ASK Supercar Championship a Huge Success at Mondello!

The 2015 Mondello Park season opened last weekend with Alan Kessie’s new ASK Supercar Championship taking to the track- an event eagerly awaited by fans of the RT2000 series back in the day.

Sean Doyle, predictably, had claimed pole position in the ex Jonathan Fildes/Michael Leonard machine, with fellow former FF1600 star Peter Barrable alongside in Dave O’Brien’s old car.  Bob Cameron and Philip Jones filled the second row with the main surprise being the pace of Jamie Chadwick in fifth overall- and first of the T Cars. Jamie,

at just 16 years old, was in Ireland just to gain licence signatures for her UK GT programme this year and she had been testing an Aston Martin in Spain the previous week!  When the lights changed Doyle initially got the jump but appeared to baulk slightly as they went under the bridge allowing Barrable to lead into turn one, with the fast starting Jones alongside. Doyle immediately fought back, snatching second before turn two and it looked like we were going to be treated to a cracker of a race. Unfortunately Vinny O’Reilly locked up and parked in the gravel at turn one and the red flags flew, stopping the race. Doyle made no mistakes at the second time of asking, leading the pack down to turn one with Barrable right with him. Jones had challenged the pair with another cracking start but as one, they had seen him coming and closed the door, leaving him with no option but to back off! Barrable’s car began to smoke and by mid race he was clearly nursing it home with Doyle dominating out front. At the flag, the young Wicklowman was over 9 seconds clear of Bob Cameron, with the ailing Barrable hanging on for third. After a terrible start,

Chadwick had worked her way to the head of the T Cars to take the class win at the flag.

In race two, Doyle again led away but it quickly became evident that Barrable had other ideas as he first matched, and then began to eclipse the leader’s times as the gap came down. By mid race, Doyle’s brake lights could be seen flashing on the straight as he pumped the pedal, Barrable saw this and pushed to close the gap but Doyle had it all in hand to bring it home for the double, with Barrable second and Cameron third and vowing to beat the young upstarts next time round! With Chadwick having acquired enough signatures, she sat this one out and a delighted Vinny O’Reilly was first T Car across the line.

All in all a wonderful debut for the new ASK Supercar Championship and with more cars on the way for the next round at Kirkistown in April, it should get even better.

There are still cars available on an arrive and drive basis- contact ASK Racing for more information.