Award nomination for young virginia driver

Virginia's Chris Armstrong has been nominated for this year’s Motorsport Ireland Billy Coleman Young Rally Driver Award for his performances in September and October.

The 24 year-old drove his 2 litre Ford Escort to an outright win in the GSMC Rally, backed up by second place in class in the two day Wexford Rally and a class third in Clare. Earlier in the year, he scored top six finishes in Midland and Carrick-on-Suir.

Chris began rallying in 2009, and improved steadily to score his first overall win in the 2013 Midland Rally at Roscommon.

He intends to finish the year with an outing in the Killarney Historic event in December, and would like to contest rounds of the National Championship next year, as well as possible appearances in the Circuit of Ireland and Donegal Internationals.

Chris is in the final year of an apprenticeship in mechanical and maintenance technology with Dublin Aerospace.

His principal sponsors are Wilton Waste Recycling, Leo Forde Water Services, Dunshaughlin, CA Event Hire, Millbrook Motors (Oldcastle), Corneen Motorsport Engines, Crozier Motorsport, SMH Rallybitz, and Valerie’s Clothes Care.

The winner of the Motorsport Ireland Billy Coleman Young Rally Driver of the Year Award receives €50,000 worth of support to contest stage rallies nationally and internationally in 2015 along with the support of Billy Coleman co-ordinator, Tom Walsh, while the two runners-up will receive free entries into a number of MI permitted events in 2015, along with co-ordinator support.

Five bi-monthly winners are selected from January-February, through to September-October, joined by the winner of the Junior Championship in the Dunlop National series, the winner of the Junior class in the Valvoline National Forestry Championship, and a wildcard selection, as the award finalists.