Barrable Stars as McGovern Clinches Siltex Safety Zetec Title

Sean McGovern has pretty much dominated in the Siltex Safety Fiesta Championship this year.  Known as one of the most competitive championships on the ITCC bill, it almost always goes right to the last round before being decided, but the MI Young Driver of the Year nominee managed to wrap it up in Race One last weekend at the newly rebranded TengTools ICCR meeting, subsequently electing to sit out the second race!

At the previous round at Kirkistown, Sean had battled mightily with the hugely experienced Rob Barrable in both races, just coming out tops but it was apparent afterwards that both thoroughly enjoyed it, as did the spectators! In the weeks coming up to the event, the Leinster Motor Club announced that they would award the famous Leinster Leader Trophy to the winner of the second Zetec Race, which added plenty of excitement to proceedings. For a Fiesta Zetec driver to get a chance to get their name engraved on a trophy formerly won by the likes of Eddie Jordan and Derek Daly!

In qualifying it was Barrable who clinched pole position ahead of McGovern but the big surprise of the paddock was the pace of Sam Doyle in third. Mick Kehoe continues to close the gap to the frontrunners and he would join a delighted Doyle on row two. Each year in this series, the top Rookies move towards the front as the season progresses and this year is no different – Rookie leader Mikey Moynihan and his closest challenger Evan Walsh would share row three.

Next up was Kelsey Kirby from Rod McGovern- who was rueing his decision to tackle a wet qualifying session on unscrubbed rubber. Behind them were Phil Lawless and former Junior Rallycross Champion Toby Maguire. Others that might have been described as being out of position were Alan Dawson, usually right at the front but back in 11th and Christian Brennan, who showed great pace in Kirkistown but languished down in 14th.  Finn Gillespie had been happy with his testing pace, but a few issues in qualifying left him 15th, with plenty of work to do if he was to tackle the flying duo of Moynihan and Walsh, some five rows ahead!  LolaRose Turley had missed qualifying so would start at the very back of the grid, with plenty of work to do to chase a strong Rookie finish.

By the time the cars were released from Assembly for Race One, the rain had abated but the Mondello Park tarmac was still decidedly damp. With the end of the season approaching, both seasoned drivers and Rookies alike were working on the permutations and combinations of championship points as they weaved around to desperately try and get some heat into their Nankang tyres.

When the lights went out it was Barrable who got the jump and McGovern tucked in behind. Doyle was third, followed by Kehoe, who got sideways at Turn Three and immediately came under attack from Rookie leader Moynihan. Rod McGovern was in a hurry though and as Moynihan, Walsh and Kelsey Kirby battled through Bridgestone, got a run at them all and arrived at Lola already in fourth, behind Kehoe! Similarly, Dawson, keen to get back to the sharp end, was on a charge and had moved past Kirby, Walsh and Moynihan as they approached 7A.  Phil Lawless, Toby Maguire and Finn Gillespie were next up.  Behind them, Josh Browne and Christian Brennan were also making progress through the grid so, in typical Zetec fashion, it was pretty busy out there!

Meanwhile Barrable had slowed after a huge moment at Lola Corner and despite recovering immediately, had dropped to third behind new leader McGovern and the impressive Doyle in the Tara Racing machine. Barrable sliced down the inside of Doyle to annex second place back on the approach to Nordic Spirit Corner. Sadly though, Doyle’s impressive run came to an end at Turn Three. The back end of his car let go, and even though he held it, he ran out of road and the rear left touched the gravel trap, dragging the whole car in and that, as the saying goes, was all she wrote! This meant that the Alfa-Romeo Ireland Safety Car was despatched to neutralise the race while Doyle’s car was recovered. It also meant that the advantage McGovern and Barrable had eased out was gone as the pack bunched up awaiting the restart.

At the restart, McGovern got the drop but predictably, Barrable was glued to his bumper. Kehoe appeared to lose out slightly and immediately came under attack from Rod McGovern. An unusual mistake sent McGovern wide at Turn Three and Barrable didn’t need a written invitation to slice by and retake the lead once again. In their wake, Kehoe led a train comprising Rod, Dawson, Moynihan, Kirby, Walsh and Gillespie. Then it was a slight gap to Lawless, who had Christian Brennan and Josh Browne, who had swapped places, bearing down on him. Then it was Lorcan McGivney, who had got past Toby Maguire. As Rod McGovern displaced Kehoe, Gillespie got up the inside of Walsh on the exit of Southside, gaining another place in the process.

Rod then went wide on the exit of Turn Three allowing Kehoe alongside once again on the run down to Bridgestone, as Gillespie got by Kirby to  elevate himself to seventh. He briefly looked as if he might challenge Moynihan for the Rookie lead on the exit of Lola but full course yellow signalled the return of the Alfa Romeo Junior to the track, as Christian Brennan’s charging drive came to an end in the Turn Three kitty litter. With the time running out, there was no time for a restart and the Safety Car led the pack past the chequered flag, giving Barrable a well earned win and McGovern enough points to clinch the 2025 Championship! Rod McGovern was third, from Kehoe, Dawson, Moynihan, Gillespie and  Kirby. Then it was Walsh, taking third in Rookies, from Lawless, Browne, McGivney, Maguire and Darren Lawlor in the Mondello Park workshop Team Building Car!

Even though the race was shortened, there had been plenty of action, with Gillespie topping the “Grid Movers”, having gained eight places en route to seventh. Next up were newbie Will Humphries and Lolarose Turley, both of whom gained seven places from their start position. Alan Dawson was up six places and Rod McGovern five, with Lorcan McGivney, Senan Noone and Liv Corcoran all gaining four spots before the chequered flag. Impressive stuff from them all!

For Race Two, the Leinster Motor Club had decided to award the famous Leinster Leader Trophy to the class for the first time. This mean that a Zetec driver would get his or her name alongside Derek Daly, John Watson and Eddie Jordan on a trophy which was introduced back in 1968, when it was won by Mondello legend Stevie Griffin! Withs the top six reversed, it would be Rookie Championship leader Moynihan who would take up pole position, with Alan Dawson alongside in the Sheds Direct car. Row two would be Kehoe and Rod McGovern with Sean McGovern and Rob Barrable making up row three. When they lined up though, there was no sign of Sean McGovern, the new Champion having elected to sit it out rather than try for another win. On the run to Castrol for the first time, Dawson had got the jump and managed to squeeze across the bows of Moynihan for the lead. Barrable though, was on a massive charge, from sixth. He passed Kehoe on the inside at Campion, then sat round the outside of Rod McGovern for third, before slicing down the inside of Moynihan into Bridgestone for second and by the time the pack arrived at 7A, was glued to Dawson’s rear bumper. Kehoe managed to get past Rod into 7A and was followed through by Finn Gillespie, who was flying in the Patch Tyre Equipment car. Right behind all this, Kelsey Kirby was door to door with Phil Lawless, with Evan Walsh and Josh Browne right in there too.  Gillespie went slightly wide after Birrane’s Bends though, and Rod was straight back past again. Kehoe forged his way past Moynihan at Nordic Spirit and as Moynihan tried to get it back, with McGovern looking for the same piece of tarmac, they made contact, allowing Kehoe’s Donegan Motor Services car a brief respite in third.

An opportunistic Gillespie sat around the outside of all the chaos and emerged onto the newly renamed Birrane Straight in fourth! Just ahead, Barrable had got the nose down the inside of Dawson on the exit of Southside Motor Factors corner, the duo running the entire length of the straight door to door before the MB Motors car eased ahead into Castrol. When Barrable went slightly wide at Bridgestone, Dawson was back alongside in a flash and as they climbed Kennedy’s Rise, was easing ahead. As they approached Lola, the See It Live drone captured the action perfectly – Dawson gave Barrable the big squeeze. Barrable kept it pinned and with two wheels on the grass they made brief contact before Dawson emerged in the lead!  Gillespie, leading the Rookies, was all over the back of Mick Kehoe for third. When a move at Southside didn’t come off though, it compromised both of them and McGovern got by them both as they came down the main straight. Kehoe came back at him on the brakes, and Gillespie, reading it beautifully, braked slightly earlier and sailed by both on the exit, moving up to third place.  As Barrable began to pile the pressure on Dawson, the battle for third still raged. McGovern got down the inside of Gillespie into Lola, and Kehoe did the same on the outside but once again, Finn got a better exit, breezing by Kehoe and was right with McGovern again at 7A. In the closing stages though, McGovern fought off Gillespie’s attack and eased away a little for a strong podium finish. Gillespie was a delighted fourth and took Rookie honours, from Moynihan, Kirby, Keogh and Brennan, who had charged right up the field from the back. Moynihan took second in Rookies, from Walsh and impressive newbie Will Humphries, who had made up a number of places on the final tour.  LolaRose Turley was fifth, from Freya Burns, Liv Corcoran and Elizabeth Downey.

All this meant that Barrable was the latest name to win the historic Leinster Leader Trophy, and the first Fiesta Zetec driver to do do.

“Great racing” he grinned afterwards “It was hard but fair up front, Alan made me work for that second one. I had had a problem with the car for most of the season but we sorted it before Kirkistown and are right back on the pace now. I’m looking forward to the last round in October and then the 6 Hour Endurance Race

 

So Sean McGovern is the 2025 Siltex Safety Champion, after a superb season. He is also a nominee for the Motorsport Ireland Young Driver of the year and the same weekend he clinched the title, he made his SEAT Supercup debut and managed to claim pole position and take P2 in the first race!

It is far from over for second though, as Dawson just leads Barrable on dropped scores. Aidan Mulready has already clinched the Kirkistown Zetec title and he lies fourth, from Christian Brennan, Kelsey Kirby, Rod McGovern, Sam Doyle and Rookie leader MOoynihan.

Moynihan has been impressive all season and he continues to lead the Rookie title chase. It is not all over just yet though, as Evan Walsh is second and Moynihan has used his dropped rounds with two no scores at Kirkistown. Gillespie could also be a factor here with his new found pace and he sits in third despite not entering the series until Round Three. LolaRose Turley has been gaining pace all season and she is fourth, just, from Alex McCann. Freya Burns has climbed to fifth, just ahead of Liv Corcoran and Elizabeth Downey. Chloe Kellett, if her Kirkistown pace is anything to go by, could upset the formbook for everyone though, when she reappears in October!