Maguire Closes in on Alloy Repair Centre ST Title as Leinster Trophy ICCR Meeting Looms

Dave Maguire Jr has excelled in 2025 on his graduation to the Fiesta ST class. Driving the ex Michael Cullen Beacon Hospital car, he remained with the Kildare based LOH squad and has pretty much been the pace of the class thus far this season.  Despite a non finish due to contact from another car in Race Two at Kirkistown last time out, he enjoys a 34 point advantage over 2024 Champion Ross Barnes in the Barnes Autohouse car. Ex Rally man Roy White is just behind in third in his Arbelos/Murray Motorsport machine. Known for his prowness in wet conditions, he could well add to his July Mondello win this weekend as the forecast is, as they say down the country, “giving it soft”! Others to keep an eye out for are  Tim McQuaid, who has been on the pace all season in his LOH Motorsport tended BYD Galway/Lewis Motors machine and Derek Graham,  who won last time out at Kirkistown. In between mechanical maladies, Charlie McKillen has shown flashes of real pace and a little birdie who recently flew over Walkinstown tells me that the yellow machine (below) may well be run by the Murray Motorsport squad this weekend. Watch this space.

The 2.0 cars gave great entertainment on their recent trip to Kirkistown in Northern Ireland. While being interviewed by from Glenn from “Hold ‘Er Flat”, Maguire remarked that the circuit really suits the 160bhp machines and gave a clue as to how tactics were required even in qualifying in terms or receiving, but not giving a tow, if possible.  He managed it well though to grab the all important pole position from Ross Barnes, Tim McQuaid and Jack Conachy. Row three was a local affair, occupied by NI father and son team of Derek and Michael Graham with Roy White and Bobby Turley on row four.

Barnes got the nose ahead through Debtors but wasn’t quite able to close the door on the run to Colonial for the first time with Maguire lunging through to take the place, followed through by Derek Graham, who had made a stunning start in his immaculate self prepared machine! Similarly, McQuaid had nailed a cracking start and it was he who arrived at Fishermans in third, having sliced down the inside of Barnes, who had found himself boxed on the outside NASCAR style, through the first series of corners. Next up were Michael Graham, White, Conachy and Turley.

Graham was on the attack immediately, getting alongside, and briefly ahead on the approach to the hairpin for the first time, with McQuaid right with them as they crossed the line. The leaders ran side by side through Debtors on a  number of occasions, with racing being given, but only just. Great saloon car racing. By mid distance, Maguire had eased away slightly and McQuaid was slightly further back in third. Michael Conachy had moved up to fourth and with a series of fastest laps, had closed up on the lead trio, before locking up at the hairpin and running wide, dropping him back into a hectic battle with Roy White, Barnes  and Conachy.  At the flag then, it was a delighted Maguire, to extend his championship lead. Graham was happy to have pushed him hard all the way through, with McQuaid making yet another 2025 podium visit in third.

In race two, the top six, as ever, were reversed so Barnes led away. Maguire had made a great start and lunged down the outside of the cars in front into Colonial. Conachy made contact with the rear of the series leader as he turned in and the Beacon car was spun around. Worse still, the rear axle was bent in the impact and Maguire was out on the spot! McQuaid scrambled around the outside of White to grab third but predictably, Derek Graham was on a charge, getting a tow from White on the back straight before diving past into the hairpin for third. McQuaid was right on Barnes’ bumper in the early laps, before Graham managed to split them. McQuaid fought back thought, grabbing second back into the chicane but Graham was not be be denied, taking it back again at the Hairpin.

Graham then went on the attack and Barnes was forced to defend heavily on a number of occasions. Barnes remained unflustered though and as the end of the race approached, the Dublin driver seemed to have an answer for everything the Northern Ireland driver threw at him. McQuaid was third but an inspired charge by White had seen him close right up and the battle for the final step of the podium was on! Jack Conachy and Michael Graham were right there too.

On the penultimate lap, Conachy appeared to miss his braking point into the hairpin. White saw him coming and didn’t turn in, but the unfortunate McQuaid was collected and sent wide, losing two places and almost having to pay to get back into the circuit!  Up front Graham, it appeared, had timed it to perfection as he got a run out of the hairpin to start the final lap. Having sat around the outside of Debtors, he grabbed the lead into Colonial to take a very impressive win. White took third, and once Conachy was penalised for the contact, McQuaid was classified fourth.

All this meant that the title standings closed up on the approach to this weekend’s Leinster Trophy meeting. Maguire leads and realistically has one hand on the title, but certainly Graham, Barnes, McQuaid and the rest will all be aiming for the top step of the podium.

As an added bonus, the Leinster Motor Club will award the famous O’Reilly trophy to the winner of Race Two. As ever, both Alloy Repair Centre ST raced will be streamed live on Mondello and ICCR social platforms, as well as YouTube!