Hone nominated for Young Rally Driver of the Year

Jordan Hone with his father and co-driver Paul.

Jordan Hone 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 22 year old from Claudy, Co Derry, drove his Opel Adam to victory in the Junior class of the Jim Walsh Cork Forest Rally, taking 13th place overall. He also scored a class win in the Ulster International Rally three weeks later.

Earlier in the year, Jordan finished as runner up in the Junior section of the Donegal International Rally, less than two seconds behind the eventual winner after swapping places all day. He also took a Junior win in the Carlow Mini Stages Rally.

Jordan began rallying in 2013 at the age of 17, scoring a class win in his first ever event, and going on to take his class in the Northern Ireland Rally Championship. He was NI Junior Rally champion the following year, and won the Group N Production class in the Valvoline National Forestry series in 2017. He hopes to contest the British Rally Championship next year, as well as possibly some European events.

Jordan is in the final year of a Masters’ degree in Mechanical Engineering at Queen’s University, Belfast. His sponsors are Premier Car Parts (Derry), Rallyhire (Belfast) and TOC Utilities (Dungiven). He paid tribute to all the support he has had from his family and friends, particularly from his father and co-driver Paul Hone, Raymond and Matthew Mason of Rallyhire for their car preparation, and Aileen Kelly, who co-drove him in the Donegal International.

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.

The winner of the Motorsport Ireland Billy Coleman Young Rally Driver of the Year Award receives €50,000 worth of support to contest rallies nationally & internationally in 2019 along with the support of Billy Coleman co-ordinator, Sean McHugh, while the two runners-up will receive free entries into a number of MI permitted events in 2019, along with co-ordinator support.

Jordan Hone in action. Graham Service Photography.