WATERFORD RACEWAY ROUND 3

The Pike 27 April 2025

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Those who'd stayed over from the sunny Saturday meeting at Waterford Raceway woke to find Sunday morning much chillier after a windy night and for most of the morning there wasn't much sign of life in the pits at all. In the last hour before the start time though, several more cars appeared, or returned, giving an eventual count of 29 cars, with 31 drivers signing on. It needs to be more, of course, but with suitable mixing of classes and the usual skilled handicapping, a good day's racing resulted. Despite the dull start to the day, the weather brightened up a bit too.

This time the JUNIORS started the race programme, with just four cars, although Sean Ryan had rejoined the lineup after being among those who'd missed Saturday's racing because of the clashing RSA Sprint at Mondello Park. Sean came through to take the lead from Jack Nolan in the first heat, but Sean's engine lost power and Jack repassed to take the win from Ben Fitzgerald, Sean and Eoin Robinson.Sean had no problem in the second race though, taking a clear win over Ben, Jack and Eoin. Eoin couldn't start the final, where Ben led most of the way, but Sean caught up from the back of the grid and took over in the last couple of laps, winning from Ben and Jack. Overall points saw Sean the winner over Ben and Jack.

The JUNIOR ROOKIES followed on, with a seven car grid of the restricted Micras. Ruby McCarthy squeezed past Cayden Leahy to lead the first race and Ruby then held on all the way to win, under pressuree from Anna Fitzgerald and Tom Robinson, with Keelan Gleeson holding off James Leahy and Sean D'Arcy just beating Cayden Leahy. Second time out Cayden took the lead from Sean D'Arcy and Cayden was still in front, holding off brother James and Anna Fitzgerald, when the red flag came out a lap early after a tangle involving Tom Robinson and Ruby McCarthy. Sean D'Arcy found himself at the front of the grid for the final and he repeated his winning drive from the day before, setting a good pace which saw him just ahead of Tom Robinson at the flag. Cayden Leahy held off Keelan Gleeson for third, while Ruby, James and Anna battled for the other places. Cayden was the day's overall winner, with Anna and Tom tied for second and Sean completing the podium.

The first combined heat for CLASS 2 and 3 was stopped early on with Davan Leahy's Class 2 Micra well in the lead. As his only class rival, Liam Kiersey, pulled off, Davan was then placed behind all the Class 3s for the restart, but he kept up with them and then started picking them off one by one until he finally passed leader Mick Boland with a lap to go. Mick had come from the back to win Class 3 in his now re-liveried Suzuki-powered Starlet, with second going to PJ Nolan who, after blowing up his new Starlet-Fiat on Saturday, had been home to Enniscorthy to fetch his old Toyota-powered version. PJ just held off Darragh Healy's straightened Starlet-Fiat and fellow Wexford driver David Browne's Micra. Second time out Liam Kiersey was back out so the Class 2s headed the field away, with Davan catching and passing Liam for another win. The Class 3 battle was possibly the best of the day, with David Browne heading a four car battle until a last lap sort-out saw Darragh Healy emerge in front, winning with Mick Boland alonside him and PJ and the unlucky David rght behind. Davan again chased after Liam in the final but this time didn't have to pass him as Liam pulled off at half distance. Davan took the win as the Class 3s again had a great battle. PJ Nolan survived a big sideways moment to lead most of the way, only losing out in the closing stages to Mick Boland, who won from PJ, Darragh and David. Overall Davan took the Class 2 trophy from Liam and Mick won Class 3 from Liam and Darragh.

The CLASS 1 drivers had a "special" drivers' briefing before they lined up with the day's biggest grid of eight cars. Conor Hoey made the early running, but eventually had Killian Swayne and Jason Ryan pass him on the outside. Killian led until Jason managed a quick crossover from outside to inside and sneaked by to take the win from Killian, with Conor still very close in third.  Nicky O'Leary gave his K10 Micra its first outing of the year and just held on to fourth from Callum Swayne, Cillian Rooney, Jack Roche and Aoibhe Fitzgerald. Aoibhe led away in the second race, holding on for a few laps before being passed by first Jack Roche and then Callum Swayne. Callum then took over to win as Aoibhe repassed Jack for second, with Killian in fourth.

Cillian Rooney led the final away and was holding on well, chased by Jack Roche while Nicky O'Leary was doing a fine job of holding off the rest of the field for third. It all got too close as Nicky was finally moved aside and as the pack scattered, Aoibhe and Jason Ryan ended up in the inside wall. The race was rerun at the end of the day and this time Cillian Rooney led nearly all the way, with Jack Roche holding second until his car ground to a halt. Conor Hoey took up the chase and with two laps to go Conor got ahead to take his first senior win, with Killian Swayne beating Cillian Rooney in a photo finish for second. Callum Swayne chased them in with the battered cars of Jason Ryan and Aoibhe split by Nicky O'Leary at the end. Killian and Callum Swayne were first and second overall (having to present trophies to themselves as meeting sponsors!) with Conor Hoey taking the third trophy in his first non-Junior weekend.

CLASSES 4 and 6, after their spectacular Saturday races, lost out because most of the Wexford contingent were unable to stay on, but there was still a close duel between Wexford's Kieran Cooney and Wicklow's Dylan Eager, with Tom Hill's lone Class 6 car making progress as spectacularly as possible as he chased after them. Tom caught and passed the others with a few laps to go in the first heat, as Kieran held off Dylan. Tom's start handicap grew in heat two, but he still powered past just as Dylan managed to get ahead of Kieran, with Dylan taking the class win. The final saw Tom with a full lap's handicap and this time he ran out of laps to clear the Class 4s, although he split them on the last lap as Dylan again headed Kieran. Dylan took Class 4 overall from Kieran.

The last group to race was the combined LADIES and STOCKS, which looked like one of each until Aoife Healy turned up to take the wheel of brother Darragh's car. Chelsea Eager took a decisive win in the first heat so in heat two Aoife was moved up to start alongside the Stock Focus of Joe Dilworth. Chelsea caught and passed Aoife but then ended up in the tyre wall to bring out the reds. For the final Aoife had an even bigger start and this time Chelsea couldn't catch her, while  Joe took an unchallenged win in the Stocks. Chelsea still took the overall Ladies' win over Aiofe.

 A good day's racing had been very efficiently run, to finish just after 3 pm. The next event's coming up fairly quickly, on 18 May, and then the next two-day meeting is on 28/29 June.