21/09/2026
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Sundays opening round of the 2026 Cootehill Precision Engineering Autocross Championship organised and ran by Co.Cavan Motorclub under the expert leadership on this occasion by Gerard Hyland started the season off with a fabulous day's racing, the competitors and organisers alike were graced with glorious sunshine, a ploom of dust lingering behind the speeding cars on this occasion rather than the spray of rain! Conditions were fairly good, nice temperature and the dust was leaving slightly slippy underfoot, but was also adding to the sideways action !
Traversing the Course in an anticlockwise rotation the crews got the benefit of the off camber jump and the a few uphill and downhill tricky corners to negotiate, timing all day was provided exceptional well by none other than McAleer timing who had been extremely bust the day prior running the Bushwhacker forestry rally in Omagh.
As the day progressed a clear picture was emerging into who was advancing quicker than others around the route, in the rally Car Section reigning Rally Car Champion Joe Smith in his pristine Ford Es**rt Mk2 was etching his name on the winners trophy, although he was pushed fairly hard by the speed of the Honda Civic of Jack Maguire who was a mere 9 seconds of the win, and taking a fine 3rd overall on his return to latton Ronan Greene in his trusty Vauxhall Nova was a further 6 seconds adrift.
In the rally car classes class 2 went to Ronan Greene (Vauxhall Nova) with Seamus Cooke 2nd (Ford Es**rt Mk2) class 3 Eamon Rudden took his pristine Vauxhall Chevette to the win,
In class4 Jack Maguire had a very good drive to take the class, from the wee Ford Es**rt of Brendan O'Reilly who in turn pipped Ryan Brennan in his Toyota Corolla. Class 5 saw Joe Smith foreit the class for theboverall, leaving Jack Brunton in his Es**rt Mk2 triumph over Andrew Wedlock's pristine Peugeot 205. Cameron Wood was the sole recipient of a class6 award in His Subaru impreza
Jack Cooke was winner of class8 for juniors in his Ford Es**rt mk2 from the Honda Civic of Charlie Brunton, whilst Ryan McAleer pipped brother Dale for 3rd by 7 seconds in their Mazda Mx5. Jack Moore win the 14-16 Junior category in his Nissan Micra, whilst 13-16 category David Tuite was the winner in his Citroen C1
Thomas Wedlock our Current club champion took thenoberall buggt win in his 750cc Casmat beating his friendly rival Bill Armstrong in his MV example by 1.5 seconds, so with Thomas winning overall Bill took the class win from Darrach Duffin in his Kincar and Adam Dunlop in his Casmat 3rd.
In the up to 600c.c class now ro the buggy class and with an engine only fitted the prior evening, Damien Cahill really had a deserved drive in his Semog, 2nd was secured by Sean Coleman in his Jb just ahead of the MV example of Davy Armstrong. Martin Byrne was successful in the large buggy class taking the win by 15 seconds over the labase of Owen Roe Skelly this leaving, Joe MacHale to take third.
Gerard Hyland and everyone at the club would like to congratulate all the award winners, thanks to everyone who made a effort to run the event, and especially Cootehill Precision Engineering for their sponsorship and continued support
Roll on October 25th for round 2
Action from the first round of Cavan Motor Club's 2026 Autocross Ch...
