Motorsport: McGonigle best of the Irish in Italian kart race
Joseph McGonigle was the star Irish performer in the Winter Cup karting races at Garda in Italy over the weekend.
In today’s final in the ICA category, the karter from Muff, County Donegal finished fifth despite starting 31st from a grid of 34 karters.
Initially, the race started without him when his kart succumbed to problems, however, lady luck smiled and the race was red flagged after three laps.
Some twenty minutes later, the final was re-started with McGonigle taking his place on the grid.
After just two laps he was up into the top twenty, as the race progressed he picked off the opposition one by one and eventually finished fifth.
Cork’s Brian O’Mahony, competing in the same category, just missed qualification for the finals.
James McCarthy, also from Cork, qualified for the JICA final and was ninth until he spun off the track.
The Athlone based Midland Navigation Trial, the first round of the McCarrick Garages West Coast series, was decided on a tie-break with Ronnie Griffin/Rory Dooley declared as winners.
Their Volvo covered the 80-mile route in counties Westmeath and Offaly and duly finished with 42
penalties.
That same total was credited to Kevin Lunt/Sandy Mills (Golf), however, as Griffin/Dooley had fewer penalties by the second Time Point, that was enough to gain the win.
Lunt/Mills were the best Experts, the Semi-Expert class was won by Sam Johnston/Paul Fitzpatrick and the Novice award went to Kathleen and Dessie Brady (Golf).
