Paul O'Loughlin win opening round of the Formula Sheane Championship 2021

Paul O'Loughlin on his way to taking an unexpected Formula Sheane championship round one win at Mondello Park. Photo: Barry Cregg,

Mondello Park in county Kildare was the host for the opening round of the new Formula Sheane championship season. Richard Kearney who won the title last year has to be favourite again for this year but the Carlow man has stiff opposition in the form of Paul O'Loughlin and Formula Vee graduate Philip Sheane. It is the 20th year of Formula Sheane and like all classes has suffered in numbers in recent years but a solid grid of ten cars turned out for the opening round and if qualifying was anything to go by it is going to be close as the top four were covered by just over a second. 

Richard Kearney got pole position but lost the lead with a lap to go when his rose joint failed. Photo: Barry Cregg.

Richard Kearney started where he left off last year by taking first blood by claiming pole position but by only 0.167 of a second. A front row position is important at Mondello as the circuit is hard to overtake on. Sadly for Derek Roddy after a good performance in qualifying engine problems prevented the Louth man for taking his spot of the grid. It would not get better for the Climote backed man for round two as his clutch gave way in pitlane ahead of race two. Lets hope that is his bad luck done with for the year and by the next round he will be back out. 

Philip Sheane leads Paul O'Loughlin during the opening round of the Formula Sheane championship and looked set to get a podium until mechanical problems put him out. Photo: Barry Cregg.

As the light went out it was Kearney who lead into turn one with Sheane behind and McLoughlin in third and Gerrett McKenna in fourth. Kearney got the head down and began to open up a gap over the second and third placed men. All drivers want to get a good finish in the opening round of a season to settle themselves and all was going to plan for Kearney in the lead. Behind however the great debut for Sheane was already hitting trouble three laps into the race when his left rear shock broke. Despite this he still managed to keep Paul O'Loughlin at bay with some hairy oversteering moments especially out of turn two. This all played to the advantage of Kearney who extended his lead further. 

Richard Kearney in action during the opening round of the Formula Sheane championship. Photo: Barry Cregg.

Then as Sheane entered turn two he took a bit more inside curb which put him wide on the exit as the rear shock completely gave way ending his great drive in his debut race. O'Loughlin did well not to run into the back of Sheane when his shock gave way. Even though he got by it was too late to catch Kearney although he did try and put in the fastest lap of the race in doing so. All looked like that was it in terms of results as the gaps between first second and third were to big to change. 

Paul O'Loughlin on his way to victory in the opening Formula Sheane round of 2021. Photo: Barry Cregg.

Unexpectedly though while braking for turn one the bottom rose joint on Kearney's gave way with a lap to go! Now all he could do was try and bring it home and save as much points as he could, if he could. Lady luck did shine on him as although O'Loughlin and Mark Keenan got by he had enough of a gap over Richie Adams to hold on to third place. 

So the first round went in dramatic fashion to Paul O'Loughlin but a win is a win and you take them whatever way you can as O'Loughlin agreed after the race." Luck is sometimes with you sometimes its not. Philip had problems with his rear shock at the start and I was afraid of getting caught up in an accident if something went wrong, but I'm happy to get the win for my friend Benny Taglenti who passed away recently". 

Richie Adams on his way to victory in the Scholarship class during th eopening round of the Formula Sheane championship. Photo: Barry Cregg.

Third place man Kearney was not so happy " I could'nt believe it I had the race in the bag and wasn't pushing just wanted to bring the car home and get the win and maximum points. I'm just sick but at the same time I still got third so it wasn't a total disaster."  

Mark Keenan on his way to second place in the opening round of the Formula Vee championship. Photo: Barry Cregg.

Philip Sheane was left to ponder what could have been. " I new something was wrong at the rear from lap three on and then I tried to manage it but it finally broke exiting turn two." 

Results:

National Championship

1st Paul McLoughlin

2nd Mark Keenan

3rd Richard Kearney

Scholarship Class

1st Richie Adams

2nd Gareth McKenna

3rd Chris Dunne