Formula Vee festival for Brands Hatch

The famous Brands Hatch circuit in Kent, which has hosted European and British Grands Prix as well as major sports car and other…

The famous Brands Hatch circuit in Kent, which has hosted European and British Grands Prix as well as major sports car and other international races, will effectively be coloured green this weekend.

No fewer than 34 Irish drivers compete in the Formula Vee Festival - all driving Irish-built Sheane (26) and Leastone (7) Volkswagen 1,600-powered cars. The odd man out is Richard Harrison, who is driving a British Scarab.

The two-day festival celebrates the 30th Anniversary of Formula Vee racing in Britain, which includes three Irish championship rounds, a German Formula Vee race and an International Vee race.

In all there will be over 100 of these very competitive low budget single-seater racing cars in action.

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The Castrol/Brief Couriers entry is headed by championship leader and double Phoenix Park winner Brian Hearty (Dundalk) and reigning British Champion Ray Moore (Dublin). Paul Newport and Gerry O'Reilly (Kells), Fergal Begley (Dundalk), Pauric Owens (Navan), John O'Hara (Naas), Matt Dunne (Artane), Brian Melia (Athenry), Frank Byrnes (Oranmore), Andy Kavanagh (Castleknock) and Ned Dickenson (Wicklow) are just some of the Irish drivers expected to do well.

Michael Cullen, five times Irish saloon racing champion, races at Silverstone on Sunday in Round five of the European Group N Championship. The 32-year-old Dublin driver has been invited by the German works Opel Team, `Works Muhlner Motor Sports' to drive their second car, alongside their regular French driver, Eric Neve.

Cullen is confident of a good result in his third drive in this series.