Kiernan gets Young Rally Driver of the Year nomination

Gary is pictured with his Ford Escort

Gary Kiernan has been nominated for this year’s Motorsport Ireland Billy Coleman Young Rally Driver Award for his performances in July and August, writes Richard Burke.

The 26 year-old from Bailieborough, Co Cavan, drove his Ford Escort to outright victory in the Imokilly Stages Rally in East Cork, and also won his class and finished fifth overall, behind a quartet of four-wheel-drive Supercars, in the Galway Summer Rally, a round of the Triton Showers National Championship.

Earlier in the year, Gary was the overall winner of the National section of the Galway International Rally and also took fifth place, with another class win, in the Cavan Stages Rally.

Gary began rallying in 2011, driving in his first events while still a student, and became a regular competitor two years later, winning the Border Championship outright, and taking his class in the National Rally Championship. In 2015, he took a class victory in the Border series and was class runner-up in the National points table.

He would like to tackle some Forestry Rallies next year, having enjoyed his recent outings in the final two rounds of the Valvoline National Forestry series, with a class win in the Lakeland Stages.

Gary has a degree in Agricultural Science from Dundalk Institute of Technology and works in the family farming business. His principal sponsors are Kiernan Milling, Failte Bar (Bailieborough), Fire Protection Ireland, Buddy Kiernan’s Pub (Granard), SMH Rallybitz (Keady), Gordon Automotive, IDS (Port Laoise), Westenra Arms Hotel/Spy Nightclub, CMC Motorsport, Hoosier Racing Tyres, Paul and Vincent Feeds (Edgeworthstown), Sean Brady Construction & Engineering (Cavan), X Trax Shocks and O’Brien Motors (Cootehill).

The winner of the Motorsport Ireland Billy Coleman Young Rally Driver of the Year Award receives €50,000 worth of support to contest stage rallies nationally & internationally in 2018 along with the support of Billy Coleman co-ordinator, Ger Healy, while the two runners-up will receive free entries into a number of MI permitted events in 2018, along with co-ordinator support.

Five bi-monthly winners are selected from January-February, through to September-October, along with the highest placed eligible drivers from both the Junior Championship in the Triton Showers National series and the Junior category in the Valvoline National Forestry Championship, and a wildcard selection, as the award finalists.