Posted October 14, 2025 by leonulty Motorsport

Richardson and Taaffe Take Leinster Trophy Meeting Glory

The Patch Tyre Equipment Junior MINI Challenge has produced great racing all season long but we still weren’t prepared for the thriler they put on for the Ann Stevens Trophy at Mondello Park last month!

The Leinster Trophy was the fourth round of the newly renamed TengTools ICCR series at Mondello Park. Happily, the Leinster Motor Club had brought along their incredible collection of perpetual trophies. Ann Stevens was a popular member of the LMC for many of the years and organised and acted as Clerk of the Course at many meetings in Mondello and the Phoenix Park. She also ran the Ginetta Junior Ireland Championship until she became ill and retired. Sadly she passed away a number of years ago, but she is remembered with the beautiful trophy in her honour, which the Junior MINI winner is awarded for Race Two at the Leinster Trophy weekend. In addition to this, Ann’s family had kindly added a cash prize of €350 to the lucky winner. Prize money is but a distant memory in club racing but it added plenty of excitement to proceedings, as well as being a lovely gesture, and one that was appreciated by all the young drivers and teams.

An absolute cracker of a lap put the Stillorgan Motor Company/POB Racing car of championship leader Leo Richardson on pole position but there were a few surprises behind him. When Travis Mawhinney won the Mondello Park Junior MINI Scholarship, the Instructors were extremely complimentary about his performance during the evaluations.

Mondello Park Scholarship Travis Mawhinney starred in a wet qualifying session!

On Sunday, the planets aligned and he qualified on the front row alongside his POB Team mate Richardson. Row Two comprised an on form Jack Fildes in the Fitac machine, and Mondello winner last time here Kyle Irvine in the S&J Irvine Machine. Logan Hoey was third in the FPS car but with rain forecast in the afternoon and coming off the back of a wet weather win in Kirkistown and a Rallycross win in Lydden Hill, must have been confident. Alongside him was Junior Rallycross driver David McAdams, surprising everyone with great pace on his class debut. Usually further up the grid, Jayden McBrearty and TJ Taaffe were on row four and looking to move forward, while row five comprised of Daniel Heapes and Harry Phayres, both cars as well turned out as ever. Kirkistown star Nathan Sweeny was on row six with Megan Daly going really well to qualify alongside him on her first run on the International Circuit.

Leah McManus went well in qualifying but unfortunately had to withdraw before Race One.

When the 120bhp tintops left assembly for their first race, it was still decidedly greasy, perfect conditions for our young stars to display their car control, not only to the spectators but also to the many viewers of the Beacon Hospital Live Stream too! When the lights went out, Richardson led away but Fildes got an absolute flier and dived across to the right as the pack streamed under the Alfa Romeo Bridge and down towards Castrol Corner for the first time. Irvine though, had also got a great launch and it was he who had the nose ahead as the got on the brakes. He gave racing room to Richardson though and the series leader just managed to scrabble ahead. Irvine sat around the outside though and looked like he had it until the rear of his car got loose at Campion.

He controlled it beautifully but a confident Richardson, still alongside, appeared to get it back. They touched doors on the exit and as they headed to Turn Three though, Logan Hoey, who had fought past Taaffe and Fildes at Castrol, took advantage of the leaders’ scrap and with a well timed run, simply motored past both to grab the lead! As they exited turn Three then to head back towards the main arena, it was Hoey, from Irvine and the the fast starting pairing of McBrearty and Fildes, who were door to door. Then it was Richardson, Taaffe, the impressive McAdams, Sweeny, Phayres and Heapes. Jack Lenehan and Alex Watkins were also making progress, well up from their respective qualifying positions.

Third generation competitors Jack Lenehan, left, and Alex Watkins battle it out in Race One.

With the track still greasy, the Junior Rallycross Champion Hoey looked like he was going to sprint away from the battling pack, who were four abreast on the way to 7A! Richardson battled his way back to second from Irvine and Taaffe (“Tirvine” as they are known!). Unfortunately McBrearty and the flying McAdams made contact at Nordic Spirit with McBrearty being pitched into the bank, and subsequently into retirement. When Joe Richardson parked in the gravel at 7A, the red flags came out.

A Safety Car restart effectively wiped Hoey’s advantage over Richardson but Irvine was also on a charge and was right with them both. Richardson got a great run up towards Birrane’s Bends and got alongside Hoey. Having initally squeezed Richardson, Hoey conceded the place and moved left to get a better run but as the pair entered Birrane’s Bends, the rear of Richardson’s car let go. He held it, but was briefly into the side of Hoey and they were both off. Hoey was the first to rejoin but came under immediate attack from Taaffe. With a lap to run, the pair went at it, but Taaffe managed to get the nose up the inside on the exit of Southside Motor Factors. They ran side by side down the BIrrane Straight and under the Alfa Romeo Bridge. Hoey had to conceed but was on the attack immediately. Now it was Taaffe’s turn to go defensive as the red MINI got alongside on the run to Lola and again down to 7A. Into Southside for the final time, Hoey took a lunge down the inisde, but Taaffe wasn’t ruffled and crossed the line to take a hugely emotional win , to the delight of most of the paddock! Mawhinney’s superb day continued as he pipped Richardson to the line to take the final step on the podium.

In the early stages of Race Two, Taaffe forged ahead but almost immediately came under pressure from Richardson, who had Irvine and Hoey on his bumper! Fildes was next up, battling hard with McBrearty, from the Mondello car of Mawhinny. When Richardson got alongside for the lead on the run to Nordic Spirit, Taaffe gave him room but ran wide on the exit, rejoining in fourth, with all six cars running in a high speed train. During his off track excursion, Taaffe got some air, dislodging his exhaust, but nonetheless, he displaced Irvine to move back to third as Hoey began to pile the pressure on Richardson for the lead.

Last lap, last corner. Richardson fends off Hoey, with Taaffe, complete with loose exhaust, looks for a way past both!

Inside the final stages and it was Richardson leading but he was under massive pressure from Hoey who had “Tirvine” (Taaffe and Irvine) in his mirrors too! Next up was McBrearty but Mawhinney and Fildes were also going strongly and if anything, were closing down the lead battle. They were line astern across the line to start the final lap and it must have been the longest lap ever for the Championship leader as he was under massive pressure all the way. On the run to the line, Hoey, having got a switchback at Southside Motor Factor, eased up alongside, but Richardson made no mistakes to take his seventh win of the 2025 season! Hoey was a very close second with Taaffe, despite trailing his exhaust, third, from Irvine.

A delighted Leo Richardson celebrates his win with his POB Racing team!

So Richardson, who has now all but tied up the 2025 Championship, was the delighted winner of the Ann Stevens Trophy, and the accompanying cash prize.

The final two rounds of the 2025 Patch Tyre Equipment Junior MINI Challenge take place at Mondello Park this Sunday October 19th.