Hillclimb

In addition to the photoshoot for CMC members and their cars, there will also be a photo session for all past and present members.

This will also take place also on Sunday 22nd August at 3.30pm at the Auburn Lodge Hotel car park.

As Clare Motorclub is celebrating its 30th year it is hoped to gather as many faces from the past...and present.

So please spread the word!!! We would love to see some guys and girls that might have hung up their boots and welcome them back to celebrate the clubs birthday. Im sure we all know of people who might have rallied years ago or who might have taken part in an Autotest at the old Roslevan arms car park...or even the Shannon Industrial estate single stage.

Damp and greasy conditions greated the drivers on the Corkscrew Hill near Ballyvaughan for the opening two rounds of the 2010 Connaught Competition Engines Hillclimb / Sprint Championship. The Logue’s Lodge Clare Hillclimb Weekend was won by Simon McKinley from Rush in County Dublin driving his Lant RT2 Racing Car.

Simon was fastest on both days. As local hillclimb ace Sylvie Mullins from Ballyvaughan did not have his car ready for the event the battle for supremacy was between Simon McKinley and current Hillclimb champion, Limerick’s Paul O’Connell. This was Paul’s first event in his brand new 2.8 litre, four cylinder Hart Engined Pilbeam MP58H Hillclimb Racing Car which produces 350 horse power. It turned out to be a troublesome day for both drivers as McKinley failed to make the first timed run and the car broke a cv joint after leaving the start line on run two. Simon posted his best time of 56.00 seconds on run three to take the fastest time on the corkscrew. O’Connell had electrical and gear selection problems with his new car and he also failed to make the first two timed runs. Paul also posted his fastest time on run three 58.12 seconds, commenting that the corkscrew would not be his favourite hill but that he did enjoy the wet conditions. Both drivers failed to improve on the fourth and final run. Brendan Keane (Swallow DRI4) and Stephen Gillis (Westfield SEI) tied for third overall both a time of 60.98 seconds. The beautifully turned out Radical SR3 Hayabusa Turbo of Rory Stephens fisished fifth with a time of 61.08 seconds while Galway’s Mini specialist Ray Cunningham finished sixth on 61.23 in his newly built Mini.

The Class winners were Ray Cunningham, Tommy Murphy, Stephen Gillis, Rory Stephens, Gerry Freeman, Joe Courtney, Paul O’Connell, Peter Cummins. Clare motor club members Ross Kenny finished first in his class while Michael Rodgers finished third in class.

Sunday’s action moved to the Scalp Hill near carran. This daunting high speed hill which travels through the cutting in the rocks is absolutely breathtaking. With the majority of the corners being 3rd and 4th gear corners and the surface being relatively bumpy it presents a different challenge to the Corkscrew. With drivers reaching speeds in excess of 130 mph it is certainly not for the fainthearted.

Simon McKinley was first to head the time sheets after run one with a time of 59.42 seconds on the fully extended hill having broken another CV Joint while crossing the finish line at the top. Simon improved his time on the second timed run to 59.42 which was the fastest time of the day and gave him overall victory. Paul O’Connell still had electrical problems on sunday but with the help of the clare motor club officials he managed to complete all three timed runs and posted a best time of 59.93 seconds on run two . With damp conditions all day and heavy rain on the last run paul commented that he was a lot happier with the car and that he enjoyed racing on one of his favourite hills in the championship. Rory Stephens Radical SR3 Hayabusa Turbo finished third overall with a time of 69.68 seconds while Seamus Morris (Pilbeam MP52) finished fourth overall on 70.64 seconds.

There was a big increase in the number of rally cars on the Sunday hill as a lot of clare club members did battle for class positions. Anthony O’Halloran was the top clare club member on the day finishing fifth overall and second in class with a time of 71.73 seconds in his Mitsubishi Evo 9. Clare club member Patrick Horan put in a stunning drive in his little Vauhhall Nova to finish tenth overall and first in class. Other Clare club award winners included Tony Tuttle third in class, Martin O’Halloran second in class, Tom Ryan third in class and  Robert Ryan third in class.

The class winners were Ray Cunningham, Tommy Murphy, Stephen Gillis, Rory Stephens, Dermot Quigley, Joe Courtney, Paul O’Connell, Patrick Horan, Ed Synan.

Overall a great weekend sport and a great boost to local tourism at this relatively quite time of the year.

Clare Motor Club would like to thank most sincerely the residents on both hills, the business community and people of Ballyvaughan and Carran. The Ballyvaughan Development Committee, Logue’s Lodge, all the Clare Motor Club officials and marshals who helped to make this a very successful weekend for the Club. The Clare Motor Club would also like to thank the Gardai Siochanna, the Clare County Council, the emergency and rescue services, Motorsport Ireland without whose assistance this event would not have been possible.

Dermot Kelleher

PRO Clare Motor Club

Please see attached documents to download results.

Click here to enter event

Click on the attachments to download regulations and flyer.

We are delighted to announce the appointment of our new Hillclimb C.O.C for 2010 as Richard Casey. This isnt Richards first attempt at running the Hills either! Richard was C.O.C on the hills for two consecutive events in the last ten years. Everyone at Clare Motorclub wishes him the very best. Im sure Richard will have a strong team working with him in the organising of the event and that as many CMC members row in and help out as much as possible.

This year the Clare Hillclimb weekend reached new heights by being awarded best event throughout the year in the Hillclimb championship. This was achieved through plenty of hard work by outgoing C.O.C John McNamara and his team.

Pictured here is Richard trying his hand at priesthood...