Irish WRC duo and their car are star guests at the MI Rally Academy J1000 Development Day at Mondello Park
There were 31 Junior 1000 competitors from the Motorsport Ireland Junior Rally Series and Forest Rally Championship taking part in the academy's latest development day with training workshops including driver, fitness, performance and equipment coaching.
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And as an added bonus M-Sport's Ford Puma Rally1 was in attendance too, but not just as a centre piece to be enjoyed.
Irish World Rally Championship duo Josh McErlean and Eoin Treacy were also at Mondello offering passenger runs in this amazing machine.
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WRC FUTURE STARS: WRC drivers Josh McErlean and Eoin Treacy with MI Rally Academy founder John Coyne plus drivers from the FIA Rally pyramid and J1000
Credit: Darren Liggett
I was invited along by Red Bull Ireland as both Josh and Eoin are athletes of the energy drink company, and I was one of the lucky punters who got to enjoy two very hot, but also very wet, laps around Mondello.
Also on track was a Hyundai i20 Rally2, usually seen in action with MI Rally Academy founder and patron John Coyne at the wheel.
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European Rally Championship contender Jon Armstrong did demonstration runs before academy members sampled Rally2 power on the slippery circuit.
While the excitement of seeing McErlean power-slide his WRC car around Mondello's rain-soaked track unsurprisingly stole the show, there were a host of special guests and visitors present at the venue.
The J1000 crews were joined by their friends and families as they rubbed shoulders with a host of media representatives, podcasters, influencers, Red Bull Ireland and national broadcaster RTE.
As J1000 rallying in Ireland continues to go from strength to strength, with both entries and competitiveness increasing, the development day was another key step in recognising its importance to and close relationship with the MI Rally Academy.
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LET LOOSE: M-Sport Ford Puma Rally1 car going sideways in the wet around Mondello
Credit: MI Rally Academy
So as well as showcasing J1000 and the MI Rally Academy's WRC crew of McErlean and Treacy, another highlight was the first time the FIA's complete Rally Pyramid was on display in Ireland at the same time.
Mondello was packed with Rally5 cars right up to the Rally1 Puma, and the teenage J1000 crews also got to bring their rally-specification hot-hatches to the event.
The event was held a couple of days after the two-year anniversary of the passing of WRC driver Craig Breen, who was a great supporter of the MI Rally Academy.
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So it was no surprise to see so many of the drivers all wearing 'Breenie' bobble hats in honour of their Irish rallying hero.
With academy members competing in Rally4, Rally3, Rally2 and Rally1 championships this year, cars in attendance included Craig Rahill's front-running Junior European Rally Championship Peugeot 208 Rally4 as well as Coyne's Hyundai i20 Rally2.
Coyne, who travelled over from his home in the USA for the special occasion, had been in action on the Moonraker Forest Rally four days earlier where he finished in 11th place.
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DREAM TEAM: WRC driver Josh McErlean and his co-pilot Eoin Treacy pictured with Motorsport Ireland members
Credit: MI Rally Academy
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The 1982 Irish Tarmac Rally champion also finished fourth in the 1982 Circuit of Ireland Rally, one minute behind WRC legend Henri Toivonen, and ahead of Billy Coleman, Hannu Mikkola and Ari Vatanen.
Coyne was also in action in the i20 Rally2 on the Circuit of Ireland over the weekend along with MI Rally Academy co-driver Killian McArdle.
And after Friday and Saturday's asphalt stages were complete they brought their i20 home in 18th.
Speaking afterwards, Coyne said: 'Happy with 18th overall, 10th RC2 on my first tarmac rally in six years. After a one-minute-20-second off on SS1 we dropped to 69th overall.
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'It took some time to gain confidence, but I'm happy that my pace improved steadily with our best stage result being 11th-fastest on SS10.'
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GENERATION GAME: WRC driver Josh McErlean with MI Rally Academy founder and patron John Coyne
Credit: MI Rally Academy
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Unregistered apprentice mechanic denied pay wins order for €5,000 in wages
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