Posted October 4, 2023 by Leo Nulty News

McGovern aiming for Tin Top Glory

The SEAT Supercup Ireland series has taken a major step forwards in 2023. Running as part of the ICCR initiative, the series, for factory built left hand drive one make Touring Cars finally made good the promise they had shown for a number of years. There are now almost 20 cars in the country and numbers this year have regularly been in the mid teens. The cars cost about €30,000- but they were the same price about 6 years ago, so they seem to be depreciation proof- always a good thing for a race car.

Unsurprisingly, the drivers on the grid are skilled and successful- it’s not exactly suitable for raw novices. The cars are left hand drive, paddle shift and with 340bhp, more than fast enough to keep your attention. Former World Hot Rod champion Shane Murphy is a multiple champion in the class and as such, is an excellent yardstick by which to judge the others. One of the young chargers in the class is Harry McGovern. A former multiple karting champion, he subsequently raced in Zetec Fiestas with some success before graduating to the SEAT Supercup. This year he has shown stunning pace and even though luck hasn’t always been on his side, has taken three wins and lies third in the title standings.

The season started off extremely well with a win in the first race. Unfortunately, I experienced a mechanical failure in the second race, which resulted in a DNF. I then proceeded to the second round of the championship in Bishopscourt in high spirits. I secured another win in the first race and came close to winning the second race. However, I was hit and forced off track while battling for the lead, causing significant damage.

Due to the damage sustained in Bishopscourt, the car’s performance was notably below par in the following two rounds. The team subsequently rebuilt the car for our trip to Anglesey, where we had our last opportunity to rectify our poor results. The car upgrades proved to be effective in enhancing its performance. Throughout the weekend, we consistently topped the timesheets, clinching a pole position and securing another race win after an overtake on the current championship leader. The following round was also a successful weekend where I just missed out on pole by less than 0.01 of a second and was able to secure two 3rd positions, which are good points to take into the final race.

There were a few power issues that saw us lack in some pace but I am confident that we have gotten to the bottom of the problem heading into the season finale. I have now managed to close up on the reigning champion coming into the final race meeting of the championship. The competition now remains wide open. By the way things are looking currently, it could possibly come down to the very last point. There is no margin for error if I want to clinch the title. However, I’ve encountered similar situations in previous karting championships and learned that the race is never truly over until the last lap of the final race. Anything can happen, and I’m fully committed to giving my all. It will be an incredible finally to a brilliant championship and hopefully I will come out on top.This season is dedicated to Mick Merrigan, a long-standing family friend and mentor to both my Dad and I. Mick consistently encouraged my dad to allow me to drive the car. He would have been thrilled to be a part of this exciting season, alongside Morgan and Jordan (Dempsey) and hopefully, we can secure the championship in his honour”