[rallypaddy]

Billy Coleman Award Qualifiers (in Alphabetical Order)


Brian O'Mahony

Colin O'Toole

Colin Flanagan

Gareth MacHale

Gordon Coleman

Graham Quinn

Ian Barrett

Keith Power

Keith McElhinney

Kenneth McHale

Kevin James Kelleher

Matt Shinnors

Mick Quinn

Peter Wilson

Seamus O'Grady


Who is going to the make the top three ?

 

[Tropsrotom]

Is this the definite list? I thought there were more that sent in entries???

Some deserving winners in there................but there are 2 that I would think that while they had results this year (and championships in fact) do they need the award given the backing they already have?

Not at all trying to be bitchy or be grudging, but shouldnt the award go to a young driver who has minimal backing now to perhaps allow them make a step up?

 

[fatboymotorsport]

peter wilson should get it this year there is a lot of lads on that list that dont have any problems finding money and dont need to win to help them along
any there is one name on it that definitly should not get it no matter how many rallies he has won :caution:

 

[Simkev]

I would have to agree, there's people on the list who can definetly drive without question and are lucky enough to have the machinery to showcase their talents, but more importantly have mountains of €€€ behind them!! The award should be looked upon as a scholarship or stepping stone to further the rallying career of the winner and I believe it would be of no benefit to the majority on the list!! Just another feather in their caps.... What about the genuine club man competitor that would actually value and cherish the award money to go rallying next year and actually has the talent to use it??

 

[Ben]

ahhh, stop bitching! there's more to the award than money. and anyway, why should you be discriminated against just because of your family background? there's a law against that you know. if they're good enough then they have a right to be on the list.

 

[fatboymotorsport]

there speaks a man that must have loads of money to rally and does'nt understand what the award would mean to someone who has'nt got money

 

[BR_1600 _8V]

Peter deserves backing, so does Colin. The idea of this award is to get a driver a bit of notice and help him along a bit with €€. Theres probably 4 or 5 pilots up there who have plenty of backing and dont need this.

One name missing up there is Barry Meade, his times in Cork 20 were up with 2nd fastest in National. Then again maybe he did not register.

 

[AnnieJ1]

Dont think Barry entered it!! He never mentioned it any way. He should have. I think wilson will get it, but i recon Colin O Toole or Seamus O Grady deserves it, the two have come on so well this year and stunned a lot of people with their ability and skills, best of luck to the both of them!!

 

[Simkev]

Well why don't M.I. and Ben set up another award for the millionaire drivers and call it "who has the best machinery and also needs self-reassurance awards 2005"

Seriously i'm only JOKING, but its like watching a millionaire win the lotto!! Sh*t Happens as they say!!!

 

[jonb]

I heard who had entered the weekend from one of the more deserving qualifiers. This is a hard one, they 2 guys been mentioned are fantastic drivers, are in a previliged situation to progress with in the sport.
The aim if the award is to promote young Irish talent to the bigger picture. Thus you are looking at trying to get someone to the pinnacle of the sport, ie Niall Mc Shea tried, Rory Galligan has progressed to the BRC with some success.
From the list I only can realistically see 4 guys who are perpared to go further afield than Ireland, and 2 of them are in the priviliged position, the other one of the 3 comes from a fantastic rally heritiage and the 4 th driver is not afriad of the loose.
I see 2 guys not on the list who I see as been prepared to go abroad and thats Owen Murphy and Daniel Barry.
The money is nice but a more rounded award like the scholarship been run by Robert Reid would possibly stand these guys better.

 

[Simkev]

Never a truer word said jonb, M.I should take a leaf out of the FFSA and MSA books and stop pricking around and help to develop world class Irish drivers cause we have alot of potentially great drivers here!

 

[mondy]

simkev are you of your trolley? one minute you're saying neither Gareth or Brian should get this award yet you want it to be given to a potentially great young driver, i dont quite understand what your problem is, these two young rally drivers have won championships this year, both in very competitive classes, are they then not deserving of an award? i think they have every right to be in with a shout of winning the billy coleman award after all it was the two boys who drove the cars , i've never yet seen a wad of cash behind the wheel of a rally car scorching down the stage!!! some people on here put too much effort into knocking drivers 'cause they have a few quid, they stil gotta drive the beast's you know and a lot of them do that rather well,RESPECT.

 

[mk2 escorts bust my balls]

i hope Brian O'Mahony wins it at least he might buy me a beer in finland again next year ps did u ever take that jelly

 

[Tropsrotom]

Originally posted by mondy
simkev are you of your trolley? one minute you're saying neither Gareth or Brian should get this award

I dont think anyone has singled out either of those nominees?

 

[Paul Grogan]

Colin O'Toole or Peter Wilson

 

[James O'Sullivan]

As far as I can see everyone on that list deserves to be on it.

Well done all and F* the begrudgers

 

[crspics.com]

Well said James.
Do people think that the amount of money to be won is so big you can rally for a year? It would help a lot of people but there is a name to it as well and if the best driver can win and progress further afield it reflects very positively on this country.
Yes loads of people on that list deserve to win it, but they also deserve to win it regardless of their family wealth.

Seamus

 

[Pat Condon]

the way i see it who cares how much money you have this is an award on driving merit not on bank balance, who from this list is going to promote irish rallying.

 

[anfearmor]

if thats the way ur going 2 look at it then gareth machale must b the winner he's going 2 b the driver on the list that goes the furthest. fair enough he has plenty of money behind him + the best machine but you have 2 b fit 2 drive it!!!

 

[fl/c]

It's a tough one, I wouldn't like to be making the decision, cos it'll be wrong no matter what.

The question is, would mcHale not be competing at a higher level if he really wanted to? At this stage I expect he is busy with business, with far more commitments than a young charger. Maybe thats why he went from 2 day rallys in England, to the Irish Forestry Championship (1 day rallys with no recce). And fair play for winning the Championship, but I expected him to win it, I mean lots of forestry under him and a Corolla WRC? It would have been a bigger ask to win the 206s when he was at it, and he didn't.

Can anyone realistically see Gareth trying to make it as a full time driver? Not me. One down.

You have to give it to someone young, with talent, willing to bust a gut to give it a go, willing to go to England and beat everyone. More than that, he has to be winning. If you are in an Evo and you are getting consistently beaten by other N4's, then you aren't good enough, you aren't going to make it. How many times was McRae beaten by a Nova when he was in a Nova? Whats talent if its not beating people you shouldn't? That rules out the most of them.

My three are O'Mahony, O'Toole and Wilson.

My two are O'Toole and Wilson, cos I think they are quicker than O'Mahony.

The winner? I know who I would prefer, but I have no idea who'll win it.