Sean McCallion Clinches VW Spares Formula Vee 'B' Championship

Sean McCallion, Sheane, on his way to winning the VW Spares B Championship. Kirkistown Racing Circuit, Co. Down. Picture: Barry Cregg,

The VW Spares Formula Vee B Championship final round took place on Saturday at Kirkistown in county Down. It was a winner takes all scenario as both Derry man Sean McCallion and Kildare man Robert Flemming were equal on points going into the last race before dropped scores came into play. Flemming drew first blood by qualifying two place ahead of McCallion. Both men have upped their pace all year each driving Sheane cars and have battled all year, clashing on a couple of occasions and in the process. This led to rising tempers for a moment in parc ferme at Mondello Park last time out. It was one of the funniest moments of the year and in typical Formula Vee fashion where the two men wanted to rip into each other one minute, five minutes later both were sitting on the wheels of their cars chatting away.

Ger Byrne, Sheane, leads Sean McCallion, Sheane, and Gavin Buckley, Sheane, durng the VW Spares B Championship. Kirkistown Racing Circuit, Co. Down. Picture: Barry Cregg,

In the very competitive B class, for drivers who have moved on from the rookie class and those who are rising the ranks towards the National class. It often is a favourite for the drivers who don’t have the budget to race at the head of the field yet still have plenty of other drivers to compete against. McCallion had the easier job in a way as all he had to do was follow Flemming home where Flemming had to get enough drivers between him and McCallion to give enough of a points difference to take the championship. Flemming got the start and lead away from the line and built up a good pace early on.

Robert Flemming, Sheane, on his way to winning the VW Spares B Championship race. Kirkistown Racing Circuit, Co. Down. Picture: Barry Cregg,

McCallion didn’t get a great start and got passed by a couple of cars on the run to turn one. Once the opening laps were over and the race settled down, he struggled to stay with those ahead. Ger Byrne also showed good pace and battle with Flemming early on but dropped back and also was hampered by the recovering Gavin Buckley who spun on the second lap. Flemming was doing what he had to do and built on his lead hoping there would be another car or two in front of his rival. McCallion started to close in on Byrne in the final laps not good news for Flemming. Once past he opened a gap easily but was too far behind to catch his title rival.

In the end he had done enough to take the VW Spares championship and well deserved too after taking his maiden win back in April at Mondello Park. When the points were added up and dropped scores counted, he won by a mere two points showing how close the championship was all year.

Speaking afterwards he said,

Where do I start with the season, it was a like a roller coaster between bad luck and good luck, the start of the year went well for us the first few races with no mechanical problems and some good results even getting my 1st ‘B’ win at Mondello in April. Then a few races later the bad luck started to show its head in Mondello again, where I went out in qualifying, and the gearbox went. We hadn’t got a spare box with us but thanks to Stephen and Christy at SM Racing who loaned me one for the rest of the weekend. That's what I love about Formula Vee class everyone helps each other out when in need.

The race I looked forward to the most this season was Anglesey. It is a real lovely track to drive. We loaded the cars up and headed for the boat everything was great and then going to the boat the gear box started to go in my van and we thought we weren’t going to make it, but I knew I had to get there no matter what for the points in championship. After we got off boat, we made it 10mins from the track with just 3 gears left and then bang! The gearbox gave up completely. After a few calls we got Colm Blackburn (another vee driver) to tow us. Fair play to Colm as he first took the trailer and then came back for the van and us!!!  I will never forget him for that.

Colm Blackburn, Leastone, leads Jack Byrne, during the Selco.ie Formula Vee race. Kirkistown Racing Circuit, Co. Down. PictureL Barry Cregg,

I didn’t do too well in race one as it was wet, and I had a spin as there was oil everywhere. Race two came and what a race it was with Kieran Hannon, I would say in the years that I’ve been racing. It was one of the best and fairest races I’ve ever had, we swapped places so many times for the lead of the ‘B’ race until the last lap when I out braked myself and Kieran pulled out a brilliant move to take the win. Nevertheless, I was happy with a second as I had a really good race with him. We packed up happy and ready for Jonny Hollywood and his partner Meadhbh who actually towed me back to the boat in their truck fair played of her, I was told it was her 1st time driving the truck that day lol.

Moving onto the final race in Kirkistown on Saturday where qualifying didn’t go the way I wanted as the track changed a little overnight and so did the weather. My main rival was Rob Flemming as there was only four or five points of difference between us. He qualified in front on me, but I wasn’t worried though as I knew if I finished behind him I would be crowned the VW Spares champion. The race came and we got off the line I got a good start and got away good. Then the red flag came out due to a serious incident which thankfully everyone was ok afterwards. It was the longest race of my life because were left sitting on the grid for 15/20 Mins until the marshall’s got everyone to safety. On the restart I got another good start, but it wasn’t as good as first one. Ger Byrne and myself got into a bit of a dicing match and that was letting Robert get away. I knew I had to stay in front of Ger. I did my best and think we swapped places a few times. Ger is a great racer and is very hard to pass on track and I enjoy racing with him, but I didn’t this time as knew if Robert passed another car it was over for me.

Once passed Ger I put the head down a bit a could see I was catching Rob again so I knew my job was just to sit behind him and take no risks and that’s exactly what I did. I came in from the race and people started congratulating me couldn’t believe I had won the VW Spares Formula Vee B championship. What a feeling what a season with so much effort time and hard work it was all suddenly worth it.

Id like to take this opportunity to thank my wife Kathleen and family once again for supporting me the whole way through my racing since the beginning. I couldn’t have done it without them. Big thanks to James at James Friel Motorsport for the great chassis and all of the hard work and time he has put into it to make it a great car. Also the Kelly brothers Jordan and Owen for all the support and help throughout the year. Dave at bugbitz for the engine building and of course all the marshalls in the orange army and all off the class sponsors, Selco Hygene, VW Spares, LOH Motorsport.

 

 

Doherty Does the Double Including The Emerson Fittipaldi Tropy

 

30-09-2023: Ronan Doherty with the Emerson Fittipaldi Trophy. Kirkistown Racing Circuit. Picture: Barry Cregg.

After the heartbreak of missing out on a certain win for the Leinster Trophy and a chance to bring the national championship to the final round, Dunloy youngster Ronan more than made up for it at Kirkistown Racing Circuit on Saturday. The Damien Doherty Racing car never missed a beat all weekend. The sign of what was to come was shown in qualifying by Doherty as he claimed pole position by 0.477 of a second which is a lot in Formula Vee. The weather forecast looked mixed for the day with heavy rain expected. For the final Selco.ie national championship round it was dry underfoot as the 23 cars lined up on the grid.

30-09-2023: Gavin Buckley, Sheane, leads Anthony Cross, Sheane, and Dan Polley, Sheane, during the final Selco.ie Championship round. Kirkistown Racing Circuit. Picture: Barry Cregg.

As the lights went out it was Gavin Buckley who took the lead as Doherty messed up the start and dropped to third by turn one. He was back up to second by turn two and right on Buckleys tail on the run down the back straight. A better exit from the hairpin brought him alongside and then into the lead by turn one. Behind them though Stephen Roche and Colm O’Loughlen had a coming together resulting in a big off for both men. Thankfully both were unhurt, and it is a testament to the strength of these Formula Vee cars as that is the third big incident this season and all drivers came away unharmed.

30-09-2023: Ronan Doherty, Sheane, leads Gavin Buckley, Sheane, during the final Selco.ie Championship round. Kirkistown Racing Circuit. Picture: Barry Cregg.

On the restart Doherty it right and lead the field away with Buckley and Dan Polley behind in third who was out after a tremendous effort during the week by the LOH Motorsport team to build his car from scratch on Wednesday! Doherty was heading a four-car train as Buckley, Polley and Cross hounded him using the slipstream to good effect down the straights. Buckley made good use of it to take the lead going through turn one but undid all his good work by locking up the brakes at turn two and spinning off. Doherty got through cleanly but cross and Polley had to take avoiding action which let Doherty off the hook giving him a gap to build on.

30-09-2023: Anthony Cross, Sheane, leads Dan Polley, Sheane, during the final Selco.ie Championship round. Kirkistown Racing Circuit. Picture: Barry Cregg.

Colm Blackburn was now in third, but Cross was on the move setting the fastest lap of the race in the process. Polley tried to close the gap to Doherty but just couldn’t manage it as the Antrim manged his lap times well and never got out of shape. Cross closed up to Polley in the final laps and moved past on the run to the hairpin to get into second. Polley didn’t give up but a big lock up going into the hairpin put an end to his chance to retake second.

30-09-2023: Ronan Doherty, Sheane, leads Dan Polley, Sheane, during the final Selco.ie Championship round. Kirkistown Racing Circuit. Picture: Barry Cregg.

Doherty cruised home to take the chequered flag and his fourth championship win of the year. A very mature drive and it would put him as one of the favourites for the Emerson Fittipaldi Trophy race later in the day.

The weather forecast was correct and as predicted the heavens opened. As always, the wet is a great leveller and create a sense of unpredictability when it comes to the final results. With the track heavily covered in water in places the grip would be hard to find for drivers and vision even more so from the spray off the cars.  Again, it was Doherty who lined up on pole from Polley who initially got the better start but Doherty held his line round the outside of turn 1 and took the lead.

30-09-2023: Ronan Doherty, Sheane, on his way to winning the Emerson Fittipaldi race. Kirkistown Racing Circuit. Picture: Barry Cregg.

The clear road ahead would give him an advantage as he would not have to deal with the spray and let him create a lead. Polley was sticking with him for now though and Jack Byrne back out in his new car was in third and looked very strong. The weather was getting worse, and all were struggling for grip in the first sector of the lap and also the exit of the chicane.

30-09-2023: Ronan Doherty, Sheane, on his way to winning the Emerson Fittipaldi race. Kirkistown Racing Circuit. Picture: Barry Cregg.

The more Polley and Byrne battled the more the lead for Doherty grew and by mid race distance just like the earlier it was his to loose. Byrne finally got by with an excellent move through Debtors Dip. His pace was strong and he began to close on Doherty. Time was running out but backmarkers began to come into play and slowed Doherty down. Anthony Cross also began a charge and passed Colm Blackburn and closed in on Polley. The rain really was coming down hard now and it was borderline on being cut short. Cross got by at the hairpin to get third the best he was going to get as the front to were too far ahead.

Up front Byrne had closed the gap significantly to Doherty and it was shaping up to be a close last couple of laps.Then the red flags came out due to a car being off at the hairpin and lying in a dangerous position bringing an end to a very wet race early and denying a last lap shootout. That is not to take anything away from Doherty who drove superbly and took the win and with it the Emerson Fittipaldi Trophy.

After the podium celebrations and fun was had a protest by Dan Polley against Anthony Cross was upheld as he was deemed to have passed him under yellow flags. This demoted Cross to fourth, 

30-09-2023: Ronan Doherty, Sheane, on his way to winning the Emerson Fittipaldi race. Kirkistown Racing Circuit. Picture: Jack Cregg.

Speaking afterwards he said:

“Well today was a fantastic close to a great rookie season, of course there are a few what ifs, but to take the most wins out of anyone this year is fantastic and to add the Emmo as one of those wins is amazing and nice to put my name beside the other great drivers who have gone before me”.

“Yesterday the car was on fire, wet or dry it didn’t matter, in qualifying we got a great lap, maximising the tow and from there drove smart in race 1 managing the gap after Gavin went round, The Emerson Fittipaldi was tricky in such a downpour but once I got my gap I knew I could drive at 80% and manage it by making use of the pit board. The cars great pace in all conditions is a testimony to the lads and all the work they put in. They are the real winners in my eyes”