It was an all Merlin podium at the rescheduled third round of the Irish National Onroad Championships last Sunday as Austin Elliot claimed his second 1:8 win of the season. Racing in beautiful sunny conditions it was Mugen driver Clive Connolly who took TQ honours.
The multiple champion was in dominant form in the half hour final but 43 laps in, the rear pulley came loose on the leader’s car. This handed Serpent’s Michael Byrne the lead but in the closing stages of the race Elliot found his way through to take the win by half a lap. After losing almost 2-minutes in the pits Connolly rejoined the race to record a new lap record of 14.4 seconds with his Merlin fuelled MRX-4R enroute to taking the final step on the podium. Overall Ian Campbell claimed the Champion giving Merlin back to back Irish titles. In the 1:10 Final Merlin enjoyed two drivers on the podium with Thomas Ward and nitro racing debutant Pat Healy finishing 2nd and 3rd respectively. The eight & final round of the 1:10 200mm National Championship takes competitors to the tight Ballymoney track in Northern Ireland this weekend.
1:8 A Final Result
1. Austin Elliott – Kyosho/Merlin – 109/30m13.794
2. Michael Byrne – Serpent/Merlin – 108/30m 6.160
3. Clive Connolly – Mugen/Merlin – 107/30m 6.879
4. Ian Campbell – Shepherd/Merlin
1:10 A Final Result
1. Chris Lawlor – Kyosho – 99/30m 3.112
2. Thomas Ward – Xray/Merlin – 91/30m17.765
3. Pat Healy – Serpent/Merlin – 90/30m13.757
4. Luke Collins – Xray
5. Michal Ksiezuk – Serpent/Merlin
6. Colm Caffney – Serpent/Merlin
7. David Mulligan – Serpent/Merlin
8. Keith Dempsey – Serpent/Merlin
9. Chris Steele – Kyosho
10.Robert Boylan – Serpent/Merlin
Thanks to Hobbies Ireland for the info and report