National reports: Mondello Park; Silverstone; Donington Park; Snetterton; Oulton Park; Lydden; Brands Hatch
Confusion reigned in the Mondello
Park pitlane last weekend when the all-important Leinster Trophy race was red-flagged in the closing stages and subsequently declared a result.
Paul O’connell had led away from pole in the race for BOSS Ireland machinery and kept fellow Dallara driver Cian Carey – a double F3 Cup champion – at bay for most of the contest. But a good run out of the final corner late on gave Carey the impetus he needed and he forced the leader to defend into Turn 1. This allowed Carey to draw alongside on the exit and, after running through the next pair of corners wheel to wheel, he had the lead.
O’connell had no intention of giving up though, and had a few further attempts to wrest the lead away. But when Joe Courtney went off at Turn 2, the red flag and chequered flag were shown and Carey crossed the line arm aloft, believing he had taken the famous trophy for the second time. But officials counted back two laps, giving the result to a delighted O’connell.
Carey had taken the earlier BOSS race, controlling the gap to the charging Lucca Allen – last year’s South East Asian Formula 4 runner-up – in the closing stages with Barry Rabbitt in third.
Typically, Rabbitt had charged through to take the lead in the opening laps before the F3 cars powered past his Formula Renault.
Se Og Martin took a strong win in the Ginetta Junior opener, fighting off a late-race challenge from Karl O’brien. He was again victorious second time out, with race-one poleman Jack Byrne and
Sean Mcgovern completing the podium.
Geoff Richardson took the Legends opener from Peter Barrable, with Barrable’s brother Rob right with them on his class debut. Race two was a cracker as Richardson just edged Rob Barrable and Jamie Moylan in a drag race to the line. Richardson was again superb in race three, winning from the back, ahead of Peter and Rob Barrable.
Enda O’connor took the first Formula Sheane race, but interest centred on
Richie Kearney’s charge up through the field having been sent skywards at the first corner and then somehow recovering from a 360-degree spin later in the lap. He eventually climbed to second with fastest lap. In race two, the fast-starting
Paul Mcloughlin took the win after Kearney and O’connor tangled at the first corner, while Derek Roddy was a fine second.
Michael Cullen ran and hid from the Stryker opposition, not even gearbox problems slowing him enough to be caught. Early leader Vincent O’rourke just held off poleman Dave Reynolds for second. In race two, Cullen retired from the lead when his battery failed, handing the win to Reynolds.
Fiesta Zetec graduate Collie Murray stalled on the front row of the HRCA race but charged through to take the win, despite the best efforts of Bernard Foley in his MGB GTV8. Race two had a similar outcome, with Murray’s lightweight MG storming through from the back to easily outpace the Historic regulars.
Brian Sexton pipped Pat Masterson to the flag in Future Classics race one, but a penalty for breaking the time barrier cost him the win. In race two, Masterson’s Toyota MR2 just took the win, after another fantastic race-long scrap with Sexton’s Mazda MX-5.
Series leader Alex Denning took
Fiesta ST pole and led away, but Graham Mcdonnell kept him honest until a red flag ended the race early. In race two, Kevin Doran took the win from Michael Cullen,
with Denning unable to climb higher than fourth, ending his unbeaten run in 2020.
Alastair Kellett took the Fiesta Zetec opener from pole, with Junior Rallycross graduate James Fleming an impressive second and reigning champion William Kellett in third. In race two, series leader Michael Barrable used all his guile to fend off William and Alastair Kellett, not even the combined efforts of son and father being enough to wrest the lead away in what was a highly entertaining race.
Shane Murphy did the double in
SEAT Supercup, easily coming through in the reversed-grid second encounter. Similarly, Paul Parr took both wins in the concurrently run Irish Supercars class.
Novice Jordan Kelly seized a sensational Formula Vee pole, but reigning champion Anthony Cross took the win from the charging Mark Reade, with Kelly dropping to fifth. In race two, an inspired Jack Byrne snatched the lead from Cross around the outside of Turn 1 and eased away for the win.