Colm Blackburn, Leastone, during the Selco.ie Formula Vee race at Bishopscourt Racing Circuit, Bishopscourt, Co. Down. Photo by Jack Cregg
Two good wins for Blackburn in Formula Vee C’ship
FOR rounds four and five of the Selco.ie Formula Vee championship, drivers made their way north of the border once again but this time to the beautiful Bishopscourt racing circuit, reports Barry Gregg.
The series only gets to visit this venue once a year so it makes it a special weekend in the racing calander.
This year the good spell of weather continued and added to the weekend and it’s rare that you get to race in tempretures above 20 degrees in Ireland.
As with the previous round in Kirkistown the top three of Colm Blackburn, Gavin Buckley and Kieran Hannan would be looked on as favourites for the win.
That said Conor Melia as shown in Kirkistown has upped his pace and now has to be also factored into the leading group.
Qualifying came first however and it was closely fought.
With just two tenths of a second cover the first three and less than a second over the top four it gave a good indication of a close race was to come.
Blackburn took pole position from Buckley, but it was Melia in third with Hannan behind in fourth.
As the lights went out it was Buckley who got the better start and lead into turn one with Blackburn behind Hannan in third, Melia in fourth.
The circuit is the fastest in the coutry and is also a very flowing circuit with only a couple of overtaking opportunities so making an overtake means you have to fully commit to it at high speed.
At the end of the opening lap it was still the same four car group who had gapped the next group lead by Eamon Thornton.
It was close between the leading group all nose to tail but a mistake going ito the second chicane by the leader Buckley saw him loose control of the car and spin off into the grass on the exit.
He was lucky not to be collected by the Blackburn behind but he missed him and took the lead.
Buckley now dropped down to seventh but was still close enough to make up a few places but a podium or win was gone.
Up front Blackburn was now the hare with Melia and Hannan the hounds. He had a slight gap now and was helped with Hannan moving into second at turn one.
Niall O’Mara and Eamonn Thornton were locked in their own battle in the second group behind.
O’Mara moving into fourth on lap four and began his own charge towards the front three.
Buckley was hot on their heels though and was looking to make back as many places as he could.
By the end of the race he did and strong comeback drive earned him fourth place and saved a few more championship points.
This damage limitation could come into effect by the end of the year.
Two laps later second and third places were reversed and now Melia was closing in on leader Blackburn.
Blackburn was now being clever defending well in the areas Melia was quicker making him try the long outside lines in turns one and three.
He was quicker through the chicanes which helped him in the thight right hand bend at the end of the back straight which is where Melia’s best chance was to pass.
The former series champion was using all his experience against his less experienced rival.
Hannan was now back on the heels of Meila once again so any slip up from the front two he was there to capitalise.
The laps were running out though and they were closing in on the tailenders so passing opportunites were made harder.
Melia tried and tried but just couldnt find a way past. If Blackburn could hold of for the last lap the Ballyfermot man was on for another Formula Vee win at Bishopscourt.
He did and took the chequered flag just ahead of Melia and Hannan.
For the second race of the day they lined up on the grid just as the first race.
On paper after the first race it shaped up to be another thight race with Blackburn out to make it a double, Melia out to get his maiden national win, the same went for Hannan and Buckley needed to take a win to keep up his title defence.
It was a copy of the first start with Buckley heading the field into turn one with Blackburn behind in second.
Blackburn didn’t waste anytime and was in the lead by turn two and looked quicker than he did in race one and he began to pull away as they made their way up the back straight, through the two quick chicanes.
Buckley remained in second but Melia and Hanan were right behind.
A lovely move on the inside at the final chicane a lap later saw Hannan move up to third.
Blackburns opening lap advantage was now gone as the first four again were in their own group ahead of the field.
Buckley tried at urn one to take the lead but couldnt get by Melia the same but was successful in turn two and was back up to third.
This was already a great battle to watch and only two laps were done.
Thornton and O’Mara were now closing in also and it was close to a six car train as they started another lap but over the coming laps their own battle would drop them back from the front four but it still shows their pace is getting quicker and it won’t be long until they are heading the field also.
Up front Buckley made a great move on the outside of the very fast turn one to take the lead from Blackburn and he now made a break from it as the two men behind him scrapped it out.
Blackburn’s pace through the chicanes though brought him right up to Buckley and starting the next lap he tried to do what was done to him on the outside of turn one.
Buckley defended it but in Blackburn had the line for turn two and took the lead. Buckley then got a handful of oversteer allowing Melia through.
From first to third in one corner undoing all his hard work.
With a lap and a half to go Melia had work to do but would only get one chance to make a move for the lead.
Hannan was in the same boat to try and get third from Buckley. Blackburn knew it and defended well in turns one and two but Melia closed right in on the back section and would have to try at the final chicane or into the right hander after it.
He tried but his car went out of shape on the exit of the chicane loosing him the run into the right hander after it.
He held on to it well as it could have ended in disaster.
All Blackburn had to do was hold his line in the final corner, which he did and took the chequered flag and make it a double victory.
Buckley held off Hannan to take third and take some good points for the championship.
Two small mistakes and it could have been a double for him but you have to give credit to Blackburn.
He was fast, defended well and took his opportunities when they came to him.
Speaking afterwards the Dubliner was delighted to be back on the top step. “Thats was fun we struggled with the car the last while but thanks to Paul Heavey we got it sorted.
‘It’s to hard to try a do everything on your own so we got Paul on board to help and its worked. Two wins this weekend shows it and I’m looking for to Mondello now in a few weeks.”
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