After a nose to tail duel from the start to its unexpected early finish, Limerick’s Paul O’Connell took a split-second victory in Ireland’s most historic motor race, the Leinster Trophy at Mondello Park. In the first of two races for Boss Formula Libre cars, O’Connell was forced to retire with engine problems on his Dallara, leaving Cian Carey to take a narrow win, seven tenths of a second ahead of Lucca Allen.
With his car back on full song, O’Connell seized the lead at the start of the feature race, with former Young Racing driver of the year Carey right on his tail all the way. Lap after lap, they circulated together, with O’Connell always in front, if only by a few inches.
On the eighth of the scheduled twelve laps, O’Connell missed a gear change and Carey dived ahead to take the lead for the first time, but fate had other ideas when an unrelated incident caused the race to be flagged off early.
The detailed regulations covering this situation require the race result to be declared on the lap before the red flag is displayed, to effectively nullify any advantage that might have been gained because of the incident causing the stoppage, meaning that, as O’Connell led at the vital moment, he was declared the Leinster Trophy winner for 2020. His name is added to a star studded list of previous winners, including three who went on to win the World Drivers’ Championship, Mike Hawthorn, Ayrton Senna and Mika Hakkinen.
Among the supporting classes, Geoff Richardson won all three of the Legends races, with Seamus Martin Junior taking a double in the Ginetta Junior class, and Colin Murray doing the same in the Historic races.
Wicklow driver Max Hart held on to second position in the British Production saloon championship, after scoring third places in today’s two qualifying rounds at Silverstone.
LEINSTER TROPHY RACE MEETING AT MONDELLO PARK INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT:
LEINSTER TROPHY BOSS IRELAND FORMULA LIBRE FEATURE RACE (7 laps):
1 Paul O’Connell (Dallara F308) 11m 23.8s, 80.22 mph,
2 Cian Carey (Dallara F317) 11m 23.9s,
3 Sylvie Mullins (Gould GR37) 11m 27.8s,
4 Barry Rabbitt (Tatuus F Renault),
5 Michael Roche (Dallara F306),
6 Colm Blackburn (Leastone Monoposto 1000).
Fastest lap: Carey 1m 36.493s, 81.21 mph.
BOSS IRELAND FORMULA LIBRE RACE 1 (8 laps):
1 Cian Carey (Dallara F317) 14m 58.5s, 69.77 mph,
2 Lucca Allen (Dallara F3) 14m 59.2s,
3 Barry Rabbitt (Tatuus F Renault) 15m 03.9s,
4 Fergus Faherty (Dallara-Toyota F3),
5 Michael Roche (Dallara F306),
6 Colm Blackburn (Leastone Monoposto 1000).
Fastest lap: Carey 1m 36.277s, 81.39 mph.
FORMULA SHEANE RACE 1 (9 laps):
1 Enda O’Connor 16m 35.9s, 70.82 mph,
2 Richard Kearney 16m 39.9s,
3 Derek Roddy 16m 41.2s,
4 Garrett McKenna,
5 Tom Foley,
6 Brendan Carr.
Fastest Lap: Kearney 1m 48.061s, 72.51 mph.
FORMULA SHEANE RACE 2 (8 laps):
1 Paul McLoughlin 15m 04.4s, 69.31 mph,
2 Derek Roddy 15m 06s,
3 Richard Kearney 15m 19s,
4 Garrett McKenna,
5 Tom Foley.
Fastest Lap: Kearney 1m 49.831s, 71.35 mph.
COFFEE 2 GO FIESTA ST RACE 1 (4 laps):
1 Alex Denning 8m 19.1s, 62.81 mph,
2 Graham McDonnell 8m 19.7s,
3 Dave Maguire 8m 24.4s,
4 Michael Cullen,
5 Kevin Doran,
6 Ross Barnes.
Fastest lap: McDonnell 2m 04.044s, 63.17 mph.
COFFEE 2 GO FIESTA ST RACE 2 (8 laps):
1 Kevin Doran 16m 36.5s, 62.91 mph,
2 Michael Cullen 16m 38.3s,
3 Dave Maguire 16m 42.6s,
4 Alex Denning,
5 Graham McDonnell,
6 Ross Barnes.
Fastest lap: Doran 2m 03.695s, 63.35 mph.
PALLET STORAGE.IE FIESTA ZETEC RACE 1 (7 laps):
1 Alastair Kellett 15m 41.2s, 58.28 mph,
2 James Fleming 15m 42.7s,
3 William Kellett 15m 43.1s,
4 Alan Dawson,
5 Mark Johnston,
6 Michael Barrable.
Fastest lap: Dawson 2m 12.901s, 58.96 mph.
PALLET STORAGE.IE FIESTA ZETEC RACE 2 (7 laps):
1 Michael Barrable 15m 46.3s, 57.97 mph,
2 William Kellett 15m 47.3s,
3 Alastair Kellett 15m 47.5s,
4 James Fleming,
5 Wayne Laverick,
6 Philip Lawless.
Fastest lap: Alastair Kellett 2m 13.202s, 58.83 mph.
SELCO.IE FORMULA VEE RACE 1 (3 laps):
1 Anthony Cross (Sheane) 5m 55.9s, 66.05 mph,
2 Mark Reade (Leastone) 5m 56.1s,
3 Philip Sheane (Sheane) 5m 56.9s,
4 Jack Byrne (Sheane),
5 Jordan Kelly (Sheane),
6 Gavin Buckley (Sheane).
Fastest lap: Reade 1m 56.441s, 67.30 mph.
SELCO.IE FORMULA VEE RACE 2 (8 laps):
1 Jack Byrne (Sheane) 15m 35.9s, 66.98 mph,
2 Anthony Cross (Sheane) 15m 42.9s,
3 Mark Reade (Leastone) 15m 43.6s,
4 Karl O’Sullivan (Sheane),
5 Gavin Buckley (Sheane),
6 Jordan Kelly (Sheane).
Fastest lap: Buckley 1m 55.617s, 67.78 mph.
PONY EXPRESS GINETTA JUNIOR IRELAND RACE 1 (8 laps):
1 Seamus Martin Jnr 16m 46.9s, 62.26 mph,
2 Karl O’Brien 16m 47.9s,
3 Jack Byrne 16m 51.1s,
4 Sean McGovern,
5 Gerard McFall,
6 Andrew Crosbie.
Fastest lap: Martin 2m 04.498s, 62.94 mph.
PONY EXPRESS GINETTA JUNIOR IRELAND RACE 2 (8 laps):
1 Seamus Martin Jnr 16m 48s, 62.19 mph,
2 Jack Byrne 16m 53.9s,
3 Sean McGovern 16m 54.4s,
4 Gerard McFall,
5 Andrew Crosbie,
6 Charlotte Fenton.
Fastest lap: Martin 2m 05.103s, 62.64 mph.
LEGENDS RACE 1 (5 laps):
1 Geoff Richardson 10m 00.42s, 65.25 mph,
2 Peter Barrable 10m 00.43s,
3 Robert Barrable 10m 01.1s,
4 Jamie Moylan,
5 David Yamamoto,
6 Greg Richardson.
Fastest lap: Robert Barrable 1m 58.623s, 66.06 mph.
LEGENDS RACE 2 (5 laps):
1 Geoff Richardson 10m 00.9s, 65.21 mph,
2 Robert Barrable 10m 01.1s,
3 Jamie Moylan 10m 01.1s,
4 Greg Richardson,
5 Gordon Brown,
6 Ivor Greenwood.
Fastest lap: Barrable 1m 58.484s, 66.14 mph.
LEGENDS RACE 3 (6 laps):
1 Geoff Richardson 11m 59.6s, 65.34 mph,
2 Peter Barrable 12m 01.4s,
3 Robert Barrable 12m 01.6s,
4 David Yamamoto,
5 Ivor Greenwood,
6 Gordon Brown.
Fastest lap: Richardson 1m 58.925s, 65.89 mph.
STRYKER RACE 1 (8 laps):
1 Michael Cullen 15m 42.2s, 66.53 mph,
2 Vincent O’Rourke 15m 49.8s,
3 David Reynolds 15m 49.8s,
4 Roger Welaratne,
5 Dominic Ryan,
6 Stephen Kelly.
Fastest lap: Cullen 1m 54.769s, 68.28 mph.
STRYKER RACE 2 (8 laps):
1 David Reynolds 15m 34.6s, 67.08 mph,
2 Roger Welaratne 15m 50.6s,
3 Vincent O’Rourke 15m 55.2s,
4 Des Meehan,
5 Pat Bergin,
6 Stephen Kelly.
Fastest lap: Michael Cullen 1m 54.770s, 68.28 mph.
HISTORIC RACE 1 (8 laps):
1 Colin Murray (MD GT) 16m 00.5s, 65.27 mph,
2 Bernard Foley (MGBGT V8) 16m 09.8s,
3 Gareth Thompson (MGBGT V8) 16m 17.4s,
4 Val Thompson (TMC Costin),
5 Wolfgang Schnittger (MG Midget),
6 John Farrell (Escort RS2000).
Fastest lap: Murray 1m 53.076s, 69.30 mph.
HISTORIC RACE 2 (8 laps):
1 Colin Murray (MD GT) 15m 48.4s, 66.10 mph,
2 Bernard Foley (MGBGT V8) 16m 01.7s,
3 Gareth Thompson (MGBGT V8) 16m 02.8s,
4 Val Thompson (TMC Costin),
5 Wolfgang Schnittger (MG Midget),
6 John Farrell (Escort RS2000).
Fastest lap: Murray 1m 54.669s, 68.34 mph.
IRISH AUTOPARTS.IE FUTURE CLASSICS RACE 1 (8 laps):
SUPER FUTURE: 1 Pat Masterson (Toyota MR2) 16m 51.1s, 62.00 mph,
2 Brian Sexton (Mazda MX5) 17m 08.8s,
3 Mike Dermody (Vectra) 17m 10.4s.
Fastest Lap: Sexton 2m 04.391s, 63.00 mph.
IRISH AUTOPARTS.IE FUTURE CLASSICS RACE 2 (8 laps):
SUPER FUTURE: 1 Pat Masterson (Toyota MR2) 16m 55.1s, 61.76 mph,
2 Brian Sexton (Mazda MX5) 17m 05.2s,
3 Mike Dermody (Vectra) 17m 06.8s.
Fastest Lap: Sexton 2m 04.894s, 62.74 mph.
CLOSED WHEEL LIBRE RACE 1 (8 laps):
Seat Supercup: 1 Shane Murphy 15m 52.5s, 65.82 mph,
2 Barry English 15m 54.4s,
3 Neil Tohill 16m 02.4s.
Fastest lap: Murphy 1m 49.671s, 71.45 mph.
Supercars: 1 Paul Parr 16m 22.1s, 63.83 mph,
2 Philip Jones 16m 35.6s,
3 Conor Devlin 17m 40.7s.
Fastest lap: Parr 1m 53.859s, 68.82 mph.
Irish Touring Cars Championship: 1 Robert Savage (Honda Integra) 16m 34.1s.
Fastest lap: Savage 1m 55.657s, 67.75 mph.
CLOSED WHEEL LIBRE RACE 2 (9 laps):
Seat Supercup: 1 Shane Murphy 16m 46.3s, 70.08 mph,
2 Barry English 16m 48.4s,
3 Neil McMullen 16m 54.4s.
Fastest lap: Murphy 1m 50.457s, 70.94 mph.
Supercars: 1 Paul Parr 17m 22.2s, 67.67 mph,
2 Philip Jones 17m 31.8s,
3 Ian Newport 18m 07.3s.
Fastest lap: Parr 1m 53.874s, 68.81 mph.
Irish Touring Cars Championship: 1 Brent Hughes (Corolla) 18m 11.1s.
Fastest lap: Robert Savage (Honda Integra) 1m 58.081s, 66.36 mph.
MOTORSPORT IRELAND KART RACE MEETING AT PALLAS KARTING, TYNAGH, CO GALWAY (ROUND 1 OF MI NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP):
Cadet and Cadet Novice Final: 1 Thomas Thompson, 2 Daniel Kelleher, 3 Luke Agnew.
Iame X30 Junior Final: 1 Peadar O’Boyle, 2 Sean Hogan, 3 Oran England.
Rotax Max Final: 1 Sean Purcell, 2 Colin Smith, 3 Gerard Daly.
Iame X30 Senior Final: 1 Sam McDonnell, 2 Sean McCormack, 3 Derek Wilson.
Tillotson T4 Final: 1 Josh Molloy, 2 David Geraghty, 3 Ryan Nally.