McShea proves tarmac pace on Donegal International Rally
James McShea demonstrated genuine frontrunning speed on the Donegal International Rally, setting multiple class-fastest times across both days. Unfortunately, an engine failure on Friday evening ended his hopes of challenging for the class victory. It was an impressive display of driving by the 16-year-old who had only completed one full asphalt rally before.
The Letterkenny driver and co-driver Grace O’Brien opened with the fastest R2 time on stage one, 5.1 seconds quicker than nearest class rival Oisin McShane. McShea continued to push throughout Friday’s stages, locked in a close battle with McShane before setting another fastest R2 time on stage four – just 2.6 seconds off outright Rally4 frontrunner Jack Harris.
By the end of stage five, McShea’s Peugeot 208 R2 had climbed to second in the RC4 class, competing directly with more powerful and modern Rally4 machinery. The promising run was ended by engine failure, forcing the crew into retirement before the close of day one. The family-run team worked overnight to fit a replacement engine, ensuring McShea returned for Saturday’s stages under super-rally regulations.
McShea picked up where he left off, setting fastest R2 times on Saturday’s opening two stages, Knockalla and Drumhallagh, to hint at what might have been possible without Friday’s setback. A puncture on stage nine cost the crew ten minutes after a chicane forced them onto the grass verge, where they struck a hidden rock. McShea responded with a storming run on stage 11, Trentagh, going five seconds quicker than any other R2 or Rally4 competitor in the class.
The remainder of the rally was subsequently cancelled following an incident on Saturday afternoon. Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Tadhg Callaghan Carter, who tragically lost his life while spectating.
“We started the week with a very strong recce,” said McShea. “I felt in some stages that by the end of the second pass I already had most of the information needed, which was a big confidence boost – but there is always room for improvement. We were fastest on the first stage and again on the fourth stage; it was exciting stuff. But, unfortunately, we had an engine failure near the end of day one. The engine gave in and dropped a valve before the finish of stage five. We towed the car home and refitted the old engine for the rest of the rally. On day two we had two more fastest stage times in the morning, and on the second pass over Knockalla we got a puncture as a chicane was moved into the middle of the road for us. The only way around was through the grass, and we caught a hidden rock. We were only 0.6 off the fastest R2 time on the next stage, which was great close racing. On the last stage of the day, we went fastest in our class by five seconds against R2 and Rally4 machinery. Overall, through the struggles of getting the car ready for Saturday and an unexpected puncture, I am very pleased with our times on just our second full tarmac event. I want to thank everyone who put me in the position to do this event.”
McShea graduated into R2 competition after claiming the Motorsport Ireland Junior Rally Series (MIJRS) J1000 title last year and being awarded the Craig Breen Foundation prize, which included two days of tuition on frozen lakes at Norway’s John Haugland winter rally school.
He is currently competing in MIJRS’s R2 category and the Irish Forest Rally Championship.
The Letterkenny driver and co-driver Grace O’Brien opened with the fastest R2 time on stage one, 5.1 seconds quicker than nearest class rival Oisin McShane. McShea continued to push throughout Friday’s stages, locked in a close battle with McShane before setting another fastest R2 time on stage four – just 2.6 seconds off outright Rally4 frontrunner Jack Harris.
By the end of stage five, McShea’s Peugeot 208 R2 had climbed to second in the RC4 class, competing directly with more powerful and modern Rally4 machinery. The promising run was ended by engine failure, forcing the crew into retirement before the close of day one. The family-run team worked overnight to fit a replacement engine, ensuring McShea returned for Saturday’s stages under super-rally regulations.
McShea picked up where he left off, setting fastest R2 times on Saturday’s opening two stages, Knockalla and Drumhallagh, to hint at what might have been possible without Friday’s setback. A puncture on stage nine cost the crew ten minutes after a chicane forced them onto the grass verge, where they struck a hidden rock. McShea responded with a storming run on stage 11, Trentagh, going five seconds quicker than any other R2 or Rally4 competitor in the class.
The remainder of the rally was subsequently cancelled following an incident on Saturday afternoon. Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Tadhg Callaghan Carter, who tragically lost his life while spectating.
“We started the week with a very strong recce,” said McShea. “I felt in some stages that by the end of the second pass I already had most of the information needed, which was a big confidence boost – but there is always room for improvement. We were fastest on the first stage and again on the fourth stage; it was exciting stuff. But, unfortunately, we had an engine failure near the end of day one. The engine gave in and dropped a valve before the finish of stage five. We towed the car home and refitted the old engine for the rest of the rally. On day two we had two more fastest stage times in the morning, and on the second pass over Knockalla we got a puncture as a chicane was moved into the middle of the road for us. The only way around was through the grass, and we caught a hidden rock. We were only 0.6 off the fastest R2 time on the next stage, which was great close racing. On the last stage of the day, we went fastest in our class by five seconds against R2 and Rally4 machinery. Overall, through the struggles of getting the car ready for Saturday and an unexpected puncture, I am very pleased with our times on just our second full tarmac event. I want to thank everyone who put me in the position to do this event.”
McShea graduated into R2 competition after claiming the Motorsport Ireland Junior Rally Series (MIJRS) J1000 title last year and being awarded the Craig Breen Foundation prize, which included two days of tuition on frozen lakes at Norway’s John Haugland winter rally school.
He is currently competing in MIJRS’s R2 category and the Irish Forest Rally Championship.
Photo:
DIR26_MCSHEA_KS (By Kevin Shields)
DIR26_MCSHEA_KS (By Kevin Shields)
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