Huge entry for Ireland’s great hillclimbs

THE peaceful tranquillity of the Burren was interrupted last weekend when the sound of F1 style engines dominated as this year’s Connacht Competition Engines Hillclimb and Sprint Championship for the Frank Keane Trophy was staged.
The Clare and Galway Motor Clubs joined forces for the second year to arrange a double header weekend on two of the great Irish Hillclimb venues, Corkscrew and Ballyallaban.
Sunny weather on both days and a large entry of 43 competitors for Saturday and 58 for Sunday made for a smooth running of the event. The grippy tarmac and high speeds saw drivers getting a practice run and five timed runs on Saturday, followed by a practice run and three timed runs on Sunday.
Local ace Sylvie Mullins and championship leader after the first two rounds in Wexford was on hand, as was 2011 Hillclimb champion Simon McKinley.
Mullins set a new record of 48.39 seconds for the hill in his Judd V8 powered Gould in 2011, smashing Simon McKinley’s 2010 record of 56.00 seconds.
Having completed the first timed run in 49.92 seconds, his 550 horse powered Judd Engined Gould failed to complete the second run, breaking a first gear selector fork on the first corner after the start line. Sylvie spent the rest of the day rebuilding the gearbox and eventually got out on the fifth timed run but the selector fork broke again on the second corner of the hill. He finished fourth fastest on the day.
McKinley’s 360 horse powered Millington-engined Lant was fastest on the Corkscrew with a time of 48.39 seconds equalling Sylvie’s 2011 hill record, which he achieved in his first timed run and was his best time on the day, giving him overall victory.
Galway’s Joe Courtney was second fastest on the Corkscrew with a time of 49.60 seconds in his OMS Hornet while Limerick’s Paul O’Connell’s Pilbeam was third fastest on 49.67 seconds.
Class winners on the day included Rory Stephens (Class 3B), Galway’s Ray Cunningham (Class 1), Ian Quinn (Class 3A), Declan Cundelan (Class 2), Ger Hodgins (Class 1), Enda Kennedy (Class 5) and Mick O’Shea (Class 4).
Clare Motor Club member John O’Sullivan was the winner in Class 8 in his Citroen C2, while Tommy Flannagan was the winner in Class 10 in his Escort Mk2.
The glorious weather continued for Round 4 of the championship held on Sunday at Ballyallaban and this time, it was Simon McKinley who was fastest again. McKinley set the hill record in 2011 with a time of 93.56 and after completing two runs his best time for the day was 93.69.
Sylvie Mullins, having repaired his car overnight with the help of McKinley, finished second overall after completing three timed runs with a best time of 95.28 in his Gould GR 37.
Paul O’Connell was third fastest on the day with a time of 104.23 in his Pilbeam.
Class winners on Ballyallaban included Adrian McCallion (Class 6), Rory Stephens (Class 3B), Ray Cunningham (Class 1), Ger Hodgins (Class 9), Ian Quinn, (Class 3a), Patrick Haughey (Class 8), Kieran Curran (Class 2), Enda Kennedy (Class 5), and Mick O’Shea (Class 4).
Clare Motor Club was well represented in the results with John O’Sullivan finishing second in Class 8 and 16th overall in his Citroen C2, while Tommy Flannagan was the winner in Class 10.