Mullins and Fildes win as Carey breaks lap record
MONDELLO PARK MPSC 9-10 APRIL
Sylvie Mullins’s fearsome Gould-judd fought off the attentions of double
F3 Cup champion Cian Carey to take the first BOSS Ireland race as the Irish championship circuit racing season began at Mondello Park last weekend.
Carey did at least have the honour of breaking the outright lap record in his efforts to track down the F1-engined machine.
Carey lowered the mark again in race two in his Dallara F317, crossing the line first, but both he and Mullins were adjudged to have passed early leader Jonathan Fildes under yellows, with Fildes’s F3000 Lola promoted to the top of the podium after the penalties were applied. Carey was disappointed with the decision, but consoled himself with his second lap record of the day!
Anthony Cross took two well-earned Formula Vee victories, holding off Sean Newsome in race one and Jordan Kelly, after a great scrap, in race two. Elsewhere, Philip Sheane took a pair of impressive Formula Sheane triumphs on a poignant weekend following the passing of his cousin and
Irish Fvee creator David Sheane. Sheane’s opening victory featured the move of the day when he relieved Richie Kearney of the lead around the outside at Southside corner.
The new Mondello surface appeared to play havoc with the Future Classic barrier time. After eight cars received penalties, David Hammond’s little Fiat Uno was awarded the win, with Aidan Byrne’s Toyota Celica taking race two after crossing the line far enough ahead to negate the penalty.
Shane Murphy took SEAT Supercup honours in race one, while graduating Fiesta ST champion Graham Mcdonnell took an impressive win in race two. In the concurrent Supercars and Irish Touring
Car races, Paul Parr and Stephen Traub took two wins and a class lap record apiece.
A delighted Ian Fishbourne battled past 2021 champion Michael Barrable to win the first Fiesta Zetec race, ahead of a capacity grid, while Barrable hit back with a win in race two, once he displaced early leader
Andy Kavanagh, Alan Dawson shadowing the pair across the line.
Gareth Thompson’s MGB GTV8 took the first Historic Racing Car Association race when Billy Crosbie retired from the lead, while Jackie Cochrane’s V8 Tiger just held Crosbie’s Crossle 9S off in a drag race to the line second time around.
Five-time autotest champion Eddie Peterson took an impressive Fiesta ST win in race one from team-mate Dave Maguire, with Victor Cullen a delighted third. Cullen’s father Michael failed to usurp Maguire from the lead in the second contest, despite trying everything for the duration of the race. Peterson completed the podium, having climbed from sixth on the grid.
Despite being in considerable pain with a back injury, Peter Barrable took the opening Irish Legends race, fighting off a challenge from 2021 champion Geoff Richardson, with Richardson’s brother Greg completing the podium. Geoff Richardson fought back, taking the wins in races two and three and increasing his points lead in the title chase.
Another champion on form was Michael Cullen, who picked up where he left off in Irish Strykers, clinching pole position and converting it into two dominant wins.
Matthew Mccord and Ethan Campbell shared the Ginetta Junior Ireland wins, while Codey Keogh was first of the Junior Mini Challenge cars on both occasions.