Blackburn Burns Through The Mist To Win Again In Formula Vee

07-May-2023: Colm Blackburn, Leastone, on his way to winning the Selco.ie Formula Vee race. Bishopscourt Racing Circuit, Co. Down. Picture: Barry Cregg.

Ballyfermot man Colm Blackburn returned to winning ways again at Bishopscourt Racing Circuit on Sunday. The 2017 champion who has made a return to the series again after a four-year break hasn’t been far off the pace since his return. He looked strong in all races so far, this season but fuel pressure issues and silly bodywork parts coming loose in previous rounds put him out of contention for podiums and victories.

This weekend however, he was back stronger than ever and right in the mix in both Selco.ie Formula Vee championship races. The fast and flowing nature of the county Down circuit produced a great qualifying and was as close as you could get with the top six covered by the same second.

07-May-2023: Lee Newsome, Sheane, leads the field during the Selco.ie Formula Vee race. Bishopscourt Racing Circuit, Co. Down. Picture: Jack Cregg.

Starting from 5^th for the first race Blackburn made a good get away and began a race long battle with the top eight drivers of the series. Battling with Jordan Kelly and Gavin Buckley for much of the race he then broke clear of them and closed in on the back of fifth place man Jack Byrne with a couple of laps remaining.

It looked good for him to grab another place or two before the chequered flag came out as his pace was as strong if not strong than those ahead. As they made their way up the back straight a big crash between the Anthony Cross and Jack Byrne gave him to further positions. Not the way he wanted to get them but thankfully the two drivers were unhurt, but it did bring out the red flags. The race was declared a result as it had gone past the distance to restart a new race and it gave Blackburn good points for the championship. Race two would give him another chance to take his first win in four years.

07-May-2023: Dan Polley, Sheane, leads Lee Newsome, Sheane, Colm Blackburn, Leastone, and Ronan Doherty, Sheane, on his way to winning the Selco.ie Formula Vee race. Bishopscourt Racing Circuit, Co. Down. Picture: Barry Cregg.

For race two the weather turned for the worse, still dry but a heavy mist hung over the circuit not bad enough to cancel but still not ideal for seeing the road ahead as clear as drivers would like. It was the same for everyone though and it was Dan Polley who lined up on pole. Anthony Cross amazingly got his car back out with the help of other drivers and team members after his crash earlier in the day. It has to be said it is a testament to the class where rivals come together to help each other out if they can. It was a major task to get the car fitted with a new front end of parts, as well as setting it up to the best as it could be within the time limit. Blackburn would start from fourth this time. Such was the mist the circuit commentator could not see the drivers round the hairpin at the far end of the track.

07-May-2023: Anthony Cross repairs his car after a crash in during Selco.ie Formula Vee race 1. Bishopscourt Racing Circuit, Co. Down. Picture: Barry Cregg.

Blackburn held his fourth place by the end of the opening lap. Lee Newsome led from Cross and Polley with Balckburn being sandwiched by Gavin Buckley and Ronan Doherty as they round turn one. By the penultimate corner Blackburn was back in fourth and behind him Doherty and Buckley collided resulting in Buckley ending up on the grass. It gave Blackburn room to breathe and concentrate on the front three ahead.

As they exited the mist next time round Blackburn was into third behind Newsome and Polley, but the race was stopped when the red flags came out to clear up an incident. On the restart it was Newsome who led from Cross with Blackburn in third. The order was reversed one lap later. Blackburn had got to the front and meant business. He already pulled a slight gap and if he could hold that for another lap, he could stretch it out so those behind would begin to lose the tow.

07-May-2023: Lee Newsome, Sheane, leads the field during the Selco.ie Formula Vee race. Bishopscourt Racing Circuit, Co. Down. Picture: Barry Cregg.

It was working as he began to open the gap to Newsome and Cross. A lap later Cross ran wide holding Newsome up but crucially for Blackburn his lead extended even more. Now he was clear and free from those behind catching his tow. Barring any mechanical problem or driver error the shortened race was his for the taking. Neither happened and he crossed the line to take his first win in four years and give his championship chance a major boost. There is still a long way to go in the season and anything can happen but with a win under his belt Blackburn will be another one to add to the list of title contenders. 

07-May-2023: Colm Blackburn, Leastone, on his way to winning the Selco.ie Formula Vee race. Bishopscourt Racing Circuit, Co. Down. Picture: Barry Cregg.

07-May-2023: Colm Blackburn, Leastone, on his way to winning the Selco.ie Formula Vee race. Bishopscourt Racing Circuit, Co. Down. Picture: Barry Cregg.

Speaking after the race a delighted winner gave his view on the race “I am delighted to win again after four years and also it is my first win at this track which makes things even better. After clutch problems in testing and race one I asked myself why I came back to Formula Vee again after winning all 3 Championships before. Then I got this win, and I came to the conclusion that it’s a love that will never die. Long live Formula Vee in Ireland.”

Dunloy Destroyer Wins at the Court

 

07-May-2023: Ronan Doherty with his first ever Selco.ie Formula Vee National trophy after taking his maiden win. Picture: Barry Cregg.

The old saying “you wait ages for a bus and two come along at once” in terms of race wins for Ronan Doherty cannot be applied for the young Dunloy man. In Mondello Park last time out he scored his second LOH Motorsport Rookie Formula Vee Championship win. At Bishopscourt Racing Circuit in county Down on Sunday, he went one better and not only took another two wins in his class but also his first ever Selco.ie National Championship race win.

What makes it even more impressive and a new record for the class in its 47^th year, is that a rookie has never won a national race so early in their first season of racing. Sean Newsome from county Wicklow has been the only other rookie to win in their first year but it was at a later stage of the season. 

To add to that statistic, he has done all this by his third ever car race and at a track which he never drove before until the second practice session the day before (he missed the first one due to mechanical problems)! It is an extraordinary achievement by the very humble and down to earth Antrim man. He gave himself an early birthday present to remember as the now twenty-year-old, has gave himself a good haul of points in both his class and overall championships.

07-May-2023: Dan Polley, Sheane, leads Lee Newsome, Sheane, Ronan Doherty and Anthony Cross, Sheane,  during the Selco.ie Formula Vee National trophy after taking his maiden win. Picture: Barry Cregg.

The pace in Formula Vee is very quick and in qualifying for the days races the top six were covered by the same second. Bishopscourt is a very fast track with two quick chicanes and a technical loop at the end of the lap, so setup is quite vital, and a balance needs to be made to be quick around the 1.8 mile track. Dubliner Dan Polley lined up on pole position with current champion Anthony Cross beside him with Lee Newsome in third and Doherty in fourth.

It is a long run down to the first bend and if a bad start is made you can get passed by several cars on the run down the straight. This is what happened to Doherty who bogged himself down at the start, causing those behind to swallow him up and leaving himself plenty of work to do. Newsome had his race face on also and was in the lead by turn 3. Cross had got into second, but Polley got by into the second chicane. Doherty found himself back down in 8^th place but was starting to fight back picking up positions on the run up the back straight and penultimate corner on the opening laps. By the start on lap three he was into third place in a 9-car train headed by Polley who was trying his best to make a break, but such is the tow along the main straight he was one of three abreast going into turn one.

It was yet again another Formula Vee thriller at Bishopscourt. The northern circuits provide great entertainment every time for those looking on. It was really anyone’s race at this point. It is all about placing yourself in the right position at this point to have a chance in the latter stages. The lead changed again by lap five with Newsome taking charge, but Doherty was in flying form and up to second with a dive bomb move on Polley into Ringawaddy corner.

07-May-2023: Lee Newsome in action during the Selco.ie Formula Vee race. Bishopscourt Racing Circuit. Picture: Barry Cregg.

With time running down on the clock Doherty made his move at the hairpin a lap later and took the lead from Newsome. He was now in the lead of his first national race, and he looked like had been there many times. He absorbed the huge pressure from those behind going into turn one four abreast at times. It was fantastic to watch and a hard one to call but Doherty held firm and remained in the lead for the next couple of laps. Newsome fought back at the first chicane and took the lead but on their way up the back section towards the final chicane Polley moved across on Anthony Cross behind, putting him on the grass which then caused him to spin back across the track and collide with Jack Byrne.

07-May-2023: Top, Jack Byrne, Below, Ronan Doherty in action during the Selco.ie Formula Vee race. Bishopscourt Racing Circuit. Picture: Barry Cregg.

The result was a massive accident with Byrne rolling several times and ripping his rear wheel off his car. Cross also damaged his car substantially. Thankfully both Cross and Byrne were unhurt and it in testament to the strength of the cars and the safety equipment drivers wear. After a few worrying minutes Byrne climbed out a bit shaken but in one piece.

The red flags came out immediately as rescue crews and marshals attended the scene. They clean up took a few minutes and the race had run over enough distance to be declared a race. This gave Doherty the win from Newsome and Polley on countback from the lap before. It may have been cut short, but it was a deserving maiden win for Doherty who was over the moon after the race “The race was great apart from the bad start I had, I think I was 8^th or 9^th going into turn one on the first lap! I knew I had the pace and from there I started picking them off one by one. It all bout carrying your speed through the corners here and I managed to do that, and I’m delighted to get the win and its my birthday on Monday too, so I’ve managed to give myself an early birthday present.”

 Selco.ie National Championship

1 - Ronan Doherty

2 - Lee Newsome

3 - Dan Polley

VW Spares Limited B Championship

1 - Jordan Kelly

2 - Robert Fleming

3 - Aaron Murray

LOHMotorsport.com Rookie Championship

1 - Ronan Doherty

2 - Niall O Mara

3 - Stephen Roche