Phoenix Park 2006

[ss_collins]

are we (brits) invited to the park?

[Draven]

That is a question that one of the more experienced folk could possibly answer, but I'll ask one of the guys I know tonight.
Well Driving or specatating , As far as I'm concerned your always welcome to come over for pints either way!!

[carsten.meurer]

the park is on the list of the few tracks i REALLY need to do still !

i would be greatful to get a contact that lets me find out what of my cars i could race there ( FVL, zetec or kent FF, or 76 gr1 TC ) !

alternatively i think of hireing a car and fly over for the race !

anybody willing to help ?

[EvilPumpkin]

Originally Posted by ss_collins

are we (brits) invited to the park?

I'm sure you will be! I don't know if it's still up in the air as to whether it's going ahead though. It's still listed on the MI website as "Phoenix Park OR Mondello Event"

Eddie Fitzgerald would be the IMRC contact - edfitzg@gofree.indigo.ie - but I'm not 100% that that email address is still current.

Alternatively, Leinster are normally heavily involved - leinstermc@eircom.net

The clubs are usually interchangeable when it comes to contacts, so you should be able to get someone who can help you on either of those emails!

[Crunch]

Originally Posted by EvilPumpkin

I'm sure you will be! I don't know if it's still up in the air as to whether it's going ahead though. It's still listed on the MI website as "Phoenix Park OR Mondello Event"

Eddie Fitzgerald would be the IMRC contact - edfitzg@gofree.indigo.ie - but I'm not 100% that that email address is still current.

Alternatively, Leinster are normally heavily involved - leinstermc@eircom.net

The clubs are usually interchangeable when it comes to contacts, so you should be able to get someone who can help you on either of those emails!

Hi,
The Park looks very likely to go ahead on August 12th/13th. John Heavey and Richard White have put together a plan to promote the event that has been approved by Motorsport Ireland.
They have approached the domestic racing classes with an intersting package and most have received their proposal with enthusiasm.
As I write it's very unlikely that the Leinster MC will be involved . There is also currently a question mark over the involvement of Park stalwart Eddie Fitzgerald and the Irish Motor Racing Club.
I believe the Carlow CC could run it but that's speculation at this point.
To answer Carsten's question, his Formula Ford 1600 is probably the best option at the moment. The Irish Formula Ford Drivers Association is showing cautious interest in running a race for FF1600s but there will probably also be a Formula Libre race for which his FVL would be a good bet. It's soft enough for a track that is not really Magny Cours style smooth.
By the way, having raced there several times, the Park is not for the faint hearted. I always breathe a sigh of relief when I make it to Sunday night...

[Flavio Galtieri]

Can you let me know what the circuit configuration is? I've never been to the Park but I know there are a few layouts that have been used over the years.

[Ian Sowman]

I think it is the one that is basically triangular - try racingcircuits.net.

[carsten.meurer]

thx for the info crunch !

as stupid as it sounds i feel that with most of the dangers of racing removed, the sport has suffered !
i rather face a corner that frightens me to be taken flat, than another one with a mile tarmac run off that my badly set up car cannot handle flat out !

i went to places like pau, cadwell, chimay, charade and the old ring
for that reason !

the park sound like one of only two other circuits still in operation today that i NEED to try and master ! one is ahvenisto in finland ( hopefully this september ), the other is likely never to happen for me, MACAU !

i would love to scare me s&$tless in the FVL in the park !

alternatively james hagan has offered me his help to find a local ride !

aren't mega strawbales great as a corner apex ?

[F.O.F.]

flavio,on www.racingcircuits.net the oldtown circuit is the current layout.
carsten,its not really the corners at the park that are the dangerous bit,its the trees,gas lamps and benches at the side of the bumpy straights.in saying that only one person has ever been killed there and that was in 1979 at a corner that isn't used any more but there have been some serious injuries over the years.one that i can think of was on the current layout a few years back in a mallock in which the driver was lucky to survive

[carsten.meurer]

yes, i know that its not the biggest challenge to get round the corners there
from what i have seen !

i have done some strange sprint type events in the FVL in france, public D roads, about 6 km on 'just' closed roads !
not to think about loosing it there !
feel the park should be similar !

still i believe the racing would be better if there would have remained more circuits or corners where you need to tame yourself to a suitable speed
for your car and track, rather than the mirror surface, miles of runoff tracks
where only your race engeneer has influence on your laptime !

you can pace yourself, so you can play it safe !
that said, a mechanical fault is always possible...

[Crunch]

Originally Posted by F.O.F.

flavio,on www.racingcircuits.net the oldtown circuit is the current layout.
carsten,its not really the corners at the park that are the dangerous bit,its the trees,gas lamps and benches at the side of the bumpy straights.in saying that only one person has ever been killed there and that was in 1979 at a corner that isn't used any more but there have been some serious injuries over the years.one that i can think of was on the current layout a few years back in a mallock in which the driver was lucky to survive

That was 1978 for the fatality, actually. Peter O'Reilly was killed instantly when he crashed his Crossle 32F into Fernon De Monge at Ratra corner on the classic Hawthorn Circuit. De Monge was badly injured but made a comeback a few years later.

The Mallock driver was Tony Dowling who used to look after the timing at Mondello Park, Phoenix Park and many of the bike races. He was very seriously injured and I seem to remember a very enjoyable benefit night for him in Dublin Castle. Tony recovered but I don't think he raced again...

There have been a few other near misses, not least Kildare Formula Vee star and Storm constructor Fergus Dalton whose '97 (?) shunt was simply horrific and resulted in multiple fractures. Ironically he'd gone Vee racing to avoid the injuries he was picking up bike racing...

Frankly the next big one is due any time. I absolutely love racing there but if you're not scared racing there I'd hate to be racing against you...

[carsten.meurer]

Originally Posted by Crunch

Frankly the next big one is due any time. I absolutely love racing there but if you're not scared racing there I'd hate to be racing against you...

in case this is pointed towards me:

i am nor scared to race anywhere !
if i was i simply wouldn't !

what i have is a MASSIVE respect for some corners or tracks !

top of the list is always to not endanger anyone else !!!

you can believe me tackling dangerous spots with due respect, still i find
it far more satisfying to go home from one of those tracks with a good
result, than a win on any tilke track !
maybe it did not come clear:
i rate the challange of driving slow enough for the track far higher than
spending enough cash to make the car quick enough for the track !

still i accept that it could go wrong for myself anytime !
even though i try me best to avoid it !
as lauda said: you got the wheel and pedals ! you decide how fast you go what direction !

[VFR]

Draven as long as you get the 6 signatures on your licence and upgrade to a Nat B you can race at the park. I think there is 6 champ rounds before the park, but you can also obtain signatures by entering some of the non-champ rounds in kirkistown or entering the Vee in libre races. So if you really want to do the park and finish 6 races beforehand you can.

[Crunch]

The comment wasn't directed at you Carsten! Just talking about the Park in general.

And due respect to anyone who quotes Lauda...

[EvilPumpkin]

There have been some nasty incidents in the Park. I haven't done one in a few years because there's usually something more interesting involving bikes going on at Mondello....

Here's one from 2001 - Liam Kavanagh if memory serves. The car has been roofed at this point because they needed to do an extraction, but the rest of the damage was totally caused by the incident.

[Draven]

Originally Posted by VFR

Draven as long as you get the 6 signatures on your licence and upgrade to a Nat B you can race at the park. I think there is 6 champ rounds before the park, but you can also obtain signatures by entering some of the non-champ rounds in kirkistown or entering the Vee in libre races. So if you really want to do the park and finish 6 races beforehand you can.

Thanks for the info VFR, I should be doing enough rounds befor it to get the 6 signatures (fingers crossed, no major car troubles).
If I am able to do it then it will be down to budget if I miss it, I know it tends to be more expensive than any of the permanent tracks.

Also (and I'm not afraid to admit it) as much as I would love to race in the Park in my first year I might want to leave it til i'm more experienced, it's the type of place where a crash is likley to be very very sore.

[Crunch]

Quick update on the Park '06. There was a meeting a few nights ago and nine classes have committed to the meeting. Still no club appointed but the Leinster MC are carefully considering it. Formula Ford are currently not involved so the Formula Opel in Libre looks the way to go Carsten.

[VFR]

Crunch, Any idea what the 9 classes are?

[carsten.meurer]

FVL would be my prefered choice anyhow !

now whom do i need to pester to grant a spot on the grid ?

i fear that the whole travel budget might dictate the thing needed
to be settled early for me...

alternatively :

anyone wanting to hire out a formula libre at an afordable rate to a senior driver ?

[F.O.F.]

Originally Posted by Crunch

That was 1978 for the fatality, actually. Peter O'Reilly was killed instantly when he crashed his Crossle 32F into Fernon De Monge at Ratra corner on the classic Hawthorn Circuit. De Monge was badly injured but made a comeback a few years later.

unfortunately Peter was my aunts brother.i wasn't aware that De Monge was injured,i thought peter just clipped him

[Crunch]

Just checking this but think the nine classes are Formula Vee, Formula Sheane, Formula Libre, Irish Historics, Fiat Uno, Fiat Punto 1400, Fiat Punto Abarth, Strykers and Global Lights.
I know Dunlop Supercars and Formula Ford are not doing it and I'm not sure about the new Formula 5 class.
No club appointed to run it yet so nowhere to send your entry fee, Carsten. The promoters are afraid to issue a press release at the moment...

[Crunch]

Originally Posted by F.O.F.

unfortunately Peter was my aunts brother.i wasn't aware that De Monge was injured,i thought peter just clipped him

Yeah, big crash. Very sad. I was there at Ratra, unfortunately. The first motor race meeting I attended... Fernon was badly broken up but returned in Formula Ford 2000 in the 80s and eventually packed it in after beating F1 designer Steve Nichols in a URS round at Mondello on Leinster Trophy weekend in about 1990ish. Paul Kimmage wrote a good story about it in the Sunday Tribune at the time.

[F.O.F.]

looks like a good lineup.i'm thinking libre's gonna have a nice selection of cars you dont see that often

[Crunch]

Right, here it is, the definitive line up for the Park '06: Fiat Uno/Punto 1400, Fiat Punto Abarth, Porsches, Historics, Formula Sheane, Formula Vee, Formula 5, Strykers/Globals, Formula Libre.

Supercars and FF1600 are opting out at the moment. A Libre car to rent should be no problem.

[SCOBER11]

FF 1600 will be run in the libre race we are hoping . With the results of a survey only 6/8 drivers said they would be interested in doing the Park so we felt it would be unwise to take a spot on the grid and then have to pull out at the last minute. Anyone interested about anything FF1600 can PM me here and i would be happy to fill them in.

I heard that Dan Daly might have a classic F3 car for rent ?????