1st Sept 2013: Declan's Charity Multi-Venue Autotest

Date: SUNDAY 1st September 2013

START: Cow Lane Cottage, Burgage, Blessington, Co Wicklow.
UPDATE: Check-in from 8.00 am, drivers’ briefing at 9.15 am SHARP. First car starts 9.30 am.

FORMAT: The event will consist of approx 19 driving tests at different locations. Simple route instructions will be provided between test sites.

LICENCES: All drivers must hold a valid 2013 competition licence, which must be available for inspection at the start. Double driving will be allowed.

ONE EVENT LICENCES WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE FOR THIS EVENT

TESTS: Will be designed to suit Retro drivers and Retro type cars.

Entry fee: €115 INCLUDING PRE-START TEA/COFFEE, LUNCH, BARBECUE & IRDS/BRDS premium. Entry fee also includes donation to Laura Lynn Children’s Hospice. An additional €5 personal accident insurance premium (€3 if aged 16 or 17) will be payable where a passenger is carried.

Entries limited to 50 competitors with preference to Retro Cars and Club Members, so please submit entry early.

CLASSES: Minis, All other FWD cars, All RWD cars

Regulations

Regulations (pdf)

Entry Form

Entry Form (pdf)

looking forward to this, should be good Smile

Yes.. It's a great event.. Just make sure you eat your Weetabix the morning of... Very Happy

Hmmm Why so Confused

_________________
Bring back Retro's! Sad

.. There's a fair bit of walking with 19 different test locations.... Laughing

Payment made and entry in the post!

Sorry about the delay in posting information as I was away. I came home to a pile of TDC post and emails so thank you to all who have sent in completed entries:)

This event was a great success last year, the open nature of the tests was a big hit with all drivers and Declan (COC) has more of the same in store for this year!

Entries are filling up nicely and the Blessington and Ballymore Eustace gang have been very busy filling in entry forms. Mark Nugent a former TDC Novice Autotester Champion leads the field in his Starlet and he will be joined by his father Martin in a Mark 1 Escort. Mick & James Fisher are both out in Starlets and conversation over dinner could be interesting in the Nugent and Fisher households on the Sunday evening after the event! Sean Kearney snr is bringing along Sean jnr for moral support and to show him the ropes.

Newcomer Brian Kingston, who scored his first Autotesting podium position yesterday at the TDC Beginners Autotest in Mondello is showing great aptitude for circling pylons and is looking forward to tackling the yards and quarries of Co Wicklow. James Mansfield is continuing to move up the time sheets in his Mini and has proved that tidy is the quickest way around and that it's not all about power. Alan Auerbach was quick and faultless yesterday and added another victory to his recent tally.
Damien Doran and John Nolan are both well capable of challenging for top Starlet honours. Jack Quinn drives the more unusual Peugeot 309 with great gusto and he defies its size in the manner in which he throws it about in tight yards. The ever flamboyant Piers Mac Fheorais will be no doubt have his MX5 on song and will be sure to feature high on the timesheets.

We'll have more information on the tests towards the weekend so keep an eye on the site for all updates.

PS: Please can all drivers put their IRDS number on the entry form and also please note that all double drivers need to complete an entry form.

Brilliant event.. Looking forward to this.. Roll on Sept 1st...

Nice write up Patricia, looking forward to this more than the Leinster trophy!

Declan our COC has been very hard at work and has come up with fantastic tests for the day. Following on from the very positive feedback on last years event, Declan has designed 18 open and simple tests over 15 separate test sites (6 of which are new test sites). Here is a taster of what to expect on the day.

The first test will be in the Burgage which is a mixture of loose and concrete, then you will head off to the Wicklow hills to tackle a couple of farm yards where the pylons will of the more solid type i.e. gates and sheds to negotiate your way safely around. After successfully completing these you will then have a chance to show off your "driving on the loose skills" in a series of slippy sand pits and quarries. These tests are always big favourites with drivers and are sure to throw up a few surprises. Just when you thought you had encountered every conceivable surface, you will then be challenged with a long and flowing grass test. Declan is very excited about 3 new test sites in Baltinglass, all of which are big farm yards. There will be all types of surfaces here - expect the unexpected ! Then it's back to my own personal favourite, another sand pit. At this stage you can dust yourself off and head for HQ where you will get the chance to tackle the first test again and hopefully improve your time before you tuck into your burger!

To add to the fun on the day we are also running a team event which is free to enter, any 3 cars make up a team and all you have to do is send me the drivers names and a team name. If anyone would like to join a team and is short team members please contact me and I will find you team members. If you would like to be seeded with your friends or with similar cars please let me know and we will do our best to accommodate all requests.

The €115 entry fee includes pre-start tea /coffee , lunch and Barbecue
8:00 HQ - Sign on Tea / Coffee buns and Cakes at the Burgage
9:30 HQ First test
1-2:00 HQ Grass Test and Lunch ( Tea -Coffee and Lunch Rolls )
5-5:30 HQ Last test and Barbecue

Entries are flowing in for this popular event and I'll post an update on the latest entries by Saturday and again early next week as we have a few drivers who have yet to confirm their entry as they are competing at the Monaghan Endurance Trial this weekend.

Thanks again to all who have sent in their completed entries and please let me know if you have any queries.

Here is the confirmed entry list as 16.8.13

Driver car class
Patricia Denning Starlet fwd
John Nolan Starlet fwd
James Mansfield Mini Mini
Damien Doran Starlet fwd
Alan Auerbach Starlet fwd
Jack Quinn Peugeot 309 fwd
Brian Kingston Starlet fwd
Piers Mac Fheorais Mazda MX5 rwd
James Fisher Starlet fwd
Mick Fisher Starlet fwd
Sean Kearney Yaris fwd
Mark Nugent Starlet fwd
Martin Nugent Escort rwd
Dermot Carnegie Mini Cooper Mini
Niall Driver Starlet fwd
David McAulay Starlet fwd
Mark Walsh Escort rwd
David Fitzgerald MGBGT rwd
David Meeke Starlet fwd
Richard Meeke Starlet fwd
Eddie Peterson Starlet fwd
Harold Hassard Sunny fwd
Ron Mullen Sunny fwd
Joe Downey Starlet fwd
Ian Downey Starlet fwd

Last edited by Patricia on Sun Aug 18, 2013 7:05 pm; edited 2 times in total

Here is the confirmed entry list as 20.8.13

Driver car class
Patricia Denning Starlet fwd
John Nolan Starlet fwd
James Mansfield Mini Mini
Damien Doran Starlet fwd
Alan Auerbach Starlet fwd
Jack Quinn Peugeot 309 fwd
Brian Kingston Starlet fwd
Piers Mac Fheorais Mazda MX5 rwd
James Fisher Starlet fwd
Mick Fisher Starlet fwd
Sean Kearney Yaris fwd
Mark Nugent Starlet fwd
Martin Nugent Escort rwd
Dermot Carnegie Mini Cooper Mini
Niall Driver Starlet fwd
David McAulay Starlet fwd
Mark Walsh Escort rwd
David Fitzgerald MGBGT rwd
David Meeke Starlet fwd
Richard Meeke Starlet fwd
Eddie Peterson Starlet fwd
Harold Hassard Sunny fwd
Ron Mullen Sunny fwd
Joe Downey Starlet fwd
Ian Downey Starlet fwd
Paul Nolan Starlet fwd
Matthew Walsh TBA fwd
Eamonn Byrne Starlet fwd
Philip O'Reilly Starlet fwd
Frank Lenehan Starlet fwd
John McAssey Starlet fwd
Joanne Lombard Starlet fwd
Stephen Briggs MX-5 rwd
Ted Gaffney Mini Mini
Karen Gaffney Starlet fwd

Updated 20.8.13

Last edited by Patricia on Wed Aug 21, 2013 7:22 pm; edited 4 times in total

The entry list is growing on a daily basis and at this rate we expect to have a capacity entry for September 1st. It now includes all levels of drivers ( including many father and son combinations ) driving a wonderful variety of cars ranging from Minis to Escorts.

Mark Walsh is a relative newcomer to the sport however he is very enthusiastic in his immaculately prepared Mark 2 Escort and he will be challenged for top family honours by his brother Matthew. Both Walsh brothers have proved to be very astute learners and are mastering the art of throwing their cars with great success. There is nothing like sibling rivalry to spur a driver on ! David Meeke enjoyed a very succesful run on the recent Birr event and I suspect he will be keeping a very close eye on his son Richard's time cards during the day. Ian Downey will be keen to add another good finish to his tally following his fantastic result on the Monaghan Endurance Trial. Ian is bringing along Joe to show him how it's done!

Rallycross ace Eddie Peterson excels on all surfaces and he will be on song following on from his faultless drive and podium position on the Monaghan Endurance Trial. The efferversent Dermot Carnegie in his lovely Red Cooper is always great to watch (I should probably watch him more closely as I might learn something) will be sure to feature high on the time sheets. Harold Hasard and Ron Mulllen make a welcome return to Blessington in their more unusual pair of Sunny's. Both Harold and Ron are very experienced and competent drivers who will have no problems negotiating the pylons in the yards and dusty sand pits. Paul Nolan and David McAulay are tidy drivers who rarely hit pylons and they are looking forward to tackling the various types of terrain in their Starlets. They will face competition in the form of Frank Lenehan, Eammon Byrne and Philip O'Reilly all in similar cars for top FWD honours.

Who is going to be first up with a team entry ?

Entry list updated as of 20.8.13

@ Kingers who have you chosen for "Team Kingers " ?

Work in progress Trish!