Championship Year for Niall Burns as he Navigates his way to 4 Titles in 2021
What an incredible year 2021 has been for Club Member Niall Burns as he navigated his way to 4 Championship Titles in one season & created Motorsport History in the process.
Niall navigated Scotsman Garry Pearson for the 2021 Season to clinch the Scottish Rally Championship, the BTRDA Gold Star, British Rally Championship National Cup and the Welsh National titles. They competed in no less than 3 different cars on their way to success including a Ford Fiesta Rally 2, a Mitsubishi Evo 9 and for the latter part of the season, they switched to a Skoda Fabia R5.
Their season was far from straight-forward and issues on various events included power steering problems & a puncture but that’s not unusual in rallying. In fact, the duo only secured 2 of their titles (the BTRDA & Welsh National titles) on the last stage of their last event – no pressure!
Niall has been committed to pursuing his Motorsport dream for many years and has started more than 200 events in 15 seasons. He has competed in Europe, the Middle East, South Africa and America and has experienced accidents and disappointments along the way but none of that has deterred him from pursuing his passion for Motorsport.
Niall now has 4 Championship Titles to add to his CV and that has to be rewarding for him on a personal level for his hard work, commitment, dedication and willingness to endure air miles as well as stage miles.
Niall is a long-time member of Connacht Motor Club and we congratulate Niall on his success in 2021 with Best Wishes too for 2022 & here's hoping for further success for Niall on the stages.
Vintage Run - Cheque Presentation to MS Northwest Therapy Centre
Joe Conboy, Connacht Motor Club & Tommy Flynn, North West Vintage & Heritage Club with representatives of MS Northwest Therapy Centre at the recent presentation of the proceeds from the Classic, Veteran & Vintage Run organised in memory of Martin Kearns, Joe Dolan & Tommy McPartlan.
Sincere Thanks to everyone involved in organising the event, our sponsors - Laois Hire / John McCorry Signs / Hot Rods @ Sligo Junction, the 100 + participants & all who contributed to this very worthy cause. A cheque for €5,162 was presented to MS Northwest Therapy Centre.
Sligo Stages Rally 1980 / 1981
2019 Faac Simply automatic Sligo Park Hotel Stages Rally
See the 2019 Rally Highlights Video
Video provided Courtesy FlyinFinnMotorsport
Dominic McLoughlin & Emer Kearns take the Top Part West Coast Rally Championship 'Drive of the Day' Award for Round 1 of the Championship at the Birr Stages Rally - Sunday, 23rd February 2020
2019 Hewison Autotest
Congratulations to Guy Foster on winning the Hewison Autotest Championship after 2 wins in Sligo
Photo Courtesy Trevor Foster
2019 Championship Results
Championship Results (Overall & Class) available in championship news section(s) above.
Congratulations to all Club Members winning awards in 2019. Also, congratulations to club member Stephen Reynolds from Manorhamilton on his nomination for the Billy Coleman Young Rally Driver Award as winner of Class 16 of the Triton Showers Irish National Rally Championship 2019 with 4 maximum scores - well done & Best of Luck to Stephen with his plans for the 2020 season.
2019 Faac Simply automatic Sligo Park Hotel Stages Rally
2019 Rally Highlights Video
Video provided Courtesy FlyinFinnMotorsport
2019 Rally Launch Video
Video provided Courtesy FlyinFinnMotorsport
Martin Kearns Memorial Award
(incorporating the Connacht Motor Club award)
Winners of the Award : Dominic McLoughlin / Emer Kearns
Congratulations to Dominic & Emer who competed together specially for the 2019 event. Dominic being a close personal friend of Martin's & Emer is Martin's daughter & his Navigator on many of his safety car outings on the Sligo Stages - the award will certainly be cherished and what a wonderful tribute to Martin and the Kearns family.
The award recognises the clubman which was close to the late Martin’s heart during his many years involvement with Connacht Motor Club. It honours his life contribution to motorsport both as a competitor but also as safety car on the Sligo Stages Rally for over 10 years.
Photo collage courtesy James Burke Photography / Tribute by Padraic Boylan - Club PRO
Martin Kearns (RIP) in his familiar Sunbeam on '00' duty - Sligo Stages Rally 2018
(Photo courtesy James Burke)
FAAC Simply automatic / Sligo Park Hotel Sligo Stages Rally
Robert Lyttle completes 10 years as COC of Sligo Stages Rally
Special Award being presented to Robert Lyttle, COC Sligo Stages Rally by Joe Conboy.
Robert has now completed 10 years as COC of this popular event.
Sligo Retail Park provides great facility for Scrutiny & Parc Ferme
Aerial view of Scrutiny & Parc Ferme on Saturday evening.
Many thanks to all involved at Sligo Retail Park for making this facility available for the event.
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