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Round two of the Cento Challenge was again a TDC event, their Multi Venue Autotest at Mondello Park on January 16th. All of the Cento regulars were there, bar ASK racing team boss Alan Kessie, who was holidaying in France but the team was well represented nonetheless! Alan's father Willie, a former top Midget car racer from a few years back(!) had acquired one of the team cars for the weekend and his grandaughter Megan was also on the 15 strong entry list. Donedeal.ie would appear to be completely stripped of Cento Sportings lately as the word spreads about the TDC and their fantastic events! ASK Racing may well be responsible for this shortage as they have purchased a number of Centos which are currently being built into rental cars. Two or three more cars were purchased in the days leading up to the event but entries were oversubscribed by that stage! Round one winner Simon McKinley posted notice of his intentions by going quickest on the first test but it looked like he might not enjoy total domination as the Courtenays Joe and Aidan were not too far away with Porsche racer Philip Jones right in there too. Jones in particular was in spectacular form, flinging the little Cinquecento, rented for the day, around with vigour and judging by the size of the grin on his face was thoroughly enjoying it too. Simon was well in control though and at the end of the day had a comfortable margin at the front, despite the car cutting out on a number of occasions. He therefore claimed the now traditional Cento prize of a pint and a packet of King Crisps! Joe Courtenay was second, just ahead of Aidan in third. And what of Jones the Entertainer? Well I was cruising down the ambulance road on the second lap and I saw Ed Griffin from Mondello's Track team (thanks guys!) waving a yellow flag. The absolute dog of a car I was driving (excuse number 341!!) wasn't that quick so I kept it lit anyway (I jest, in case any officials might be reading this!) and when I got to the finish there was Philip in a 3 wheeled Cento, minus his rear bumper. I have to admit I couldn't supress a giggle......well ok then more of a guffaw, when I got out!! It appeared a bolt had sheared sending one of Turin's finest 13" alloy rims flying in the direction of Prosperous! (if found, please return to ASK racing by the way!) but a spare wheel and a couple of new bolts later, he was back in the thick of the action! Before anyone else points it out, I might as well state that Philip recorded an identical time on that test as I did, despite my extra wheel! I did of course, slow to a crawl when I spotted that yellow flag so maybe that explains it!! Newbies to the Centos this time out were Formula Fordster Peter Barrable and Formula Vee veteran Robbie Parks, expect to see both out again. As for the Kessie's, well 16 year old Megan did a great job fighting off her Grandad, who vows to repay the favour next time out! Speaking of which, round three of the Cento Challenge is the ALMC Endurance Trial on Feb 19th, anyone know what a tulip is?!
Until the next time.......

Leo Nulty

Cento Challenge Points Standings After Two Rounds:

1. Simon McKinley 50

2. Joe Courtney 47

3. Aidan Courtney  45

= Leo Nulty        45

5. Rory Stevens 40

6. Barry Smith  38

7. Nigel Bryson  33

8. Vinnie O’Reilly   32

9. Philip Jones    22

10. Alan Kessie   21

11. Peter Barrable  18

12. Robbie Parks   17

13. Deirdre Delaney 16

14. Richard Bell    15

15. Dermot Nolan   13

16. Megan Kessie   12

17. Willie Kessie  11

The first appearance of the long awaited Cento Challenge was at the TDC’s excellently run Multi venue Autotest at Mondello Park on New Years Day. The brainchild of hillclimbers Dermot Nolan and Simon McKinley, the cars are bog standard Fiat Cinquecento or Seicento Sporting variants running the 1108cc 54bhp engine!

Twelve drivers turned up, led by current Irish Hillclimb Champion Simon McKinley in his caged Cinquecento which he now uses as his everyday car, double driving with girlfriend Deirdre Delaney. ASK Racing boss Alan Kessie was sharing his newly built car with daughter Megan, a regular in the new Ginetta Junior series, whilst Porsche racer Philip Jones, Uno hillclimb regular Nigel Bryson and Radical Turbo hillclimb driver Rory Stephens were also on the list. Mondello commentator Leo Nulty was also in the mix, having purchased his ’98 Seicento very late the night before the event!  The Courtenay brothers, Joe and Aidan had borrowed Dermot Nolan’s Seicento as he was away, whilst Historic regulars VX O’Reilly and Barry Smith were also making their Cento debuts. There were more than a few raised eyebrows as the cars were unloaded from the ASK racing 40foot transporter on the main straight!

It soon turned out that the little Fiats were a lot more competitive than originally anticipated, with McKinley in particular well up the order after the first runs. The tests were fantastic, with lots of third gear action, and the drivers soon discovered that the Centos oversteer quite a lot on the limit, especially going the wrong way round turn three and going through Tarzan one and two!! The handbrakes were not particularly good on most of the Centos but the drivers reckoned the lift off oversteer almost made up for this! By the end of the second run Simon McKinley was well clear with Nulty in second and Philip Jones in third. On the third and final run, McKinley and Nulty were separated by only a second over the four tests but Simon had done enough earlier and was first Cento home and a respectable twenty first overall too! Leo Nulty was second whilst Joe Courtney just beat brother Aidan for third place. All the Centos made it to the finish with no problems and the drivers were unanimous in their praise for the TDC in their running of such an enjoyable event. Expect to see even more Centos at Mondello on the 30^th of Januaryfor Ronnie’s Multi Venue event!

Leo Nulty