Kilkenny driver has been nominated for the Young Rally Driver of the Year Award

Up-and-coming Kilkenny rally driver Jack Brennan has secured a nomination for the Billy Coleman Young Rally Driver of the Year Award for the second year in a row.

The 19-year-old from Mooncoin secured his nomination after taking Class 5 honours in the Motorsport Ireland Junior Rally Series in his Renault Clio Rally 5.

Since the conclusion of that championship, he upgraded to a Peugeot 208 Rally 4 and raised eyebrows with a standout performance on the recent Cambrian Rally.

The  Wales-based rally was the final round of the Junior British Rally Championship and despite not being registered he outpaced all of the main championship contenders to win the Rally 4 class outright and finish fifth overall behind a host of much more powerful four-wheel-drive machinery in what was just his second rally at that level.

He said: “I am absolutely delighted to be nominated for the second year in a row.

“It is great to be nominated for such a prestigious award. It is the highest-ranked award in Irish rallying and when you look at the calibre of drivers that have won it before. The likes of Craig Breen Robert Barrable, Sean Gallagher, and Keith Cronin, it is amazing to be put in amongst them all of them drivers”.

“It means the world to us. I would like to thank all army sponsors and NC Rallysport for having such a competitive car ready for us to just jump into all year”

“And to John McGrath for keeping me under control all year. He is definitely bringing all his experience to the car”

“I would never have the results without John. Thanks to all mentors and all the other people who helped – delighted to be nominated for this award and I can’t wait to see what 2024 brings. Good luck too to all the other nominees.”

The winner of the Motorsport Ireland Billy Coleman Young Rally Driver of the Year Award will receive €100,000 worth of support to contest rallies nationally and internationally in 2024. Coupled with Sport Ireland and Motorsport Ireland’s €50,000 investment, a further €50,000 has been pledged by the Team Ireland Foundation.