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office(Wexford) John Dier & Gary Nolan Tuesday 17th October
Over the last couple of years, the Wexford motor club championship has re-invented itself with great interest from motor club members ensuring close battles and exciting racing in all events through-out the year. This year is proving just as intense with six drivers separated by just nine points in their pursuit of championship leader, Damien Morris. This is after 7 of the 10 championship rounds with the consistent Barntown man notching up three top scores and three second places in the six rounds he has completed. His closest challenger, John Somers has four top scores and one second place from the five rounds he has competed in and the race is really hotting up between the two. However, it was a much different story at the head of the championship before the double header on the rally weekend.
Morris lead the championship from the Vauxhall Nova of Kenny O’ Brien, another Nova of John Somers lay third, fourth was sprint specialist Peter Bogan while the top five was rounded out by the ever entertaining Liam Howlett in the flying Sunbeam. The rally, which consisted of fourteen stages, is an outlet for big points to be gathered because of the huge split in classes but by the opening pair of stages, everything had been blown wide open. Championship leader Damien Morris was well down the field after suffering a broken drive shaft while worse luck had be-fallen O’ Brien, who had re-tired with a very very hot Nova. Third place man John Somers was also in trouble, a first stage roll seeing the former Pink Panther pilot drop to the back of the field. Peter Bogan was a non-starter while fifth in the championship prior to the event, Liam Howlett, was also out. After a bizarre off on the opening stage, the Palace native, with Leo Tector on the notes was on a big charge but this came to an abrupt end just before the second stage when the flying Frog flew a little to fast!
The Escorts of Eddie Nolan and Johnny Murphy were going well, as were the Nova’s of Paddy O’ Dwyer and Brian Kirwan. David James and Des Doyle were also going well, both of them collecting top points for day one along with O’ Dwyer and also importantly, championship leader, Damien Morris. The Barntown man, with brother Karl on the notes, had clawed back time through-out day one and take top points in his class. Other class winners on the day included Willie Kehoe and Gary Nolan while Emmet Cleary also gained top points for guiding Pete Redmond to top points in their class.
Day two dawned and it was again the name of the game was survival. There was eight long stages left, but with ten points again available for all class winners, no quarter could be given. The man on the move over the weekend had been John Somers. The Nova had lost massive time on the opening stage but a fight back through the field had led to second place points on the opening day. Eddie Nolan was not to see the finish however, denting his championship hopes. Both Morris and Somers took top points on day two, leaving the Barntown man leading the championship on 57 points, eight ahead of John Somers with Brian Kirwan another four behind on 45 points. Des Doyle and Johnny Murphy tie for fourth, another point back.
The next round of the championship with be the Karting event, round 8 of a championship which looks like it will go right down to the wire!
JD