Over the past few weeks there have been several championship awards night from the 2019 season. The Irish National, Irish Forestry and Border Championships have all had their prizegivings.
Josh Moffett & Andy Hayes were the overall winners of the 2019 Triton National Rally Championship having dominated the series with six wins and second place from seven starts. This is the final major Irish Championship eluding Moffett as he is a former Irish Tarmac and Irish Forestry Champion.
Shane Maguire & Anthony Nestor were the Motorsport Safety Team National Group N Champions once again. David Moffett/Martin Connolly were the class 13 champions while Conor Mohan won class 2.
At the Irish Forestry Championship awards, Michael Carbin & Conor Mohan received their trophy for 2nd overall in the series. The pair showed pace and consistency during the year with a 2nd place on the snowy Limerick rally, their best result of the year. Sam Moffett placed 3rd overall thanks to his overall win on the Cork Forestry Rally. Michael Conlon/Ciaran McPhillips were the class 14 champions. Derek Mackarel was the class 16A champion.
In the Sligo Pallets Border Rally Championship. David Moffett was 3rd overall driver and Martin Connolly 2nd overall navigator. Peter & Shane Farrell won class 10 and Shane Maguire was victorious in class 4.
Stephen Wright was crowned the 2019 Northern Ireland Rally Champion. Stephen clinched the series thanks to two wins and three second places to edge out 10 time champion Derek McGarritty. The final round was cancelled which meant the championship was decided over the completed rounds and it was Wright who came out on top.
Derek Mackarel has also been shortlisted for the 2019 Billy Coleman Award. Mackarel produced another outstanding season in his Nova taking class wins on the Munster, Donegal & Cork Forestry Rallies. Derek will now go forward with the other shortlisted candidates and 2019 Young Rally Driver of the year will be revealed at the Champions of Irish Motorsport awards night.
Midland Navigation Trial
The 2019-20 National Night Navigation Championship continued with the Midland Navigation Trial held in Drumshanbo, Co. Leitrim. COC Seamus McTigue organised an 85-mile route based over some classic terrain in the Arigna area. The event featured gravel and forestry lanes as well as utilising the many roads around the mountain. Overall victory went to Cork crew of Derek Butler & Denis O’Donovan who held off another Cork team of Owen Murphy & Daire Hayes. 3rd overall went to Michael & Ciaran Tynan.
A small field of 20 cars contested the event. A long SRS section began the night set at 21mph and many crews were caught for time here with only three crews cleaning the section. A plot & bash section followed incorporating a trace diagram which caught some crews out including local favourites Colin Duffy & Sam Johnston. Butler/O’Donovan were one of only two crews to clean this section to move into the lead with Tynan/Tynan 1 penalty behind. The crews then made their way over Arigna Mountain where many crews lost time trying to find the correct route.
County Monaghan Motor Club 