Carlow Man Does the Double - Airportcars.ie Formula Sheane Trophy

 

Richard Kearney leads Garrett McKenna and Keith Hogg during the Airportcars.ie Formula Sheane race. ICCR, Mondello Park, Donore, Naas, Co. Kildare. Picture: Jack Cregg.

For the opening round of the Airportcars.ie Formula Sheane Championship drivers made their way to Mondello Park in county Kildare. The new season has brought in some new changes to the cars and a return of Keith Hogg and new drivers Vinny Keogh, Niall O’Flynn and Sean Kiernan. Weather was good for qualifying where Richard Kearney from Leighlinbridge wanted to start from where he left off last year on pole position.

With cars now running on slick tyres in the dry and wet tyres for wet conditions it was new for everyone. It didn’t make any difference to Kearney who claimed pole position by only 0.194 of a second from Keith Hogg. Garrett McKenna showed good form qualifying in third place.

Keith Hogg leads Richard Kearney during the Airportcars.ie Formula Sheane race. ICCR, Mondello Park, Donore, Naas, Co. Kildare. Picture: Jack Cregg

As the lights went out Hogg got the best start and lead Kearney and the field into the first turn. Mckenna held his third place from Chriss Dunne as they all made their way out to turn three. No change but the top three were nose to tail as they made their way to the final turn where it looked as though Kearney was going to make a lunge for the lead. Mckenna, though had the idea first and with a very late breaking move he passed both men on the inside. Kearney was to wise for that one and cut back on the inside and moved from third to first as the other two ran wide.

With a clear road ahead, he could build a lead which he did over the next number of laps but just as he could control the race the safety car was brought out. It let both Mckenna and Hogg to close and give them another chance to stay with Kearney. McKenna got into the lead just before the green flag was shown to them on the start finish straight but Kearney retook the lead going into turn one while McKenna stayed in second his race was run as they exited turn one. A mechanical problem forced him out. It left Hogg to chase Kearney down which he did aided by another safety car. Once it again Kearney held firm in the lead and pulled enough of a gap over the final laps to take victory.

Keith Hogg leads the field into turn 1 during the Airportcars.ie Formula Sheane race. ICCR, Mondello Park, Donore, Naas, Co. Kildare. Picture: Barry Cregg

Garrett McKenna leads Keith Hogg during the Airportcars.ie Formula Sheane race. ICCR, Mondello Park, Donore, Naas, Co. Kildare. Picture: Barry Cregg

Race two was much anticipated but sadly for the spectators Kearney was just too strong for Hogg this time after the opening laps he built his lead further. The action was behind them though for third place where Tome Foley drove brilliantly in the early stages defending well from Vinny Keogh, Brendan Carr and Sean Keogh. Sadly, for Carr his race was run after two laps with mechanical failure. By Halfway Keogh was into third but too far back to get any higher up the field. Kearney reeled off the laps in comfort and took the chequered flag by four seconds to dominate the race. Hogg came home in second with Keogh in third.

Richard Kearney celebrates after winning the Airportcars.ie Formula Sheane race. ICCR, Mondello Park, Donore, Naas, Co. Kildare. Picture: Barry Cregg

Speaking after the race Kearney was pleased with his days work. “ That send race went more to plan got a gap over Keith when I got the head down after the opening laps when the tyres got up to temperature. It is a nice start to the championship with two wins ahead of Bisopscourt which I love racing these cars at.”