The 2019 Mondello Park Historic Festival attracted an impressive turn-out of Mini's of all ages to celebrated sixty years of the ground-breaking British car.
The festival also included Car and Motorcycle Racing, as well as Historic Race Car demonstrations, music, food and entertainment, with the retro feel added to by the circuit staff and many, show visitors opting to dress in fifties and sixties style.
With visiting UK and local Irish cars making up the Mini grid, the field was filled with quality and provided some excellent racing despite the weather.
Multiple British Champion Jonathan Lewis led race one initially but was strongly challenged by Steve Griffin in Wolseley Hornet. As the race reached half distance Kavanagh was the fastest car on track and having caught the lead group he passed all three of them in one go to take the lead. The weather then began to worsen but Kavanagh continued to push hard as he built a lead over Lewis. When the results were counted back it was Lewis who took the win from Griffin and Michael Cullen.
Ray Cunningham from Galway sat on pole position for race two and pulled away from the field in an impressive display of wet weather driving as Lewis began to suffer handling problems and this allowed Griffin into second with Kavanagh up from the back of the grid to once again to challenge at the front. As Griffin and Kavanagh battled, Cunningham disappeared up the road eventually winning by more than eleven seconds.
Early show visitors were treated to the sight and sound of the Ex Derek Daly March 811 Formula One car on track during its morning run, but the afternoon session, where it was to be joined by cars from the Martin Birrane Collection.