Frank Fennell Joins Déjà vu Ireland West!
Frank Fennell, a winner of the Monte Carlo Classic and numerous other historic rallies in the Alps, Corsica, Ireland, and the UK, has joined the growing list of rallying celebrities on Déjà vu Ireland West, which will be based in Westport on the 1st. October 2022.
The Dublin photographer started rallying back in 1968 and in over fifty years behind the wheel Frank has driven an amazing variety of cars including NSUs, Minis, Fords, Fiats, Sunbeams, Volvos, Porsches, and Opel Kadetts CSi’s for Dealer Opel Team Ireland.
His experience on the Monte Carlo Classic however probably brought him his greatest highs and lows in rallying. Frank won the historic rally, in a 1963 Mercedes Benz 300SE, an event that mirrors the great winter endurance rallies of the 1950s and ‘60s by traversing the snow bound Alps before descending to the Principality.
The joy of that victory however was in stark contrast to his experience on the 2001 event when a head on collision with a non-competing car nearly cost him his life. Frank was in the Grenoble region in south-eastern France when the ski-box on the roof of the oncoming car burst open on impact and a ski speered him in the throat. Remarkably he survived and has continued to enjoy his motoring.
The celebrity list for Westport is impressive, Austin, Gareth and Aaron MacHale; Jimmy McRae; Andrew Nesbitt; John Lyons; Dermott Carnegie and Ronan McNamee. Another multiple Galway International and Tarmac Rally Championship winner is expected.
The entry for this non-competitive 130 mile run through Mayo and Connemara currently stands at 116 crews, and with a few weeks to go before the entry deadline on the 9th September, the list is likely to grow to 140–150 cars.
Form more information or to enter Déjà vu Ireland West, click on the logo below.
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