Stellar year on rally circuit for Cloonacool native Art
It’s been a good year for Cloonacool native Art McCarrick.
Last weekend (Sept 30 th- October 1st) Art wrapped up the M6 section of the championship and claimed 5 th overall in the modified championship.
It’s been a stellar year overall for Art and his co-driver John McCay, who travelled the width and breadth of the country.
The pair were class winners at the Galway International Rally in February, class winners at the West Cork International Rally in March, class winners at the Killarney International Rally of the Lakes in April and after some last minute repairs we made it to the Cork 20 Inter- national Rally last week taking 3rd in class and sealing the championship. The pair crashed out heavily while leading the class at the Ulster International Rally in August.
Throughout the year in conjunction with the IBTS, Art, who works as a Sport Development Officer for Motorsport Ireland, promoted the “give blood, give platelets” message on the car on each round of the championship.
“I am a platelet donor myself. People can find out more about platelet donation by texting the word “platelets” to 53377,” he said.
He used a Group N Honda Civic through the season run by C-Sport in Galway.
Now based in Dublin, he is the first Sligo driver to claim success in Ireland’s premier rally championship since Dominic McLaughlin in the early 90s. Sligo’s Paul Kiely won the championship as a co-driver 5 times however.
“It was a wild year which included all the highs and lows this sport can throw at you but to come out the far side of it is a great feeling,” said Art afterwards.
“It was a genuine dream come true to compete on some of the best stages in Ireland.