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WATERFORD RACEWAY ROUND 6

The Pike Saturday 21 July 2024

Entries at Waterford Raceway are continuing to grow and round 6 of the 2024 championship attracted 57 entries, in 51 cars, the biggest numbers yet in the Pike’s new Motorsport Ireland licenced era. A few of the quicker cars that appeared at last month’s double-header meeting were missing, but the numbers were made up mainly from the ranks of the standard Micras, with more cars than usual being double driven between senior and junior classes. That was partly down to the revival of the “Micra Challenge” team competition, although there was also an encouragingly big grid in the Rookies class.

The weather forecast wasn’t too promising, with mainly overcast skies and rain expected at some point, but the meeting was finished by the time the rain arrived. Good racing was seen throughout the classes, although the day will probably be remembered mainly for the massive pile-up at the start of the second Junior heat, which took out every one of the thirteen entries, although all of them managed to race again.

It was the PRODUCTION JUNIORS who started the meeting with a flag-to-flag win for Wicklow visitor Jamie Eager, while Cole McGann came from the back of the grid to pass Sean Ryan for second on the last lap. The second race brought disaster as the lead car was left facing the wrong way exiting the tight first corner, with the rest of the field piling in to the blind uphill corner and finding nowhere to go, leaving a track full of bent Micras. Worst damaged looked to be the cars of Jack Roche and Sean Ryan, but less than an hour later, both of these were back out in the hands of their co-drivers, along with the other shared cars of Cillian/Adam Rooney and Paddy/Martin Fitzgerald, for the Class 1B heat.

The Junior race was rerun after the lunch break, with the only one missing being Paddy Fitzgerald, whose car had been on 3 cylinders all day. It was Jack Roche, despite being the only one who needed a ride in the ambulance after the pile-up, who bounced back with a well-deserved win, taking the lead from Aoibhe Fitzgerald at half distance and holding off Cole McGann at the finish. Tommy Fong headed Daryl Deane for third, chased by Aoibhe Fitzgerald, Sherise O’Shea, Ben Fitzgerald, Jamie Eager, Cillian Rooney, Sean Ryan and Eoin Robinson, although Darragh Hickey was unlucky when his bonnet flipped over his screen.

The last race of the day saw Eoin Robinson leading most of the way until Cole McGann took over in the closing stages to win ahead of a close finish for second between Ben Fitzgerald, Eoin Robinson and Sherise O’Shea. Jack Roche was further back this time, in a borrowed car after his own boiled up in Darragh Healy’s hands in Class 1B. Cole McGann was the overall winner, from Tommy Fong and Ben Fitzgerald.

The ROOKIES grid was nearly as full, but fortunately their races were completed without incident. Having his first outing was ex-kart racer Rory O’Connor and he showed his potential, in Cole McGann’s second car, by coming from the back to take a clear win in the first race, while Cayden Leahy held off Luke O’Connell, Ruby McCarthy and Anna Fitzgerald for second. Second time out there was a red flag with Molly Walsh in trouble, but she was quickly turned round in the pits with a new wheel and could join the restart. This time James Leahy led most of the way, being caught in the closing stages by Anna Fitzgerald and Rory O’Connor. Anna led into the last lap but Rory emerged in front for another win, from Anna, Luke O’Connell and James, with Emily Sisk and Tom Robinson battling for the next places. The Rookies’ final race was led away by Aaron Murphy, before Luke O’Connell took over, but there was no stopping Rory O’Connor as he came through for his third win – he may not be with the Rookies for long! Emily Sisk and Ruby McCarthy had good races for third and fourth, ahead of Cayden Leahy, Tom Robinson, Aaron Murphy, James Leahy, Katelyn O’Connell and Molly Walsh. Completing the field, and driving very well on his first ever outing, was Sean Darcy, son of Alan, and he should be one to watch in the future. Rory of course won overall, with Luke O’Connell and Anna Fitzgerald, despite being unable to start the last race, taking the other trophies.

The Micra challenge, with ten teams entered (bonus points for family teams and shared cars, although neither is compulsory) contributed to a bigger 10-car field in CLASS 1B. The first race was led all the way by James Deane, with Ross Ryan, sharing brother Sean’s car, taking second with Killian Swayne this time ahead of son Callum and Adam Rooney close behind. Next time out a hasty repair job after the Junior pile-up put Darragh Healy back on the grid, in Jack Roche’s car, and Darragh proceeded to lead all the way, while the battle behind went to Callum over Killian Swayne and Wicklow based Dylan Eager, back for a second time. The third race was led away by Dylan Eager, but Killian Swayne was quickly pushed to the front by his battle with his son and James Deane, and Killian took the win from Callum and James, with Ross Ryan in hot pursuit. Adam Rooney, Dylan Eager, and James Fitzgerald were next after a steaming Darragh Healy pulled off, while Martin Fitz and Nicky O’Leary were non-starters. James Deane won overall from Killian and Callum.

Katie Egan this time had some opposition in the LADIES with Aoife Healy joining in, using Darragh’s Starlet, Maria O’Keeffe driving Killian Swayne’s Micra and Chelsea Eager out in the 1.4 Micra that she fields to good effect at Coolronan. They shared the track with Joe Dilworth, whose Focus was again the only STOCKS entry and Michael Wynn, this time alone in the JUNIOR BMW MINI class. Katie won the first race from Aoife as Joe battled with Chelsea and Maria. The next race saw Chelsea lead away, but Katie took over for another win, with Chelsea a good second from Aoife. The last race saw Chelsea making a good start, with Katie only catching her in the closing stages. Katie went through to lead, but immediately pulled out with a puncture, so Chelsea won from Aoife. Overall, Katie had done enough to take the first place trophy from Chelsea and Aoife, while Maria only did one race in the hard-worked 1B car. Joe Dilworth and Michael Wynn naturally won their classes.

On to the main class racing. CLASSES 1, 2 and 3 went out together and in the first heat Wayne O’Shea’s Class 2 Micra got in among the Class 1 lead battle at the end, where Michael Kiersey held on to win, despite all the efforts of Shane Hickey to get round the outside, while Conor Fitzgerald was very much in contention. Pat Nolan held off Darragh Healy for second in Class 2 while Tommy Daly took Class 3 after Jason Murphy pulled out with a puncture. Second time out Shane got the better of Michael in their Class 1 battle, with Class 2 winner Wayne splitting them at the end. Jason Murphy just held off Tommy Daly in Class 3, both of them not quite managing to get past Pat Nolan, but Conor Fitz’ day ended with a broken second gear.

With a bit of drizzle falling in the third race, Michael Kiersey led all the way, for most of the race having to hold off Darragh Healy, who was going very well in the lead of Class 2. Meanwhile a big battle developed as Pat Nolan wasn’t easily going to be passed by Wayne O’Shea, Jason Murphy or Tommy Daly. Eventually Wayne got past and quickly caught the leaders, snatching the class lead just as the reds came out, meaning Darragh won, while Pat Nolan and Jason Murphy tangled, but Jason was still credited with the class win. So overall Michael Kiersey won Class 1 from Shane Hickey and Conor Fitz. Wayne O’Shea took Class 2 from Darragh Healy and Pat Nolan, and Tommy Daly beat Jason Murphy in Class 3.

CLASSES 4 and 5 also went together with five quick FWD Starlet-Hondas, Coolronan regular Daniel Heapes, back for a second taste of the Pike with his 1400 Micra, and Raymond Darcy, returning to his home track after his recent Autograss exploits, with his RWD Opel-powered Fiesta spaceframe. Raymond had just come through to take the lead from Daniel when the reds came out after Class 5 leader Luke O’Donovan went straight on into the tyre wall, under pressure from Andy Foley. In the second round the Starlets of Kieron Murphy and Kieran Cooney made the early running. Raymond came through to take the lead, but Kieran Cooney fought back and Raymond only just held off the Wexford man to win, with Kieron Murphy just holding off Class 5 winner Andy Foley.

Daniel Heapes led away in the final race and stayed in front until the closing stages, when Raymond took over to win, again closely chased by Kieran Cooney. Daniel held third in class from Kieron Cooney, split by Andy Foley, who again won Class 5, chased by Luke O’Donovan. Taking his first finish of the day in Class 4 was Midleton-based rally driver Mike Sigerson, having a few teething problems with his just completed Starlet-Honda. For the trophies, Raymond took Class 4 from Kieran Cooney and Daniel Heapes, while Andy Foley took Class 5 from Luke O’Donovan.

The rain held off until the trophy presentation, with trophies presented on behalf of the day’s sponsor, Jim Scannell Motor Factors – we hope to see Jim back on the grid soon.