far in 2018, punctuated by contact and niggling mechanical issues. All of these were forgotten though when he crossed the line, fist in the air, to win the Formula Vee Festival final after a great scrap with poleman Anthony Cross.
Double Festival winner Kevin O’hara had taken a heat win earlier but was one of many to be eliminated in a scary accident in heat three, when a number of cars went off on oil and contacted a car which was already in the bank.
Michael Fitzgerald beat class regulars to take the Fiesta Zetec opener with series leader Owen Purcell in second. In race two, newbie Colin Murray took the win but fell foul of the weighing scales, handing the win to Purcell, while Fitzgerald took the third race.
In the Vee B/C race, leaders Luke O Faolain and Gavin Buckley tangled on the final tour, handing Jack Byrne the win, while in the A Championship race, Dan Polley beat polesitter Lee Newsome away and, despite plumes of smoke, gradually eased away. Colm Blackburn got by Newsome and had begun to close the gap to the leader but retired with a gear linkage issue.
Graham Gant took an impressive UK Vee win, despite the constant intentions of Jimmy Furlong, while in race two, Furlong spun when challenging for the lead, leaving Gant free for a dominant second win.
Se Og Martin took both Ginetta Junior races, despite starting from the pitlane on both occasions, having switched cars after qualifying.
Dave Parks pipped poleman Brian Hearty away in the first Formula Sheane race. Hearty just held off a late race challenge from Richard Kearney for second. In race two, Hearty got the jump but Parks grabbed it back before the end of the first lap to do the double.
Shane Murphy made no mistakes to take the Open Endurance Series race from pole position in his SEAT Supercup. Barry English was next up ahead of the Murray Motorsport pairing of Niall and Eoin Murray.
Ian Conroy and Paul O’brien took two Legends wins apiece, while James Holman and Jonny Taylor took one apiece. When the points were added up, O’brien took the overall win and €500 cash prize.
Ken Byrne took the first Future Classic race once penalties were applies, while Adrian Dunne took race two with Trevor Kinsella shadowing him home.
Jay O’reilly retired in the closing stages the first Irish Touring Car race, handing the win to Keith Campbell, who did the double on the second time of asking,
Class returnee Seamus Ryan outqualified all the regulars in Irish Strykers and just held off Andy D’alton for the win, despite an ominous trail of smoke from mid-race. Points leader Greg Kelly recovered from a bad qualifying to take third. In race two, D’alton took a strong win to drag himself back into title contention.
Dave Maguire took the Fiesta ST opener while Michael Cullen took race two, after Paul Swords and Maguire clashed on the main straight bringing out the red flags. In race three, Brendan Fitzgerald gave the rest a class in defensive driving and led a train of pursuers across the line Maguire was second while Cullen outfoxed Darragh Mcmullen at the final corner to nab third.