Jason Black nominated for Billy Coleman Young Rally Driver award
20 year-old Armagh native Jason Black has been nominated for this year’s Motorsport Ireland Billy Coleman Young Rally Driver Award for his performances in May and June.
Jason drove his Toyota Starlet to victory in the Junior class of the Donegal International and Cavan Rallies, adding these to his victories in Mayo and Monaghan earlier in the year, and his second place in Kerry. He currently leads the Junior sections of both the Triton Showers National Championship and the Sligo Pallets Border series.
Aged 18, Jason won the Cavan Junior Autocross title in 2016, and he also began rallying that year, driving his father’s car in the Cavan Rally. He switched to his own newly built Starlet early last year, giving it a winning debut in Mayo. Jason finished 2017 as third placed Junior in both the National and Border Championships.
The highlight of his career to date has undoubtedly been his class win in his first attempt at June’s Donegal International, where he swapped places with a rival all through the final day, triumphing by less than two seconds after a ferocious duel all the way.
Jason will complete the remaining events in the Triton Showers and Sligo Pallets Championships, and must be one of the favourites to take the double, based on his performances so far. He also hopes to contest the Cork 20 International in late September, the final round of the Irish Tarmac series.
He works as a site supervisor in the family construction business, and his principal sponsors are Hilmark Homes, Bribar Construction, Cross Group, Digital Fire & Security, and Barry McKenna Agri. Jason is very grateful for the support of his father Brian and all of his family, as well as Gerry Buckley and MS Motorsport for car preparation and his regular co-drivers Jack McKenna and Karl Egan.
Five bi-monthly winners are selected from January-February, through to September-October, along with the highest placed eligible drivers from both the Junior Championship in the Triton Showers National series and the Junior category in the Valvoline National Forestry Championship, and a wildcard selection, as the award finalists.
The winner of the Motorsport Ireland Billy Coleman Young Rally Driver of the Year Award receives €50,000 worth of support to contest rallies nationally & internationally in 2019 along with the support of Billy Coleman co-ordinator, Sean McHugh, while the two runners-up will receive free entries into a number of MI permitted events in 2019, along with co-ordinator support.
(photo – Leslie McMullan)
