Consistency has been key for rallycross newcomer Oliver Bennett (Bristol) in the opening three rounds of the Toyo Tires MSA British Rallycross Championship. The Ford Fiesta racer leads the standings heading into the fourth and fifth rounds at Mondello Park in Ireland this weekend [July 22 – 23]. 

The British RX series returns to the Irish Republic for the first time since 2015, where it will join the Irish Rallycross Championship for a two-day event. Emulating a concept pioneered by Pembrey Circuit last season, the Mondello Park circuit will be run in both clockwise and anti-clockwise directions across the two days.

Three different drivers claimed victory in the first three events of the nine-round campaign. Nathan Heathcote (Ashford) won on his Supercar debut at Croft Circuit in March, before Ollie O’Donovan (Iver) won round two at Lydden Hill and five-time Champion Julian Godfrey (Heathfield) was victorious in round three at Pembrey Circuit last month. 

O’Donovan and Godfrey – who both won at Mondello in 2015 – are tied for second in the Championship table, five points down on Bennett. The Bristol-based driver has been fourth, third and second so far in 2017, racing his ex-OlsbergsMSE Ford Fiesta. O’Donovan will also switch to a Ford Fiesta for this weekend, the London-based Irishman using his European Championship car, while his regular Ford Focus will be campaigned by former driver and preparation expert Tony Bardy (Scotch Corner), returning to the series after an appearance at Croft Circuit last October. 

Kevin Procter (Northallerton) is yet to turn front-running pace into event victory in 2017. The former European Championship event-winner made a slow start in the final at round one, was hampered by accident damage in round two and retired from round three with rear differential problems. British Touring Car Championship convert Warren Scott (Buntingford) is also yet to realise potential shown in his first year racing a 600 horsepower LD Motorsports Citroen DS3 Supercar. 

Scott’s maiden season of fast pace coupled with misfortune continued in round three at Pembrey, where his weekend was significantly hindered by an engine-bay fire in Q1. Round one victor Heathcote also experienced problems at round three in the qualifying stages, but fought back to score his second podium of the season, having switched from an LD Motorsports Citroen C4 to a newer DS3 model. 

The British RX Supercar racers will form part of an 18-car field this weekend, joining competitors from the IRX series, including current Irish Champion and former European Champion Derek Tohill (Dublin), racing an OlsbergsMSE-built Ford Fiesta. 

Mad Mark Watson (Barnard Castle), Steve Hill (Thame) and Jake Harris (Canewdon) are all seeking their first podium finishes of the season this weekend. Andy Grant (Barnstaple), who made his first start of the year at Pembrey and placed fourth, is back for more in the double-header.

The MSA Supernational Rallycross Championship will also be amalgamated with the equivalent Irish classes for the double-header event at Mondello Park. Paige Bellerby (Northallerton) achieved a hat-trick of 2017 victories in round three of British RX series and heads the standings by 25 points. 

In all three of the MSA categories, two drivers are tied for second position. In Supernational, Tristan Ovenden (Canterbury) and Allan Tapscott (Umberleigh) are even in the points after round three. In his first year racing a Renault Clio V6, Ovenden led the final in round two but retired with broken suspension. He spun early in the final in round three but fought back to challenge Bellerby for victory as the pair reached the chequered flag. Todd Crooks (Royston) scored a brace of podium finishes in rounds two and three and is highest placed of the front-wheel drive runners in the category, in fourth overall. Guy Corner (Northallerton) will make his first trip to Mondello this weekend eying another podium finish, joined by 2016 champion Tony Lynch (Wigan), Michael Howlin (Haverfordwest), David Ewin (Warcop), Kirk Twyman (Nottingham) and Michael Labedz (London). 

Racing at Mondello Park will be a new experience for each of the six competitors in the MSA Junior Rallycross Championship, led by Welshman Tom Llewellin (Haverfordwest), who remains unbeaten in his rallycross career. Norwegian racer Ole Henry Steinsholt (Norway) and Morgan Wroot (Doncaster) are tied for second in the points, Steinsholt heading to Ireland having claimed victory in his most recent crosskart event in the North European Zone Rallycross Championship in Latvia last weekend. Tom Constantine (Richmond) is currently fourth in the standings, ahead of Tom Middleton (Maldon) and James Constantine (Dalton-on-Tees). 

In the supporting rallycross championships, two wins from three rounds means Simon Ovenden (Canterbury) leads the order in the Swift Sport Rallycross Championship, closely followed by round one winner Chris Woollett (Herstmonceux) and newcomers Rob Shield (Cleasby) and Morgan Bailey (Lincoln). Peter Gwynne Motorsport will run a trio of Irish drivers at Mondello Park; Uel Parr (Ireland), Clive Latimer (Ireland) and Mark Connelly (Ireland) making their Swift Sport debuts. 

Irishman John Ward (Dublin) is the only driver in the RX150 Championship to have experienced the Mondello Park circuit in its unconventional anti-clockwise direction, which could pay dividends for the round two winner and points leader this weekend. Reigning RX150 buggy champion Chrissy Palmer (Chichester) has won twice in 2017 and is second in the points, with Jake Taylor (Retford) third overall. Former double-champion Marc Scott (Dumfries) returned to the series at Pembrey and will be back in action this weekend. 

Vauxhall Corsa racer Paul Coney (Dartford) is unbeaten in 2017 in the Super1600 Rallycross Championship, he leads the standings from Craig Lomax (Knottingley) and Phil Chicken (Barnsley). Irishman Andrew Twomey (Ireland) will also join the field for his home event. In the BMW Mini Rallycross Championship, just three points separate the top three in the single-make category, David Bell (Ferryhill) leading from Martin Hawkes (Stockton on Tees) and Drew Bellerby (Northallerton). Leigh-Anne Sedgwick (Paddock Wood) is the sole entrant in the Hot Hatch Rallycross Championship category for Mondello Park. 

Full event entry list can be found here.

Action gets underway at Mondello Park on Saturday July 22 and Sunday July 23 from 09.00am. Adult admission €15 per/day, €25 weekend. Children 16 and under (accompanied) are admitted free of charge. More details here. 

Details of how to find Mondello Park are available on the circuit’s website here. 

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