Last weekend, in Dun Laoghaire, the most urban of motorsports; Drifting, made its way to an urban setting in Ireland
After plenty of planning, the Irish Drift Championship set up camp in the Ferry Port of the sleepy, suburban town of Dun Laoghaire. Altsport.ie headed along too, to check out the latest instalment of the 2017 championship but also to see if it was really worth all the fuss. Here’s our highlights from the Sunday:
1: The Pro-Am’s meant business
Maybe it was due to those who qualified having a full day on Saturday, running this brand new course, maybe it was because the tight figure 8 track suited lower power machinery more; but all day, the pro-ams showed up and knocked some big names out of their way.
2: Chris Brady is a Beast
Spending night and day with the help of “family and friends” building a Pro class Drift car from the ground up, in just under two weeks is a feat in itself but the real talking point is what Brady did on track. The tight track suited the Ae86 and allowed Chris do what he does best; chase doors and boy did he. The Top 16 battle with Peden Nielsen was a stand out, with Brady within a whisker of Peden for the entire chase run. Because we have a soft spot for an Ae86, we really want to see more of this car hopefully now that the dust has settled, he might even have time to get a livery on there.
3: Duane McKeevers’ got work to do
After Round 1, Duane knew he had his work cut out for him at Drift on the Docks. After Round 2, McKeever is going to have to be flawless for the remaining rounds. Going out in the Top 16 thanks to a collision is not what he would have wanted or needed and now McKeever’s hopes of retaining his title look to be slipping away especially with his 2016 rival in such perilous form.
One thing is for sure, he’s not going to go down without a fight. The mechanical issues that cost him at Round 1 have now apparently been rectified so will we see him back to his best at Round 3 in Mondello Park? Time will tell but one thing we know for certain is that if McKeever doesn’t podium at Round 3, he most definitely won’t retain his title in 2017.
4: Jack Shanahan is a man on a mission
After a painful end to the 2016 season, Jack Shanahan has come in to 2017 baying for blood, it’s easy to see there’s only one thing on his mind and that’s the 2017 championship title. He got off to the perfect start at Round 1 and he now finds himself exactly where he’d like to be, with two wins out of two and leading the championship.
It was interesting to observe the Shanahan camp from a distance on the Sunday. As Jack headed in to his Top 16 battle, he was in good spirits; laughing and joking with his fellow competitors and IDC staff; likewise his younger brother Conor and his father who would be usually making last minute tweaks to the car; had already made their way to the grand stand to watch Jack go to battle. The moral of the story being that, the car is 100% tuned in; the mechanical problems that plagued Shanahan in 2016 are gone and there is nothing to stand in his way. Can anyone topple him?
5: Dun Laoghaire….
Finally, the Port of Dun Laoghaire. As we learned from the IDC promotion; hosting Round 2 at the Port wasn’t without it’s challenges but boy was it worth it. Sitting in the grand stand, it was hard not to gaze out over the scenery in between runs. In terms of the location, of course parking was an issue but that’s a price worth paying to move the sport closer to the city.
Ever the observers; we chatted with staff on the day as well as some of the locals passing by outside and the biggest observation was the intrigue. Heading to the car in between battles, we spotted some wiley locals, taking advantage of the raised plinths and gaps in the fencing to watch the action unfold on the screen, just visible from the Port roadside.
No doubt the distinct smell of rubber floating across the marina, combined with the cacophony of Egans commentary, Cheering Crowds, 850 horsepower engines and squealing tyres, were a shock to the senses of those who usually frequent the serene location but across those intrigued faces were smiles. Likewise as those lucky enough to get tickets descended from the purpose built grandstands and headed for the exits; there were smiles all round, from fans, drivers and of course the staff.
If this was an acid test for things to come, it passed with distinction…
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