Ginetta Junior Ireland

Doyle And O’Brien Share Mondello Wins

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Championship frontrunners Sean Doyle and Andy O'Brien took the wins in Rounds Eight and Nine of the 2011 Ginetta Junior Ireland Championship around the Mondello Park National Circuit, keeping the duo first and third in the championship standings respectively.

It was O'Brien who took pole position, ending the session 0.2 seconds ahead of Doyle. Jake Byrne took third ahead of James Fleming in a career best fourth and Andrew Clarke in fifth. A poor start from Atlas Tyres backed O'Brien left him under pressure from Doyle going into the first corner, but he held on until turn three, where Doyle found his way past around the outside.

Byrne and Fleming held third and fourth, while behind a superb run from Andrew Watson saw him move into fifth after starting from the pitlane after gearbox troubles. He soon began challenging Fleming, which led to contact between the two, leaving Watson in the gravel at the first corner.

At the front, O'Brien was making severall attempts to pass Doyle's Mizzoni Pizza car, but Doyle held on to take the win.. Byrne crossed the line in third, ahead of Fleming and Clarke. Sophie Byrne took sixth ahead of Megan Kessie, who had also started from the pitlane in her ASK Racing G20.

Race two saw O'Brien on pole again and this time a superb start saw him lead the pack into the first corner, ahead of Alan Byrne Racing trio Watson, Doyle and Jake Byrne. It was Watson who lost ground first, running wide at the first corner, with Byrne pouncing to take second ahead of Doyle. Behind, Fleming was running well in fifth, while contact between Murray Motorsport's Clarke and Sophie Byrne lost the latter time, with Clarke holding sixth ahead of a hard charging Kessie.

With the cars behind him battling hard, O'Brien was able to comfortably cruise home for the win, settling a new class lap record in the process. Doyle worked his way up in second ahead of Jake Byrne and Watson, with Fleming fifth, Clarke sixth, Kessie seventh and Sophie Byrne eighth.

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Simon is an experienced journalist and PR officer, who has worked in the national motorsport paddocks for over a decade, primarily on the BTCC support package.
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