Killarney and District Motor Club is pulling out all the stops to promote grassroots motorsports in the county this year.
The club has been granted a date for an Endurance Trial on June 30. It is the first time that such an event will run in the county.
Endurance trials are a cross between stage rallying and navigation trials. Road cars can be used and instead of time special stages, events are times on sections that are known as selectives.
Selectives are, typically run over farm tracks or private roads. They are short in distance and putright speed is not a factor, instead the co-driver’s navigational skills are equally important.
Such events are already organised by motor clubs like Birr and District Motor Club and the ALMC Motor Club in County Meath.
The June event will be the first one of its kind in Kerry and Is expected to take place in the mid-Kerry (Farranfore and Firies area).
The club will host an information evening this Wednesday night, January 10 at the Gleneagle Hotel, Killarney.
On hand will be Eoin Longworth of the Birr club is regarded as an expert in this form of motorsport.
KDMC’s secretary Noreen Stanely is a regular co-driver in such events and she will also be available to share her navigation experience with the sport’s newcomers.
“Killarney and District Motor Club are delighted to confirm we have a date for an endurance trial on June 30 next. These types of events cater primarily for 1 and 1.3 litre virtually standard road-going cars fitted with some minor safety modifications,” said the club’s vice-chairman Mike O’Shea who is behind the KDMC2 Youth Programme.
“The event itself normally has a number of selectives from 500 metres to five kilometres in which competitors are timed. These courses are ordinarily around farmyards, old disused quarries or roads on private land. Competitors navigate between these selectives on public roads using maps at a defined road speed. This is a great opportunity for people young and old to participate in motorsport competition at a relatively low cost.”
The information evening is on Wednesday at 7.30 pm in the Maurice O’Donoghue Suite at the Gleneagle Hotel.
It will provide an opportunity to discuss this type of event and advice on obtaining a Motorsport Ireland competition licence. An endurance trial car will be brought along too for reference.
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Kerry Motorsport News 