The Formula Vee's had 2 races at the Centenary Park Races, one on each day. They weren't as fast as the Formula 1 Ferrari, however they were as exciting for the large crord. Qualifying decided the grid for the 1st race, with that result deciding Sunday's grid.
Ken Elliott and Paul Heavey occupied the front row in a pair of Leastone's ahead of the Sheane's of Declan Quigley and Robbie Parkes for Saturday's 8-lap race. Several crashes in the 1st corner caused the race to be red flagged. A lot of midfield runners ran into each other and the car of Finbar Murray ended up on its roof. Murray was ok but out of the race. There was a 5-lap restart.
Elliott who had originally had a bad start got a much better getaway 2nd time round and led for the 1st lap from Quigley and Heavey. The pair passed him on lap 3 as they used the long straights to draught past out of the slipstream. The leading trio were pulling away from Parkes and Garry Newsome behind. There was a further gap to Brian Kelly. Ex champion Brian Hearty who had technical trouble in qualifying was working his was up through the field.
Heavey and Elliott passed Quigley on lap 3. The pair then swapped the lead on each corner for several laps. Quigley spun at Dublin and beached his car on the grass verge falling to last. Parkes was promoted to 3rd with Newsome right on his gearbox looking for the final podium position. There was a gap to Antoin Cahill who was coming under pressure from Hearty.
Heavey led into the last lap, but ran wide at Dublin having left his breaking late, Elliott nipped through once again, however Heavey was not to be out foxed. He got better drive on the back straight and was able to squeeze through at (Mountjoy) the final corner to take the win from team-mate Elliott Parkes held off Newsome to claim 3rd place.
The win by Heavey left him on pole for the 8-lap race on Sunday morning. Elliott beside him had a poor start and into the 1st corner the order was Heavey, Parkes, Newsome, with Elliott and Cahill bunched behind them. The field made it safely round the opening lap intact. Elliott had made his way up to 3rd as they started lap 2. He then pulled off the move of the weekend by overtaking the 2 leaders on the straight. His car twisting sideways as his wheels locked under the hard braking, Elliott somehow turned into and around Dublin corner as the large crowd roared it's approval
The leading trio was joined by Hearty midrace. He had broken from the pack, which was headed by Cahill and Newsome. He passed Parkes on the straight to move into 3rd. The ex Champion then started to pressurize Heavey for 2nd place. This was exactly what Elliott needed. He pulled a gap while Heavey had to watch his mirrors and defend. Hearty was denied a good result when his car packed up on the final lap.
Elliott held on to take his first win at the Phoenix Park Races from Heavey with Parkes making the podium for the 2nd day running.
WEEKENDS RESULTS
| | |
|---|
| 1 | Paul Heavey | Leastone |
| 2 | Ken Elliott | Leastone |
| 3 | Robbie Parkes | Sheane |
| 4 | Garry Newsome | Sheane |
| 5 | Brian Hearty | Sheane |
| 6 | Antoin Cahill | Sheane |
| Lap | Brian Hearty | |
|
| | |
|---|
| 1 | Ken Elliott | Leastone |
| 2 | Paul Heavey | Leastone |
| 3 | Robbie Parkes | Sheane |
| 4 | Garry Newsome | Sheane |
| 5 | Antoin Cahill | Sheane |
| 6 | Declan Quigley | Sheane |
| Lap | Brian Hearty | 1-23.44 |
|
| | |
|---|
| 1 | Jackie Cochrane | Sunbeam Tiger |
| 2 | Richard O Mahony | Porsche 911 |
| 3 | Maurice Cassidy | MGB GT V8 |
| 4 | Edmund Cassidy | Sunbeam Tiger |
| 5 | Ciaran Molumby | Porsche 911 |
| 6 | Alan Kessie | Porsche 911 |
| Lap | Jim O Reilly | 1-19.37 |
|
| | |
|---|
| 1 | Jim O Reilly | Porsche 911 |
| 2 | Michael Doyle | TVR Tuscan |
| 3 | Maurice Cassidy | MGB GT V8 |
| 4 | Richard O Mahony | Porsche 911 |
| 5 | Edmund Cassidy | Sunbeam Tiger |
| 6 | Ciaran Molumby | Porsche 911 |
| Lap | Jim O Reilly | 1-21.46 |
|
| | |
|---|
| 1 | Stan Faulkner | Punto |
| 2 | PJ Lawlor | Punto |
| 3 | Liam Rabbit | Punto |
| 4 | Richard Kearney | Punto |
| 5 | Jenny Kellett | Punto |
| 6 | Jennifer Daniel | Punto |
| Lap | Stan Faulkner | 1-29.86 |
|
| | |
|---|
| 1 | Liam Rabbit | Punto |
| 2 | Richard Kearney | Punto |
| 3 | Jenny Kellett | Punto |
| 4 | PJ Lawlor | Punto |
| 5 | David Pratt | Punto |
| 6 | Aldo Marini | Punto |
| Lap | Liam Rabbit | 1-30.30 |
|
| | |
|---|
| 1 | Tom Mc Kinney | |
| 2 | John Bladon | Merlyn Mk9 FF |
| 3 | Robin Longdon | Lola 5A F |
| 4 | Chris Ball | Brabham F2 |
| 5 | Robert Saunders | March 708 FF |
| 6 | Jeremy Stock | Jamun T2 FF |
| Lap | Chris Ball | 1-20.16 |
|
| | |
|---|
| 1 | Geof Mc Conville | Crossle |
| 2 | PJ Fallon | Crossle |
| 3 | Killian Whelan | Crossle |
| 4 | Richard Parsons | Crossle |
| 5 | Ivor Millar | Global |
| 6 | Frank Cassidy | Stryker |
| Lap | Arnie Black | 1-12.51 |
|
| | |
|---|
| 1 | Ray Moore | Crossle |
| 2 | | Crossle |
| 3 | | Crossle |
| 4 | | Crossle |
| 5 | | |
| 6 | | |
| Lap | | |
|
| | |
|---|
| 1 | Brian Hearty | Sheane |
| 2 | Matt Dunne | Sheane |
| 3 | Enda o Connor | Sheane |
| 4 | Breen White | Sheane |
| 5 | Dermot Doherty | Sheane |
| 6 | Jimmy Lyons | Sheane |
| Lap | Breen White | 1-16.36 |
|
| | |
|---|
| 1 | Joey Freeburn | Abarth |
| 2 | Karl Lenoard | Abarth |
| 3 | Bob Copeland | Abarth |
| 4 | Bill Griffin | Abarth |
| 5 | Gordon Kellett | Abarth |
| 6 | Paul Molloy | Abarth |
| Lap | Karl Lenoard | 1-24.61 |
|
| | |
|---|
| 1 | Bill Griffin | Abarth |
| 2 | Karl Lenoard | Abarth |
| 3 | Liam Denning | Abarth |
| 4 | Quentin Smith | Abarth |
| 5 | Stan Faulkner | Abarth |
| 6 | Clive Pratt | Abarth |
| Lap | Clive Pratt | 1-24.58 |
|
