Mondello Park is Ireland’s only international motorsport venue and recently JOE’s resident petrol head, Oisin Collins, headed down to Naas for a spin on the track.
Driving up to Mondello Park alone is a bit of a surreal experience. As I made my way through the back roads of Clane I started to notice the signs for Mondello International Race Circuit. This was when the nerves kicked in. I had assumed the track would be visible from about a mile off, however, that’s not the case. Before you know it the race park is right on top of you, as though it emerged from nowhere, leaving you feeling just that extra bit nervous.
I had a go at the Start Line Course which costs €225 and sees you taking to the track in a race spec Mazda 3 and a Formula Sheane single seater, but that’s not all you can do down at Mondello. You can take a ‘fast lap’ in the in-house Lola race car, practice your skills in the ‘skid car’, enjoy an off road experience, track days, drifting, the Motorsport museum, oh and there’s the odd professional race too during the year – in case spectating is more your thing.
The nerves continued to build when I finished getting rigged out in the racing gear – overalls and gloves included. Then, strangely, when the safety briefing started the nerves stopped. The safety briefing feels as if the headmaster was teaching the class, so you make sure to take everything in.
In fairness, within the few minutes of watching the safety video, it feels as though racing at speed around a race track (safely of course) would be second nature. I was somewhat disappointed when the instructional video said there wasn’t any point in swerving from side to side to try and heat up the tyres. Actually, I was majorly disappointed.
Firstly, you’ll set off in the Mazda 3, with your instructor at the wheel and if they’re anything like Fergus Brennan or Ken Elliot, the lads who showed me around on the day, then you’ll be in luck.
I had the pleasure of being instructed by Fergus in the Mazda, while Ken had the even greater pleasure of instructing Glenda Gilson (wasn’t he lucky) who also happened to be there on the day, filming for her TV3 show Glenda’s Toys for Big Boys.
You’d imagine your instructor would want you to take it handy for the duration of the time out on track, because, in fairness, they don’t know you from Jack. Not these lads though. Once I got the hang of the Mazda 3 Fergus was howling encouragement at me in a way I can only describe as a rally co-driver who’s only seconds away from winning a race – a major one.
But you know what, the shouty encouragement really helped. With the added self-esteem, you have no worries throwing the car into the corners and putting the foot to the floor just that little bit more.
After the Mazda 3 you go back to the briefing room for the low down on the single seaters. In reality, there’s not too much difference between a Formula Sheane car and a Mazda 3. They both have one wheel that steers, four that touch the ground and an engine that’s mightier than a jar of Wexford strawberry jam.
We were told that some drivers tend to stick to one side of the track, because they’re just so familiar with driving on the left of civilian roads. Then Ken told me something interesting after the briefing; it was that they have a little saying in Mondello, “you’re paying to use all of the track. So use it all!” Duly noted.
We all know what a Mazda 3 looks like and as for the Formula Sheane, think karting but on steroids – lots of them.
Formula Sheane: Like a kart on steroids
The one difference that does stick out, like a gear stick on the right hand side of a car, is the fact that the gear stick in the Formula Sheane is on the right hand side of the car. It’s a bit tricky to get used to at first, but after a lap or two you’re fine.
The first few laps you’re told to take handy, which I did, but once I knew roughly where the corners weere (and once I threw any last nerves out of the windowless cockpit) I was off.
For an extra few quid you can have the car’s ‘in-car-camera’ record your laps so you can review how you did and see how fast you were going around the track. That USB is well worth it.
All in all, it was one hell of an experience and it truly leaves you satisfied after the long enjoyable day is over. It’s just you and the engine against the elements and the other people who are on the track, of course.
But at the end of the day, they’re the competition, and it’s your job to beat them.
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