The 30th anniversary of the Top Part West Coast Rally Championship will be celebrated in Tralee on Saturday night.
The gala dinner at the Rose Hotel will double as a fundraiser for Recovery Haven.
Regarded as one of the most popular regional championships in the country, the West Coast Rally Championship was founded in 1993 by groups representing Kerry, Limerick, Clare, Galway and Skibbereen Motor Clubs.
Initially sponsored by Tralee-based Kingdom Motor Factors, as the championship grew so did the local parts supplier and it morphed into the Top Part West Coast Rally Championship.
Saturday’s celebration will see the 2023 awards winner pick up their trophies. Many of the previous champions from the last three decades will also be in attendance making a night of nostalgia for all those who have contributed to the championship.
Past winners confirmed for attendance include Kerry drivers, Vincent O’Shea, the winner of the inaugural series in 1993 and double winners Alan Ring (2005 and 2007) and Mike Quinn (2011 and 2018.)
Peter Clifford also won the title in 2004.
Kerry co-drivers who are also Top Part West Coast Rally champions include Brian Hickey (1993), John Young (2004), Diarmuid Falvey (2005), Denis O’Connell (2008) and Tony Healy (2018).
A raffle will run alongside the awards presentation, up for grabs are guaranteed free entries to all championship rounds over the next two seasons.
Funds will be donated to the Recovery Haven Kerry Cancer Support House in Tralee.
“The championship organisers are delighted to announce that proceeds from a raffle to be held on the night will go to the wonderful Recovery Haven Kerry Cancer Support House,” said Kerry Motor Club’s Richard Talbot who has been on the West Coast Rally Championship committee for the last 30 years.
“This is a fabulous cause and we are delighted to support Recovery Haven.”
Kerry Motor Club member Katie Quinn is the Top Part West Coast Rally Championship Women in Motorsport Ireland champion for 2023. This is the Honda Civic driver’s second time winning the prestigious award having won it in its inaugural year in 2019. She will be presented with her trophy on Saturday night
Other Kerry competitors set to pick up awards include Mike Quinn and Kieran Doherty, who won Class 14 in this popular regional championship while Dave Slattery and Ger Coffey were second in Class 13. Ger O’Brien and John Liston were third in the same category as were Sean Enright and Kevin Doherty in Class 12.
Eddie Kennelly and Paul McGlinchey secured second in Class 11R.
Newcomers Declan O’Sullivan and Jonathan O’Shea were second in Class 11 in their Volkswagen Golf and Gearoid O’Regan was runner-up in Class 3 in his Honda Civic
Top Part West Coast Rally Championship to mark 30 years in Tralee on Saturday night
The 30th anniversary of the Top Part West Coast Rally Championship will be celebrated in Tralee on Saturday night.
The gala dinner at the Rose Hotel will double as a fundraiser for Recovery Haven.
Regarded as one of the most popular regional championships in the country, the West Coast Rally Championship was founded in 1993 by groups representing Kerry, Limerick, Clare, Galway and Skibbereen Motor Clubs.
Initially sponsored by Tralee-based Kingdom Motor Factors, as the championship grew so did the local parts supplier and it morphed into the Top Part West Coast Rally Championship.
Saturday’s celebration will see the 2023 awards winner pick up their trophies. Many of the previous champions from the last three decades will also be in attendance making a night of nostalgia for all those who have contributed to the championship.
Past winners confirmed for attendance include Kerry drivers, Vincent O’Shea, the winner of the inaugural series in 1993 and double winners Alan Ring (2005 and 2007) and Mike Quinn (2011 and 2018.)
Peter Clifford also won the title in 2004.
Kerry co-drivers who are also Top Part West Coast Rally champions include Brian Hickey (1993), John Young (2004), Diarmuid Falvey (2005), Denis O’Connell (2008) and Tony Healy (2018).
A raffle will run alongside the awards presentation, up for grabs are guaranteed free entries to all championship rounds over the next two seasons.
Funds will be donated to the Recovery Haven Kerry Cancer Support House in Tralee.
“The championship organisers are delighted to announce that proceeds from a raffle to be held on the night will go to the wonderful Recovery Haven Kerry Cancer Support House,” said Kerry Motor Club’s Richard Talbot who has been on the West Coast Rally Championship committee for the last 30 years.
“This is a fabulous cause and we are delighted to support Recovery Haven.”
Kerry Motor Club member Katie Quinn is the Top Part West Coast Rally Championship Women in Motorsport Ireland champion for 2023. This is the Honda Civic driver’s second time winning the prestigious award having won it in its inaugural year in 2019. She will be presented with her trophy on Saturday night
Other Kerry competitors set to pick up awards include Mike Quinn and Kieran Doherty, who won Class 14 in this popular regional championship while Dave Slattery and Ger Coffey were second in Class 13. Ger O’Brien and John Liston were third in the same category as were Sean Enright and Kevin Doherty in Class 12.
Eddie Kennelly and Paul McGlinchey secured second in Class 11R.
Newcomers Declan O’Sullivan and Jonathan O’Shea were second in Class 11 in their Volkswagen Golf and Gearoid O’Regan was runner-up in Class 3 in his Honda Civic.
Kerry Motorsport News 