British championship, Mondello Park

Doran is third winner as BRC returns to Ireland.

Returning to Mondello Park for the first time since March 2009, the Quaife MSA British Rallycross Championship got its third different winner in as many events as defending champion Pat Doran claimed the first win with his ex-Camilla Antonsen Ford Focus and moved clear at the top of the championship table.

Doran won the Supercar A final from pole and had set fastest time in the second qualifying heat. Julian Godfrey was fastest in the first heat but FTD went to Andy Scott who was quickest in the third heat, running on a drying track after the heavy rain that made things difficult early in the event.

Scott went out of the race in the first lap, shoved aside in the second corner and unable to get his Peugeot 306 back into the action. Godfrey was second but went wide at the end of the lap and lost places to George Tracey and David Binks. Godfrey repassed Binks in the fourth lap and then ran Tracey close at the finish line, 0.001s splitting the pair with Tracey taking a fine second place and having been close to Doran at times in the final.

Ash Simpson gained his first Supernational victory of the year, the young Lotus driver starting from pole and fending off a late challenge from Kieran Curran to take the win. Michael Boak was in contention again with his unique Audi TT TDi, third this time with Ian O’Connell charging through to fourth having earlier won the B final.

European champion Derek Tohill is among those championing the return of top class Rallycross to Ireland and built a Hot Hatch Peugeot 106 GTi so that he could race in this event. Despite a misfire in the car, Tohill was in fine form, qualified on pole and then led the A final from start to finish, leading home Eddie Peterson and Michael Duke.

Leo Forster passed Ollie O’Donovan to win the RX150 final, champion Dave Bellerby led the Suzuki Swift A final from lights to flag and Aidan Hills gained his second straight Junior victory. Two non-championship classes were added to the event for Irish drivers, Keith Kershawe winning the Stock Hatch class by just 0.065s from the charging Noel O’Brien while Noel Greene dominated the Rally Car class in his Mitsubishi Evo.

• Supercar – Final Results:
• 1. Pat Doran (Ford Focus) 3m07.149s;
• 2. George Tracey (Citroën Xsara) +2.359s;
• 3. Julian Godfrey (Ford Fiesta VI) +0.001s;
• 4. David Binks (Ford Fiesta VI) +0.671s;
• 5. Steve Hill (Mitsubishi Lancer E10) +6.459s;
• 6. David Dempsey (Mitsubishi Lancer E5) +7.921s;
• 7. Derrick Jobb (Ford Escort VII) +0.462s;
• 8. Andy Scott (Peugeot 306) 0 laps.
• Supernational – Final Results:
• 1. Ash Simpson (Lotus Exige) 3m20.680s;
• 2. Kieran Curran (Opel Corsa B) +1.551s;
• 3. Michael Boak (Audi TT TDi) +3.621s;
• 4. Ian O’Connell (Lotus Exige) +1.529s;
• 5. John Dowling (Vauxhall Nova) +4.092s;
• 6. James McVicker (Renault Clio) +3.574s.
• RX150 – Final Results:
• 1. Leo Forster 3m24.863s;
• 2. Ollie O’Donovan +2.530s;
• 3. Marc Scott +0.337s;
• 4. Joe Shrimpton +1.185s;
• 5. Steve Harris +4.935s;
• 6. Geoffrey Dolan +2.712s.
• Suzuki Swift – Final Results:
• 1. Dave Bellerby 3m36.610s;
• 2. Tony Lynch +3.700s;
• 3. Jonny Bean +1.927s;
• 4. Adam Clark +0.669s;
• 5. Chris Mullen +0.330s;
• 6. Darren Scott +3.338s.
• Junior (all 1.3 Suzuki Swift) – Final Results:
• 1. Aidan Hills 3m53.541s;
• 2. Ryan Weston +5.354s;
• 3. Paige Bellerby +0.519s;
• 4. Oli Mellors 3 laps.
• Hot Hatch – Final Results:
• 1. Derek Tohill (Peugeot 106 GTi) 3m34.013s;
• 2. Eddie Peterson (Peugeot 106 GTi) +0.757s;
• 3. Michael Duke (Peugeot 106 GTi) +1.273s;
• 4. Russell Simpson (Citroën C2 VTS) +3.722s;
• 5. Sean Smith (Peugeot 106 GTi) +0.449s;
• 6. Philip Lawless (Peugeot 206) +10.609s.

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