Autocross 2014 – July 27th
Martin Tynan
Winner of Mayo Autocross July 27th 2014
Autocross July 27th Report: Tynan flies ‘Sky’ high in Mayo
Results Here
Martin Tynan from Clones, Co. Monaghan beat all challengers to claim victory on Mayo & District Motorsport Club’s Loose Surface Autocross on Sunday. Driving a Mitsubishi Evo 8, he had to do it the hard way, coming from behind on the final run to beat local favourite Derek Deane.
A capacity entry gathered at Harrington’s Quarry near Swinford for the third of four autocross events to be held this year. Clerk of the Course Paul McLaughlin and his team had once again laid on a superb course, with each competitor getting three runs of two laps over the demanding route.
Derek Deane, in his JCR Rally Kart, outlined his intentions from the start, setting a time of 3:58.89 almost fourteen seconds faster than the Evo of Tynan on the opening run, with another Monaghan visitor, Mickey Conlon, a further one second back. On the second run however, Deane failed to set a time due to a coming together with the final chicane that ground him to a halt.
Tynan was next on track and while taking over twelve seconds off his first attempt, stopping the clock at exactly 4:00.00, Deane still held the lead by just over a second.
With hopes high for a home win, Deane pulled out all the stops on the final run, but only managed a 4:02.98, leaving his first run time still his best. Was it to be enough?
Tynan put in a dazzling final run in the Red Mitsubishi to take a further two and half seconds from his previous best, and record victory.
Watching the battling duo closely all day was Sligo man John McGettrick who on his first day competing in a buggy was double driving Deane’s JCR Rally Kart. He astounded regulars as he reserved his best for last, not only taking second overall ahead of Deane, but also winning class six with a time of 3:58.11 on his final run. Deane and Conlon took second and third respectively in class six.
Away from the leading protagonists, competition was just as fierce in the various classes. Foxford’s James McGreal won Class four in his Subaru Impreza, ahead of Sligo’s Padraic Mullen and Monaghan’s Cormac McElvaney. Bekan’s Sean McHugh finished fourth in that class and in twenty first place overall.
Damien McGauran from Fermanagh claimed the honours in Class three with another impressive showing in his rear wheel drive Toyota Corolla. Walter Burke from Williamstown finished second in his Escort MK2 and Kilalla’s Padraic Roche was third, also in an Escort MK2.
Nobody could match Eighteen year old Derek Mackarel from Monagahan in his 1.6 Vauxhall Nova, not only did he win Class Two but was also top two wheel drive finishing in tenth place overall. Glen Irwin from Castlederg claimed second despite not setting a time on his last run, due to losing a wheel.
Shrule’s Noel Murphy was third and also picked up valuable Young Driver points as his main challenge, Foxford’s Alan Moran, could only managed fifth in Class two. Club Chairman Matthew Murphy was seventh in his Toyota Corolla. Achill man Joe Healy brought his Honda Civic home in tenth place. Westport’s Alan McGuire guided his Peugeot 205 to a notable eleventh in Class winning the local 205 battle by a clear margin. Achill’s Peter McManamon had to settle for second in the aforementioned 205 battle and sixteenth in class, afterwards saying that he was taking it a bit easier trying not to scuff the new paint job on his 205!
Liam Healy, also from Achill was seventeenth in his Honda Civic. David Walsh, home on holiday from Australia steered the family Sunbeam to eighteenth place in Class two. Mervyn Fahy who was double driving the Walsh Sunbeam lost the bragging rights, finishing one place behind in nineteenth. Patrick McEveney Snr brought the family triple driven Toyota Corolla home in twentieth place. John Warren was next placed having succumb to gearbox trouble and only setting one time. Stephen McGreal from Achill enjoyed the day, double driving a Peugeot 205 finishing twenty-second in Class two.
Sligo’s John Rooney finished first in Class one, beating Foxford’s Stephen Doherty by less than a second. Stephen Reynolds from Manorhamilton was third.
Class seven, for 16-18 year olds was won once again by Patrick McEveney from Castlebar in his Toyota Corolla, Colm Ronan from Bekan was second in his Nissan Sunny and Crossmolina’s Lorcan Moore on a day hampered with fuel pump problems in his Citroen Saxo, claimed third.
The Mayo & District Motorsport Club award for the leading club member went to Adrian Deane while Shauna McEveney from Castlebar picked up the Ladies Award.
The event was also the fourth counting round of the 2014 National Loose Surface Autocross Championships, a series that Derek Deane won in 2013.
This championship, which is being sponsored by Batt O’Donoghoes Five Star Catering from Co. Cork, brought some more new faces to the Mayo venue, all of whom were delighted with the facilities on offer and the fast challenging Mayo track.
The final round of the 2014 Mayo & District Autocross season takes place on Sunday 24th August.
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