Byrne, driving a Formula 1 Hesketh once raced by 1976 World Champion James Hunt, has been out of racing for decades, but has recently made a comeback and although hampered by a shortage of fresh tyres, managed to finish within six seconds of Lyons in the opening race, and ten seconds in the later outing.
Meath driver Dan Daly was third in both races, despite his Ralt having an engine less than half the size of that fitted to Lyons’ car, with the V8 McLaren of Alain Girardet fourth each time.
The biggest Mondello crowd for a long time cheered Ireland’s Ladies Hockey team member Nicci Daly on her way to seventh place in the Future Classics race, only her second motor race ever.
Second place for Monaghan’s Josh Moffett in the John Mulholland Motors Ulster Rally based in Antrim gives him the lead in the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship with just one round to come, at the end of September.
(Above image by Mark Ashby of Tommy Byrne competing at Mondello on Sunday 19th August).
