Victory for Vincent in Irish Forestry Junior’s
For 23 year old Monaghan rally driver Vincent McAree, and his co-driving cousin JP McAree, the 2009 rallying season has brought a rich reward for their victory in the Junior section of the Irish Forestry Championship. Thanks to the hard work of the organisers of the Petro Systems Irish Forestry Championship and the generosity of Galway rally driver Daragh Raftery, Vincent McAree will now get a prize drive in Daragh’s Group N Subaru for the first two rounds of the 2010 Irish Forestry series. It’s a significant step up for the young Monaghan charger who has been campaigning a 1600 Peugeot 206 and C2R2 this season, and one he is really looking forward to.
“I can’t wait to try the four wheel drive Group N car in the forests. We will have a lot to learn, but if things did go well on the first two rounds, maybe it would be worthwhile to continue in Group N. There’s a big thank you to John Quill who has worked so hard to promote the championship and to Daragh for the use of the car. Also to Motorsport Ireland who are funding the insurance for the car, Sunoco Fuels for providing the racing fuel and Silverstone Tyres for the rally tyres, which all help make it such a great prize. In addition to this British Rally Champion Keith Cronin has offered his services to help advise us on set up and driving techniques, and there would be no better person to teach us a few things about Group N machines.”
Vincent is the first to admit that his 2009 rally campaign wasn’t the best of seasons for the McAree Engineering team, but there was some success. “On the Moonraker we had a good result, first in class and second in Mitchelstown in our old 106, but we had a series of three non finishes with engine maladies with our 206 Peugeot, but I think we have sorted that now with Dynotune now working on the engine. It wasn’t a brilliant season for us, unlike 2008 when we finished second in the National Junior Championship, but we have come out with a prize at the end of it. There is no doubt Craig Breen was the fastest Junior, and due to his third place overall finish in the Forestry series he forfeited this prize, so we were lucky. It was great to see him receive the Billy Coleman Award this year however as he definitely deserved it.” With the help of V-Mac Silos, T-Met Recycling and Premier Welding Vincent also hired a Citroen C2 R2 in 2009 furthering his experience, but he hoping for better fortune in 2010. “I’m really looking forward to driving the Subaru, and to the forest championship again. I think it’s a great series and to be provided an opportunity to try something like this is really special.” It could be a prize drive well worth keeping an eye on in 2010.
Photo: www.rallyprint.com
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