Search Results for 'Sean McHugh'

The stage is set for a weekend of high-octane motorsport action, as the McWilliam Park Hotel and Fleet Transport magazine Mayo Stages Rally arrives into town today. With many of the best rally drivers and state-of-the-art rally cars set to do battle over 120 kilometres of special stages to the north of Claremorris, there promises to be spills and thrills aplenty before the action concludes back at rally headquarters The McWilliam Park Hotel on Sunday evening.

The 2012 Irish Motorsport season kicks off in earnest this weekend with the running of the opening round of the Irish Tarmac Championship, the Safety Direct Galway International Rally. In a new departure for the traditional two-day event, the 2012 rally will take place over one day only, with 10 stages scheduled for Sunday February 5. A special spectator stage on the Dyke Road in Galway city will open proceedings, with competitors then heading north to the Headford region for three additional tests, each run three times, before returning to Galway for the finish in Eyre Square on Sunday evening.

With the motorsport year drawing to a close, members of Mayo and District Motorsport Club gathered at the Gateway Hotel in Swinford on Friday last to commemorate another successful year, and to present club members with awards for their achievements throughout the season.

Foxford’s James McGreal returned to winning form at Harrington’s Quarry in the third round of the Mayo and District Motorsport Club loose surface autocross. It was the penultimate round of the 2009 championship, when McGreal last won. Since then he has been pipped to the post by Eamon Mimnagh twice and Mark Donnelly once but there was nothing that Mimnagh could do to reel in the Mayo man. McGreal took the event by a convincing two second margin to his nearest rival. That rival was Damian O'Hagan from Omagh in his Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6. O’Hagan set consistent second fastest times all day, netting him second place overall. Next up was Andrew Mackarel in his older Mitsubishi Evo 5 gaining the last place on the podium by a scant 0.6 of a second from Mimnagh.

Ambrose Gaughan, Derek Molloy, David Carney, and Ray Fitzpatrick upheld local honour on Sunday’s Sligo Stages Rally, with both crews recording top finishes in their respective classes.

The 2009 rally season has kicked off in earnest with last week-end’s running of the Birr Stages Rally, the opening round of the Dunlop National Rally Championship.

High speed action and drama will be the order of the day this weekend, as the best drivers and co-drivers in the country head westwards to battle for glory on the 2009 TF Royal Hotel and Theatre Mayo Stages Rally.

Patrick Elliott has made rather a habit of winning in recent times. Last year he clinched the Dunlop National Rally Championship with six wins. He started 2009 in a similar vein, winning the opening round in Birr two weeks ago. And on Sunday he added the latest success to his portfolio of wins with victory on the 2009 TF Royal Hotel and Theatre Mayo Stages Rally.

Mayo and District Motorsport Club’s first loose surface autocross event of the year got off to a strong start on Sunday, with some close racing and plenty of action throughout the field.

Celebrating success at the 2009 Dunlop National Rally Championship Awards night at the Clayton Hotel in Galway were Kenneth McHale from Knockmore and Derek McCarthy from Ballina, who claimed first in class one in this year's 10-round series. Other Mayo winners were Bekan's Sean McHugh, who finished third in class 14 in the championship, and Gerry Casey from Castlebar and Peter O'Toole from Claremorris, who won the class 13 award.