Buckley and Byrne Share The Top Step

Jack Byrne, Sheane, leads Colm Blackburn, Leastone, and Gavin Buckley, Sheane, during the Selco.ie Formula Vee race. Picture Barry Cregg.

For rounds five and six of the Selco.ie Formula Vee championship drivers returned to Mondello Park and the summer sunshine. 21 drivers took the the track for qualifying where the pace was hot over the three classes with everyone knowing how important it is to get a good place on the grid as overtaking is hard around the national track. The top three were covered by half a second with Colm Blackburn continuing his run of form from Bishopscourt by taking pole ahead of Gavin Buckley. Jack Byrne joined in third ahead of Kieran Hannan again showing great pace and heading the 'B' championship runners. 

Blackburn got the best start and lead away with Buckley alongside on the run down to turn one. Byrne tucked in behind in third. All got through turn one cleanly, not as easy as it would seem with a large field of cars. Blackburn set out to get the head down and make a break for it but Byrne had his head down too getting passed Buckley through turn two and looked very quick. By the end of lap one the first 3 had broke away with Hannan in fourth just about hanging on but easily ahead of his nearest challenger Conor Melia who himself was showing more experienced drivers the way round. Blackburn held firm over the next couple of laps soaking up the extreme pressure applied by Byrne who was trying everything he knew to get past, trying inside and outside lines everywhere. Buckley too tried to get back ahead of Byrne but he could not get close enough. Behind Hannan, Melia and Andy Keogh had a great battle of their own just ahead of Robert Flemming, 38 and Brian Hall also had a close dice of their own. It is a testament to the rules of the championship where the cars are so evenly match that it provides good racing throughout the field. 

Top: Colm Blackburn, Leastone, leads the field into turn 1, during the Selco.ie Formula Vee race. Picture Barry Cregg.

Bottom: Colm Blackburn, Leastone, leads Jack Byrne, Sheane, and Gavin Buckley, Sheane, during the Selco.ie Formula Vee race. Picture Barry Cregg.

By the closing stages Blackburn was having to drive even more defensively but doing an excellent job but Byrne found a way past at turn three and took the lead. Buckley was still there in third not able to challenge but there to pick up the pieces if anything went wrong between the front two. Hannan and Melia were now nose to tail, the newcomer showing great pace in the latter stages. Now could Byrne make a break and take the win or could Blackburn find a way past. It was a typical Formula Vee thriller where anything could happen. Byrne held the lead for the following lap but as they started the following one they interlocked wheels on the run into turn one and they both went off into the gravel. This moved everyone up a place but as the cars were in an unsafe place the safety car had to be deployed. With the clock running down the race was finished under the safety car. A shame it ended that way but that's motor racing. Luckily the cars were not damaged and both would be back out for race two later in the day. Buckley took the win from Hannan and Conor Melia came home in third. 

Kieran Hannan, Leastone, leads Conor Melia, Sheane, during the Selco.ie Formula Vee race. Picture Barry Cregg.

Robert Flemming, Sheane, leads Eamonn Thornton, Leastone, during the Selco.ie Formula Vee race. Picture Barry Cregg.

Speaking after the race Buckley was gracious in taking the win, " I'm grateful to get the win even though I really inherited it after the two lads took each other out. It was a great race up to then and was close the whole way but I just hadn't that last bit to get past them but that's racing!"

Gavin Buckley, winner of the Selco.ie Formula Vee race. Picture Barry Cregg.

After the tempers settled and cars dusted off they lined up on the grid later in the day for race two. Again Buckley lead the field into turn one with Buckley and Byrne behind. Buckley tried the outside line move on Blackburn but it backfired as it let Byrne through to second. Already it looked to be a carbon copy of race one earlier but it was early days and like race one anything could happen. Hannan again took up fourth place but behind Andy Keogh and Robert Flemming chased him down, with newcomer Conor Melia a few places back this time. As the race settled down into a rhythm, again the front three opened a gap to Hannan who seemed to be on his own as Keogh and Flemmming were have a great battle behind. 

Charlie Heart, Leastone, leads Eamon Thornton, Leastone, during the Selco.ie Formula Vee race. Picture Barry Cregg.

Robert Flemming, Sheane, leads Andy Keogh, Sheane, and Kieran Hannan, Leastone, during the Selco.ie Formula Vee race. Picture Barry Cregg.

 Jack Byrne, Sheane, leads Colm Blackburn, Leastone, and Gavin Buckley, Sheane, during the Selco.ie Formula Vee race. Picture Barry Cregg.

It is a compromise around Mondello if your in the lead. If you haven't the pace to pull away you have to defend but in doing so it slows you down. If your in the middle of a group you have to try and attack and pass but also not leave yourself open to be passed. That was Blackburn's problem in second and Byrne's problem in the lead. They fought hard once again neither suffering from the incident in race one. By the half way mark the top three remained the same but now there was a second group of three in a battle for four. Keogh moved up to fourth with Hannon and Flemming behind. A lap later Flemming was now up to fifth with great moved around the outside of Hannan at turn 2 and two laps later he was up another place. Unfortunately for Keogh and Hannan both retied in the following laps with mechanical problems.

Brian Hall, Sheane, leads Conor Melia, Sheane, during the Selco.ie Formula Vee race. Picture Barry Cregg.

Up front Byrne was having his work cut out in the lead as Blackburn was trying all sorts of lines trying to get by on the out of turn 3 which nearly came off and again on the inside of the esses to no joy but the outside line move at turn 1 did and into the lead he went. Another cracking Formula Vee race was unfolding as they headed towards the end of the race. Hopefully they wouldn't take each other out again. A lap later into turn one both Blackburn and Byrne went into turn one too deep allowing Buckley cut back on the inside to take the lead. 

Sadly just as this was closing in to the final stages the race was red flagged due to oil being dropped on track robbing the spectators of a last lap drama. The result was declared back two laps giving Blackburn the win but after the race he was disqualified for a rule infringement in parc ferme after the race. This gave Byrne the win to rescue his weekend.

Gavin Buckley was given second and Robert Flemming ended up in third.

Speaking after the race Byrne was surprised at getting the win;

" We had a mixed weekend having good pace but we are back in the hunt for the championship after Colm being disqualified. A bittersweet end to the weekend after what happend in race one, I got a bit out of shape going into turn one just as he moved across and we both ended up in the gravel. We had a great battle again in race two and got into the lead until I went off line after hitting the oil."

It is a result the could prove important by the end of the year with dropped rounds coming into effect as race one will be one one to drop for Byrne along with the following round, although it is one he is happy to as he will be getting marrying his fincaeé Michelle. All involved in Formula Vee wish them both many years of happiness.

Jack Byrne, after winning the Selco.ie Formula Vee race. Picture Barry Cregg.

Results:

Selco.ie Formula Vee National Championship

1st Gavin Buckley

2nd Kieran Hannan

3rd Conor Melia

Tyredoctor.ie 'B' Championship

1st Kieran Hannan

2nd Andy Keogh

3rd Robert Flemming

Ability IT Solutions Rookie Championship

1st Conor Melia

2nd Brian Hall

3rd Charlie Hart

Doyle Wins Closely Fought Patland Cup Trial

Sean Doyle celebrates after winning the Patland Cup Trial. Picture: Barry Cregg.

The Patland Cup Motorcyle Trial took place on sunday on the Sugarloaf mountain in Kilmacanogue. The most prestigious and oldest event in Irish motorcycling, dates back to 1921 and is promoted by the Leinster Motor Club. After a forced absence due to insurance issues for Motorcycling Ireland for the past 15 months. This years event was not a counting round of the Irish championship as a result of those insurance problems but still attracted a strong entry with current Irish champion Josh Hanlon from Banbridge in county Down, along with top riders from the south in Sean Doyle from Templecarrig and Michael Burton from Curtlestown who both have won the event seven times previously and were out to equal Michael's late father Derek who holds the record for most wins with eight. 

Sean Doyle, Scorpa, in action during the Patland Cup Trial. Sugarloaf Mountain, Co. Wicklow. Picture: Barry Cregg.

A motorcycle trial is a made up course of marked areas called sections, where the rider has to navigate though without putting their foot down and if they do they are given a mark against them. Each trial is made up of different grade levels from sportsman/novice to expert-elite with an overall time of 5 hours to complete the event. Riders follow a marked coloured route though each section depending on the level they are competing in. The rider with the least amount of marks against them is the winner. The expert and expert-elite classes are not for the faint hearted with climbs and drops leaving spectators with their jaws on the floor as they watch the riders negotiate them. They also have to ride between sections which adds to the event and is as much an endurance test aswell.

Sean Doyle, Scorpa, in action during the Patland Cup Trial. Sugarloaf Mountain, Co. Wicklow. Picture: Barry Cregg.

The weather was kind to the riders, although cool at times the rain held off which made conditions much easier for the riders. That said, three laps with thirteen tough, grueling sections along the Sugarloaf Mountain was far from easy. Doyle and Hanlon both competed in the final championship round the previous day in the north of Ireland which would have them match fit over Burton. Lack of bike time cost Burton, he got off to a bad start with 2 failures on his first lap leaving him out of contention but fought back well on the last lap to finish third overall with a total of 27 marks lost. The battle for the win would be an all-day affair between Doyle and Hanlon with the lead changing hands twice on the last lap. 

Sean Doyle, Scorpa, in action during the Patland Cup Trial, Sugarloaf Mountain, Co. Wicklow. Picture: Barry Cregg

Doyle took an early lead after Hanlon suffered a failure in the first group of sections on lap 1. A Trial can change in just one section so concentration cannot slip. With the Patland running on the Sugarloaf time is tight over the distance covered and also when you have to include the fuel stops. As they started the last lap, Doyle riding his new Scorpa 300cc machine which he only got two weeks prior to the event, held a 3 mark lead after the first two laps which included a faultless lap two. Doyle made his only failure of the day on the same section Hanlon had earlier in the first group of sections on the final lap. This gave Hanlon a slender lead of two marks before fighting back to finish level with him on 11 marks each by the end of the final section. The dreaded tie break was avoided when Josh misjudged the time limit picking up two extra marks for finishing 2 minutes outside the 5-hour time limit.

Michael Burton, Vertigo, in action during the Patland Cup Trial. Sugarloaf Mountain, Co. Wicklow. Picture: Barry Cregg.

As he took the win Doyle, a Jeweller form O’Kelly’s Jewellers on the Main Street Bray, equaled Derek’s Burton’s overall tally of 8 wins in the Patland. An impressive return to form for a rider who has struggled with injuries over the last 4 years.

Speaking afterwards the Templecarrig man said: 

" I am absolutely delighted to take the win here today. The Patland is the one event every year that means so much to me, growing up with it as a kid and it's home territory for me, I can see the Sugarloaf from my house!It was a tough battle, Josh is in flying form and is the man to beat at the moment. I started off pretty steady but had a cracking second lap going clean (no marks dropped). I started to run out of steam near the end and had to dig deep and gave it everything to get to the end. Thankfully it was just enough to come out on top. It great to have the sport back and be back out riding again. Thanks to all the observers and the officals for running the event and all my family for their support and I dedicate the win to them.

Josh Hanlon, Gas Gas, in action during the Patland Cup Trial. Sugarloaf Mountain, Co. Wicklow. Picture: Barry Cregg.

Josh Hanlon, Gas Gas, in action during the Patland Cup Trial. Sugarloaf Mountain, Co. Wicklow, Picture: Barry Cregg.

Other local riders to finish on the podium in their grade included Andrew Molloy from the red lane who finished 3rd in Expert Grade.   Alex McCann from Delgany was 3rd in sportsman and Cian Redden from Kilpedder was 2nd in Youth A

Byrne Back To Winning Ways

Jack Byrne with his trophy after winning the Selco.ie Formula Vee race. Mondello Park, Donore, Co. Kildare. Picture: Barry Cregg.

For round two of the selco.ie Formula Vee championship at Mondello Park on Saturday severe winds from storm Kathleen were an added challenge for the drivers. Lap times suffered but the action was not. After missing round one last years new kid on the block Ronan Doherty, was back. He certainly didn't show any signs of being rusty, as he he took pole position ahead of Gavin Buckley who won two weeks ago in the season opener. Jack Byrne from Annacurragh lined up in third with Kieran Hannan in fourth showing great pace, the B championship driver mixing well with the national drivers. 

Ronan Doherty, Sheane, qualified on pole on his first race back, Mondello Park, Donore, Co. Kildare.Picture: Barry Cregg. 

As the lights went out though it was disaster for Doherty who immediately had a gearbox problem and went from first to last by the first corner. His car would not select third from second on the run to turn one. While he got off the line well in doing so getting ahead of Buckley who tucked in behind, he slowed when the problem occurred also slowing Buckley. This gave Byrne a great chance to take the lead round the outside. It helped those on the outside as Andy Keogh also jumped up the order into second with Kieran Hannan third. 

Byrne extended his lead over the next couple of laps as those behind began to swap places and slowing each other down. Hannon was into second by the end of lap two with Keogh defending from Buckley. Doherty however was on a charge. With only two gears used around Mondello, Doherty was able to overcome his initial problem to make his way up through the field. Colm Blackburn was lying in fifth looking to pounce which he did on lap five with a brilliant move on the outside of turn one where got by both Buckley and Keogh.

Top: Jack Byrne leads the field into the first corner, Above,: Kieran Hannan, Leastone, leads Andy Keogh, Sheane, during the Selco.ie Formula Vee race. Mondello Park, Donore, Co.Kildare. Picture: Barry Cregg.

Up front Byrne was still in control maintaining the gap but Doherty was now into fifth. A couple of laps later it was all change again as Blackburn dropped to fifth as Buckley and Doherty moved up and had now caught Hannan who was diving the best he ever had in Formula Vee. Byrne's charge up front was not going as well as it had before and the gap was coming down. By three quarters distance Hannan lost his hard fought second place to Buckley and then Doherty who then pulled a late move into the final corner to take second. Now with clear road ahead could he catch Byrne? 

Top: Jack Byrne, Sheane, Middle, Kieran Hannan, Leastone, Bottom: Gavin Buckley lead Colm Blackburn, Leastone, and Ronan Doherty, Sheane, during the Selco.ie Formula Vee race. Mondello Park, DOnore, Co. Kildare. Picture: Barry Cregg.

It looked very possible as the gap began to close but then Buckley repassed to take second two laps later which halted their progress. Time was now running out and the chance to get right up to Byrne had gone. All the leader had to do was bring it home, which he did to take his first win of the year. A great result for the Wicklow man who had a tough year last year after a heavy accident which ruined his season. Doherty tried a late run to the line to take second but Buckley held on but only just.

Further down the field a great battle between the leaders father Ger Byrne, Paul Lewis, Finn Gillespie and Brian Hall raged from the word go. Places being swapped several times throughout and anyone's for the taking. Then with a lap to go Gillespie and Hall collided at turn four. It was unfortunate for both who drove very well and it was just a racing incident that happens but both will be back out next time. 

Top: Colm Blackburn, Leastone, leads Gavin Buckley, Sheane, Middle: Paul Lewis, Leastone, leads Ger Byrne, Sheane, Conor Melia, Sheane, on his way to winning the Ability I.T. Rookie championship race, Bottom: Gavin Buckley, left, Sheane, and Ronan Doherty, right, Sheane, during the Selco.ie Formula Vee race. Mondello Park, Donore, Co. Kildare. Pictures Barry Cregg.

Speaking after the race the winner was as much relieved to get the race over as he was to win it. 

" I got a great run to turn one when I seen the two boys slow down ( Doherty and Buckley) so I stuck to the outside line and got the lead. I put the head down to try and build a gap. Then the clutch start to slip and just tried to hold the gap but then later when they started to catch me I was praying for the chequered flag to come out. Thankfully it did and we only had one race today as I wouldn't have got another race out of it."

Jack Byrne, Sheane, celebrates after winning the Selco.ie Formula Vee race. Mondello Park, Donore, Co. Kildare. Picture: Barry Cregg.

It will be a big year for the Annacurragh man who will miss the next two rounds as he is not due to be in Bishopscourt in May and in July will be marrying his fiancé Michelle.

Jack and Michelle with their dog Lola.

Results:

Selco.ie National Championship

1st Jack Byrne

2nd Gavin Buckley

3rd Ronan Doherty

Tyredoctor.ie 'B' Championship

1st Kieran Hannan

2nd Andy Keogh

3rd Paul Lewis

Ability I.T. Rookie Championship

1st Conor Melia

2nd Simon Rudd

3rd Charlie Hart