The Billy Coleman Award - for the Young Rally Driver of the Year(View Previous Winners)
The 2011 Winner of the Billy Coleman Award for the Young Rally Driver of the Year is Monaghan’s Sam Moffett.
Sam showed his class as one of Ireland’s up-and-coming young rally drivers in 2011. The 21-year-old from Clontibret in Monaghan won the Group N section of the Dunlop National Rally Championship, finishing second overall, and also finished third in Group N of the Irish Tarmac Championship.
The other two TOP THREE FINALISTS for the award were:
Daniel McKenna
Douglas Stewart
Daniel McKenna, who also hails from Monaghan, was one of the fastest on the roads in 2011. McKenna’s best performance this year came at the Carlow Stages Rally, where he finished third overall behind Championship winner Tim McNulty and Robert Barrable, while also winning the Escort Mark 2 Challenge at the event. The 24-year-old also set the second fastest time on the first stage of the Donegal International Rally during the summer.
Douglas Stewart, from Dublin, spent most of his season competing on gravel across Ireland. The 26-year-old’s best result came at the Moonraker Forestry Rally in April where he finished 17th overall and first in his class.
The other contenders for the award were:
Gerard McQuaid, from Monaghan
Derek Butler, from Cork
John Doogan, from Monaghan
Vincent McAree, from Monaghan
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YOUNG RALLY DRIVER OF THE YEAR
The Selection Panel for the Billy Coleman Award will meet on Thursday 17 November to interview the seven candidates for the title of Motorsport Ireland Young Rally Driver of the Year 2011.
The drivers who have qualified for the interview stage are:
Gerard McQuaid, Glaslough, Co Monaghan (Highest Placed Junior driver overall in Dunlop National Rally Championship)
Derek Butler, Mallow, Co Cork (Highest Placed Junior driver overall in National Forest Rally Championship)
Douglas Stewart, Churchtown, Dublin (2nd Junior driver overall in National Forest Rally Championship)
John Doogan, Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan (Winner of Junior Category of Dunlop National Rally Championship)
Vincent McAree, Ballinode, Co Monaghan (Wildcard)
Sam Moffett, Clontibret, Co Monaghan (Wildcard)
Daniel McKenna, Clones, Co Monaghan (Wildcard)
The Billy Coleman Award is presented annually to the most outstanding young Rally driver during the current year. The award consists of a support package for Rally competition in 2012 to the value of €50,000.
Funding for the award is provided jointly by Motorsport Ireland, its affiliated clubs, and the Irish Sports Council.
The formal presentation of awards to the Champions of Irish Motorsport will take place at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Santry, Dublin on Tuesday 6 December 2011.