Shanahan brothers take Austria by storm, as neighbour Deane drifts at Goodwood
The Shanahan brothers from Killavullen took the top spots at rounds one and two of the Drift Masters European Championship over the weekend.
A 50-strong driver grid took to the circuit at 9am in Greinback, Austria for the first qualifying session on Saturday. Just one month after celebrating his 18th birthday, Conor Shanahan took to the track in his Toyota GT86, placing a fantastic second in the round 1 qualifiers.
While Conor was beaten for first place in the hard-fought finale against Polish driver Piotr Wiecek, he was joined on the podium by his brother, Jack, who placed third after he took down Adam Zalewski in the playoff.
The two brothers placed fifth and sixth respectively in round two on Sunday, reaching the Top 8 battles after producing some superb driving.
The current Drift Masters European Championships Driver Standings leaves the younger of the Shanahan brothers, Conor, in second place on 141 points, with Jack in fifth place on 124 points. Poland’s Piotr Wiecek leads the way on 212 points.
Last year’s championship in Riga, Latvia, saw the Shanahans’ neighbour, James Deane of Castletownroche, take the King of Riga title. He was joined by Jack Shanahan on the podium after the two went head to head in the semi-final, with Jack placing third.
Now, however, the 2021 event see’s Conor Shanahan claim his second ever podium finish at just 18 years of age.
“It was just amazing to be in a final again. The last time was 2018 and it means a lot to get back in there and then go and share a podium with my brother Jack.
“I knew it would be a tough battle against Piotr, he’s one of the best drifters in the world. But no matter who I’m battling, I just pull up to the starting line, put my visor down and go. I never had the attitude to worry about who I battle; I just try and get the job done but today we were a little short,” Conor reflected.
Round three and four are to take place in Riga, Latvia from July 30 until August 1, while round five will take place in Tbilisi, Georgia on September 5 and 6.
DEANE PERFORMS AT FESTIVAL OF SPEED
Meanwhile, as the Shanahan brothers battled it out in Austria, 2020 King of Riga James Deane took to Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK, which was held as part of the UK Government’s pilot test events.
While the Festival of Speed was more of a demonstration than a competition, it is one of the largest motoring events of the year and saw some 40,000 in attendance, while hundreds of thousands watched online.
“It’s one of the biggest motoring events in the world and it showcases drivers from every discipline. I’ve been a part of the event for the last seven years. It was a brilliant experience and I got to showcase drifting. It’s just a great way to show support for motorsports,” the Castletownroche native told TheAvondhu.
Having recently taken the FIA Intercontinental Cup at Riga, the world champion drifter Deane took the first-ever Goodwood Speedweek Driftkhana title in 2020.
“Goodwood Festival of Speed never disappoints and they pulled off another brilliant show once again this year. Even after seven years of attending, it is still my favourite event in the calendar,” James said.