Tipperary racing driver Nicole Drought gets the year off to a great start

Nicole Drought started her IRX Irish Open Clubman Rally Championship title defence in the best possible manner with a double win at rounds one and two of the 2024 series at Mondello Park at the weekend.

Her Joe Mallon Motors Renault Clio took a dominant win on the opening round on Saturday and was even more impressive on Sunday, winning all three heats and the final, as the Roscrea woman left the Kildare venue with a healthy lead in the championship.

There was no time for celebrations, though, as Nicole, the country's top female racing driver, was on a red eye flight to Donington Park on Monday morning to test the EBC Brakes-backed Honda Civic which she will race in the MSVR Trackday Trophy and Trackday Championship series. This was also her first time to meet the Motion Motorsport team, who will run the car at all races in 2024. 

Nicole said, "We are concentrating on the UK programme this year and the decision to enter the IRX last weekend was a late one. POB Racing did a superb job preparing the car, and as ever it handled really well. To come away with two wins was a great start to my 2024 season, so we will definitely do the other rounds now. Happily, none of them clash with my UK MSVR dates!

"Monday was great- I like Donington Park and the guys from Motion Motorsport are really good. We tested lots of different set-ups and we were right on the pace by the end of the day. We have a few more test days before the season starts and I think we can probably find more pace too".