Burke Escorts home the National Autocross Title
Posted: December 21, 2015 9:14 AM
Walter Burke has won the 2015 5Star Catering National Loose Autocross Championship. The Galway garage owner put in a tour de force all year. Driving an Escort Mk2, he was always on the pace and he never put a foot wrong. As a result he achieved a maximum score with a clean sweep of eight class wins. In addition he was fastest saloon on his home autocross and runner up on four different occasions in the nine round series.
At the final round of the championship I caught up with Walter to ask him about life behind the wheel of an Escort in quarries.
"The Escort was more popular in autocross when I started competing in the late nineties. I always loved Escorts, and most of my motorsport has been competed in a Mark2.
I don't like front or four wheel drive, the Escort is much nicer to drive. I probably have done more autocrosses in an Escort than anyone. Mine is powered by a 2.1 Pinto engine and I think the torque of that unit is key in the quarries. It certainly works great in Ballycumber (Co.Offaly) my favourite quarry. In earlier years Ballysodare (Co.Sligo) was a fabulous pit for autocross. Sometimes we had quick men from the North like Paul Parkes and Ronnie Coulter racing there and naturally we used them as yardsticks. Some of my best results were obtained in Harrington's pit in Kilkelly (Co.Mayo) where I was overall winner on 3 occasions.
In the earlier years I did some forest and tarmac stage rallying-but I never really enjoyed it. I am at my best on tight technical stuff, all the better if it is slippery as well. You could say the autocross events suit me best. I am looking forward to defending my title-I can't promise I will do every round-but always like the events in the south and the friendly atmosphere that prevails." A very chuffed new National Champion explains.
Points After Round 9 (Final Round)
Posted: May 29, 2015 1:55 PM
Championship Rounds (Updated 29/4/15)
Posted: December 4, 2014 3:29 PM
- Clare - 24th May 15
- Munster* - 14th June 15 *New Round
- Midland - 28th June 15
- Skibbereen - 12th July 15
- Mayo* - 26th July 15 *Altered Date
- Wexford* - 16th August 15 *New Round & Altered Date
- Carlow - 30th August 15
- Galway* - 4th October 15 *New Round
- Birr - 14th November 15
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