Kirkistown finale abandoned mid-event
The final 500 Motor Racing Club of Ireland meeting of the season at Kirkistown was curtailed after qualifying last weekend amid confusion over tighter coronavirus restrictions from the Northern Irish government.
First Minister Arlene Foster announced tough new restrictions last week that included the closure of the hospitality sector, and the October school half-term being extended to a fortnight. But the initial guidance stated that outdoor sports would be allowed to continue, and Kirkistown organisers pressed on with planning Saturday’s one-day meeting, which was due to close the season.
The first five qualifying sessions took place as scheduled on Saturday morning before the event was abandoned at 1030. Officials at the meeting received word of even tighter rules concerning sporting events that do not involve ‘elite athletes’ from the Communities Ministry and, despite all the competitors and volunteers already being in place, it was felt they had no option but to call a halt to proceedings.
A statement from governing body Motorsport UK read: “The 500MRCI race last weekend at Kirkistown was halted following receipt of a communication from the Northern Ireland Department for Communities regarding the change in guidance on the restrictions in Northern Ireland and updated public health advice.
“This wasn’t clarified and resolved until the Saturday morning. The meeting had commenced in accordance to the previous COVID-19 protocols but upon the latest update from the Northern Ireland Department for Communities, it was decided to curtail the meeting.”
The Northern Irish champions will therefore be crowned based on the three Kirkistown events already held instead of the planned four. It has been decided that last weekend’s competitors will have their entries carried over to the first meeting of next season, which is set to run for the same six categories that were due to race on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Motorsport Ireland has suspended all of its event permits amid escalating coronavirus cases in the Republic of Ireland. No timeframe has been set for how long the ban on events will last.
The only circuit racing event this is set to affect is the annual Fiesta endurance race at Mondello Park, which was due to run on 1 November.
Trackday Championship frontrunner Luke
Reade is set to contest the final two events of the Ginetta GT4 Supercup season ahead of a planned full campaign next year.
Reade has been a winner in the Motorsport Vision Trackdays-run series this season in a BMW 130i run by Graves Motorsport, and it is this team with which the former Mini Challenge racer will step up to the Ginetta category.
“When we were talking, the main aim was to do a full season in 2021 and we got a bit excited and we thought, ‘Let’s dip our toe in and do the last two rounds,’” said Reade. “We’re not going there to make the numbers up but we’re also not chasing anything. I’m with a new team to Supercup so we’re going to learn the car.”
Reade says stepping back to a competitive club series at the end of last year was a good move and allowed him to focus on his future. “It’s been a bit of an eye-opener to go to club racing and come back and take things less for granted,” he added. “It’s been good because there’s been less pressure on race weekends.”
Another driver set to make his GT4 Supercup debut at Snetterton this weekend is Callum Jenkins. He has been competing in the GT Cup this year in a G55 with Team Hard.