Comeback Cross Takes Fittipaldi Trophy Thriller

Anthony Cross leads Colm Blackburn, Gavin Buckley 

The final Formula Vee race of the year took place on Saturday at Kirkistown Racing Circuit in county Down. With all the championships decided, the Emmerson Fittipaldi Trophy race is the last chance for competitors to get their adrenalin fix until next year. Those who missed out on taking any silverware home had one last chance to do so and even for one driver it really was his one and only opportunity to get his hands on some silverware in 2024. Former series champion and Emmerson Fittipaldi Trophy winner Anthony Cross who decided to sit out this season, planned to just spectate at this years race. A late word from his dad and mechanic Fred, to bring the car out for at least one spin this year, saw him dust off the cobwebs of his faithful Sheane chassis vee and head north. 

Gavin Buckley leads Anthony Cross, Colm Blackburn, and Jack Byrne

Anyone writing the Bohernabreena man off due to his lack of track time this year had to eat their hats as there certainly was no rust or cobwebs on Anthony. In his only qualifying of the year he put his car on pole with a brilliant time of 1.05.182 seconds. A broken manifold cost him a chance of challenging for the win in the last championship race earlier in the day, but it was fixed and ready to go come race two. It would not be easy as newly crowned champion Gavin Buckley wanted to do the double and Jack Byrne and Colm Blackburn were out to make up for their loss of championship glory.

Colm Blackburn leads Anthony Cross, and Gavin Buckley

As the lights went out though it was Colm Blackburn who got the best start and lead the field away and for the opening lap until cross used his better exit of the chicane to get a run past on the way to the hairpin. Already it was a four car train for the lead with Buckley and Byrne tucked right in the slipstream of the front two. Owen Kelly made it five cars a couple of laps later but sadly the red flags came out as another car had dropped oil down. On the restart it was again Blackburn who got away first, could he hold those behind at bay this time? It seemed so as by the start of the next lap he had a couple of car lengths to Cross. Buckley and Byrne were right there too and it was only one of these four who were going to take the win. Such was the pace they had gapped the rest of the field enough to fight it out on their own.

Kieran Hannan leads Charlie Hart and Dan Polley

Colm Blackburn leads Anthony Cross, Gavin Buckley and Jack Byrne

Anthony Cross leads Colm Blackburn, Gavin Buckley and Jack Byrne

 Again a better run from the chicane saw Cross take the lead at the hairpin. Though the exit for Blackburn cost him ground and both Buckley and Byrne drew alongside down the main straight and by turn two he was down to fourth. By the hairpin Buckley had the lead but Cross got the better exit and retook the lead going into turn one. Blackburn did an identical move to Byrne to take third. This was shaping up to be another Formula Vee cracker. A lap later Buckley tried the same move and this time it worked and was back in the lead. He held firm for the next number of laps defending well and holding his lines but any slip and the others were through. 

A better exit from Cross at the hairpin saw him get alongside once again down the main straight to take the lead into turn one. this was undone by a bad exit from the chicane where the three men behind him  got the run down the back straight making it four abreast going into the hairpin. Blackburn tried a move round the outside of them all and it was close to coming off, but it did bring him up two places to second. Buckley dropped to third with Byrne in fourth. It was hard and close racing but also fair, and keeping the spectators on their toes and proving why the class is so popular. With three laps to go you could not call the winner at this point. A lap later Cross had a slower exit from the chicane allowing Blackburn get by and down the outside at the hairpin to retake the lead starting the penultimate lap. 

A great run through the chicane saw Blackburn create a small gap to cross on the run to the hairpin. Cross though took the outside line and retook the lead in a brilliant move to lead them out on to the last lap. It was nose to tail through the next series of corners which left the chicane and hairpin. Cross for once since the opening lap got the better run through the chicane to give himself the best chance to defend at the hairpin. Blackburn tried hard to close in on the brakes but was just too far back to make a move. Cross held it to the line to take the chequered flag and with it his fourth win of the Emmerson Fittipaldi Trophy. Byrne used the outside line to get an excellent run to the line where he pipped Buckley for third.

Anthony Cross holds the Emmerson Fittipaldi Trophy after spraying champange with Jack Byrne and being on the podium with Colm Blackburn

A truly brilliant Formula Vee race and one that will be remembered for a long time to come and rounding out the season in style.

Speaking to the winner after the race it was clear he was delighted to have ended his break from racing.

" That wasn't an easy race, I was under a lot of pressure. We tested Friday which was the first time I was out in the car all year, We had a lot of problems and didn't get one clean session where we didn't have to fix something so I wasn't happy with my pace at the end of it. Although you have to expect it after having the car lying up for a year. The race was brilliant though and Kirkistown always provides great racing. People say it's an easy track with the two straights, but its far from it. Colm and Gavin drove very well and it could have been anyone's. Racing here is a bit like poker you have to hold your cards and know when to play them. We are always treated very well up here too by the organizers who put up money and three sets of tyres for this race as prizes."

So did that race and win bring any regrets in not coming out sooner and will it tempt him back out next year? 

" I hadn't intended to leave it so late to go out racing this year but few things came up and i enjoyed the break too, we will see about next year no plans of yet but we will wait and see". 

Results: 

1st Anthony Cross

2nd Colm Blackburn

3rd Jack Byrne

4th Gavin Buckley

5th Dan Polley

6th Charlie Hart

7th Kieran Hannan

8th Conor Melia

9th Paul Lewis

10th Eamon Thornton

Dominant Doherty Takes The Leinster Trophy

Ronan Doherty lifts the Leinster Trophy after winning the Selco.ie Formula Vee race.

If there was ever a more deserving winner of an event it would have to be county Antrim's Ronan Doherty. One year on from the heartbreak of loosing out on taking the biggest prize in Irish motor racing due to a simple mechanical failure with a lap to go, he took victory in the Selco.ie Formula Vee race for the Leinster Trophy. 

Dating back to the early 1930's the who's who of Irish drivers have won the trophy over the years the likes of John Watson, John Pollock, Tommy Reid, Patsy McGarrity, Vivian Daly, Eddie Jordan, to name a only a few. It is not only prestigious for the great drivers from this land that have won it before but the history of international drivers who went on to the very top of the sport, such as Mike Hawthorn, Mauricio Gugelmin, J.J Lehto, Mika Hakkinen, and the most famous of them all Ayrton Senna.

To add your name to those is a great honor and he did it in style. With only one race meeting in the championship this season and a couple of test days he was missed in this years championship. Come the test day on Friday his times left everyone in the championship battle glad he chose not to do a full season and also left them with some head scratching for the weekend ahead. He was just one tenth off the lap record on the new Toyo tyres brought into the class a couple of years ago which are meant to be quiet a bit slower than the Dunlop's used before. 

A tight start to the race between Ronan Doherty and Dan Polley

The forecast was mixed and the rain came Sunday morning for qualifying and race one ahead of the bigger Leinster Trophy race later in the day. Would he be as quick in the wet as the dry? He answered by taking pole by nearly a second and backing it up with a win by 1.3 seconds. A certain confidence boost not that it was ever needed, by getting the win and not getting himself into trouble.

Starting from pole position once again but this time it was dry and he knew he had the pace over the rest. His opposition would have to get ahead straight away and hope they could battle and not let him break away. A harder task on the international track at Mondello, which is much longer and if a break is made it is harder to close down. Dan Polley also making a return to the series this year joined him on the front row. As the lights went out Polley immediately moved Doherty to the right and over the white line of pitlane exit to try and gain an advantage to take the lead. Doherty held firm and was not for giving way and held the inside line into turn one to lead the field. From there he got his head down and began to build a lead. By the end of lap one he was five car lengths ahead of Polley who was falling into the clutches of Gavin Buckley and Colm Blackburn.

Gavin Buckley and Colm Blackburn battled early on aswell as Jordan Kelly and Jack Byrne

Lap on lap he increased his lead leaving those behind in his wake and barring any repeats of the year before he was not going to be caught. Blackburn retired with a mechanical problem and both Polley and Buckley scrapped it out for second and third, leaving Doherty to break away even more. He reeled off the laps and crossed to take victory by a massive 20 seconds. A margin unheard of in Formula Vee but such was his early pace and those behind battling with each other it was a done deal very early on. 

A well deserved victory and one that put the nightmare of the year before to bed. 

Speaking after the race the laid back Antrim man said; " it was a perfect weekend with pole positions and two wins. What happened last year was the main motivation to comeback again this year and to try and win it. We had the pace from the first practice session in all conditions so big thanks to my dad and all the team for making the car so good for me and all their work. I am quiet relieved to have done it and also delighted at the same time."

Dan Polley and Gavin Buckley, top, had a race long battle that provided the entertainment of the race. While Ronan Doherty was in a league of his own out front, above.

Behind the top three Jordan Kelly and Jack Byrne had their own battle but were not near the pace of the leaders, which was not like them and would have been considered winners or podium possibilities ahead of the race. Owen Kelly out in a recently bought Sheane was further behind having his own race as he gapped Kieran Hannon early on. Hannan however caught back up and they began to battle for fifth. Another great battle was for sixth behind between Eamonn Thornton back out for the second time this year and having a great run ahead of Conor Melia who everyone was delighted to see out again after his big crash at Kirkistown and Charlie Hart. Ger Byrne was also making his way up through the field and got past Paul Lewis and Andy Keogh but was too far behind to gain another place.

Further battle throughout the field

Then sadly mechanical problems for Melia and he was blacked flagged ending his race and rookie championship challenge. A shame after all the hard work done by SM racing to get the car ready for the weekend. Thornton though pulled clear in the closing laps and was comfortably ahead of heart crossing the line. His best result and for only his second race this year it was a great achievement. By the time the chequered flag came out the pack was strung out Byrne winning his battle against Kelly followed by Owen Kelly, Hannan, Thornton and Hart. It got better for Thornton gaining one more place after the race when Hannan received a 10 second penalty for a jump start. Simon Rudd and Finn Gillespie round out the podium in the rookie class.

The rookie podium, Charlie Hart, top, Simon Rudd, middle and Finn Gillespie, bottom.

With Blackburn's DNF, his championship hopes ended so it goes to the final round in two weeks time at the fast and brilliant Kirkistown Racing Circuit between Gavin Buckley and Jack Byrne. With only 3 points separating them it's a winner takes all race. Luckily for Byrne a discovered broken rocker cover didn't end his race which kept the points gap to a minimum ahead of the finale.

The race and winners spoils went to Ronan Doherty pictured after the race with his parent Damien and Yvonne and sister Eva.

Results

Selco.ie Formula Vee Championship

1st Ronan Doherty

2nd Dan Polley

3rd Gavin Buckley

Tyredoctor.ie B Championship

1st Jordan Kelly

2nd Owen Kelly

3rd Andy Keogh

Ability IT Rookie Championship

1st Charlie Hart

2nd Simon Rudd

3rd Finn Gillespie

Hannan Takes Tyredoctor.ie Championship Win

Kieran Hannan, Leastone on his way to winning the Tyredoctor.ie Formula Vee Race.

Kirkistown Racing Circuit in county Down played host for round eight of the Selco.ie Formula Vee Championship. The torrential rain that came down in testing the day before thankfully cleared off and finally the summer sunshine made an appearance for the drivers come race day. The Tyredoctor.ie and Ability IT championship runners had their own race as well as joining the main national runners later in the day. So first up was the race for the 'B' and Rookies which saw Robert Flemming took pole position from team-mate Kieran Hannan  to lock out the front row of the grid. As always at Kirkistown the long straights can cancel out a good qualifying position by the use of the draft along the straights but the higher up you are the less chance of getting caught up in someone else's mistake. That said it doesn't always work. 

Niall O'Mara leads the field on the opening lap of the tyredoctor,ie Formula Vee Race.

Flemming got a great start off the line and lead the field into turn one. Conor Meila from the second row got a great start also and got into second by turn one as Hannan's car bogged down off the line. However Niall O'Mara in his Leastone went one better and lead the field out of turn three and looked quick ahead of Paul Lewis who also made a good move at turn two to pass Fleemming who ended up locking the front end at turn three and taking to the grass and dropping all the way down to second from last. A disaster for the Kildare man and undone all his hard work in qualifying. 

Kieran Hannan, Leastone, leads Paul Lewis, Leastone, during the tyredoctor.ie Formula Vee race.

Lewis held the lead for the next couple of laps but Hannan got past at the hairpin. Charlie Hart was now up to third to make it a Leastone top three. Hannan began to put his stamp on the race by lap four edging a second over Lewis to open a gap up front. Robert Flemming was done and set fastest time on his way back up through the field picking them off one by one. Sadly O'Mara ran into mechanical problems as a rocker broke ending his fine drive. By midway Hannan led by over two seconds as Lewis began to defend heavily from Hart behind him. An excellent drive by the young Wicklow man in his first year of racing. Sadly fellow county man Ger Byrne spun at the hairpin allowing Flemming through and he was closing in on those in front.

Conor Melia crashes his Sheane out of the tyrdocotr.ie Formula Vee race.

Nearing the closing stages Hanan was safe in the lead but Hart had other ideas for second spot and passed Lewis into turn two. Behind him though Conor Meila and Robert Flemming had a coming together which saw Melia spinning off track but his car dug into the ground, flipping him into the air where rolled the car twice before landing on his four wheels. Thankfully the Dubliner was ok and walked away unhurt, sadly his car wasn't so lucky but will be repaired by the SMR racing team before the next round in Mondello. this brought out the safety car and then red flags. The win was never in doubt and Hannon took the win from Hart and Lewis. 

Paul Lewis, Leastone, leads Charlie Hart, Leastone, during the tyredoctor.ie Formula Vee race.

Robert Flemming, Sheane, leads Conor Melia, Sheane, during the tyredoctor.ie Formula Vee race.

Charlie Hart, Leastone, leads Paul Lewis, Leastone, during the tyredoctor.ie Formula Vee race.

Speaking after the race Hannan was again happy to take another win and help his championship chances. " I didn't make the best of starts but after a couple of laps I got into a rythmn and got passed Paul and Niall and took the lead and built on it each lap and was comfortable. Then the red flags came out and the race was declared a result. Its a good points haul for the championship now ahead of the next race in Mondello in September.

Results: 

Tyredoctor.ie 'B' Championship

1st Kieran Hannan

2nd Charlie Hart

3rd Paul Lewis

Ability IT Rookie Championship

1st Charlie Hart

2nd Simon Rudd

3rd Lee Flynn

Buckley Bags Season Opener

23-March-2024: Gavin Buckley holds up his trophy after winning the Selco.ie Formula Vee race. Kirkistown Racing Circuit. Picture: Barry Cregg.

Kirkistown Racing Circuit along the beautiful Ards Penninsula in county Down was the venue for the opening round of the Selco.ie Formula Vee Championship. The circuit is a favourite amongst the drivers and teams alike. A new season brings a clean slate and a chance for those who missed out last season to go one better this year and also for the five newcomers, a chance to finally get racing after all their planning over the winter. 

Sadly 2023 Champion Lee Newsome was a non starter along with former champion Anthony Cross and last years hotshot Ronan Doherty was also missing but all will be out later in the year. That said the competion was still strong with Jack Byrne back in his newly built and painted Sheane. Colm Blackburn was also in a new car, his being the newer Leastone chassis and which once belonged to former champion Ray Moore. 

23-March-2024: Colm Blackburn, Leastone, leads Gavin Buckley, Sheane, and Jack Byrne, Sheane, during the Selco.ie Formula Vee Race. Kirkistown Racing Circuit. Picture: Jack Cregg.

Gavin Buckley who has been a championship contender for the last number of years but just missing out is determined to take the title this year. The Rathmichael man set his stall out early by taking pole by 0.7 second ahead of Jack Byrne. The long straights of Kirkistown provide great over taking opportunities but qualifying well means a driver can stay away from being caught up in a mid pack scramble that can cause problems.

As the lights went out it was a masterful start by Blackburn who went through the middle of the front two like a bullet to take the lead on the run to turn one. It was the same by the exit of the chicane but as mentioned to long straights came into play and by the end of the back straight it was three abreast going into the hairpin. From first to third, on the the exit Byrne now lead from Buckley and Blackburn. It was still early days however but already the front three had pulled clear of the field enough to let them battle for the lead between themselves.

23-March-2024: Colin Lewis, Leastone, during the Selco.ie Formula Vee race. Kirkistown Racing Circuit. Picture: Barry Cregg.

23-March-2024: Brendan Ellis, Sheane, during the Selco.ie Formula Vee race. Kirkistown Racing Circuit. Picture: Barry Cregg.

A heavy shower of rain a half hour before the race left the track damp in spots making it tricky to overtake off the racing line. On the run to the hairpin second time round Buckley got alongside Byrne and took the lead at the hairpin. The tighter technical section of the track from turn two to three suited Buckley as he gained time over his pursuers but lost the advantage on the latter half of the track. That said he was driving well and absorbing the pressure well not making any mistakes. Blackburn was now back up to second and chasing the leader down, his car very quick down the back straight. 

23-March-2024: Gavin Buckley, Sheane, leads Colm Blackburn, Leastone, during the Selco.ie Formula Vee Race. Kirkistown Racing Circuit. Picture: Jack Cregg.

By half distance it was still the same heading to the hairpin nothing to separate the front three. A better exit from Blackburn gave him a run down the main straight to take the lead which he would hold for the next couple of laps. The weather again started to change with showers beginning to fall but slightly. Not enough to make track conditions change significantly. An excellent run down the back straight saw Buckley retake the lead and an even better run out of the hairpin gave him a three car gap to the two behind which would come into play as they were beginning to catch the tail-enders. Byrne got back into second at turn one with a move on the inside.

Buckley got passed the first of the tailenders to extend his advantage. Both Byrne and Blackburn were through but were in danger of losing the tow to the leader. With two laps to go Buckley was in command although loosing a bit of time behind one tail-ender, but he had enough in hand to bring it home barring any mechanical failure. Byrne was also in charge of second place until a sideways moment at the chicane on the final lap let Blackburn catch right up and try a move at the hairpin. He held on though and crossed the line to take second. Buckley had done so already and took his third win at the northern track.

23-March-2024: Charlie Hart, Leastone, during the Selco.ie Formula Vee race. Kirkistown Racing Circuit. Picture: Barry Cregg.

 

23-March-2024: Gavin Buckley, Sheane, leads Jack Byrne, Sheane, on his way to winning the Selco.ie Formula Vee race. Kirkistown Racing Circuit. Picture: Barry Cregg.

A typical tight hard fought Formula Vee race and one to start the season off on a high note. 

Speaking after the race the winner was relieved to get the win. " It was a tight race with Jack and Colm, but I got a gap and then got through the backmarkers first which helped me get away a bit more. Conditions were tricky with damp patches and the wind, but its great to get the win and start the season off well"

Results:

Selco.ie Formula Vee Championship

1st Gavin Buckley

2nd Jack Byrne

3rd Colm Blckburn