2004-06-15 // Eoin Murray is young racing driver of the month for May
Young Racing Driver of the Year for 2003, Eoin Murray has been selected as this month’s young driver, joining April’s winner Charlie Donnelly. 21 year old Eoin from Firhouse in Dublin is now in with a chance of repeating his win of last year to scoop the Dunlop Sexton Young Racing Driver of the Year award which carries with it a first prize of €32,000. Eoin was also a finalist for the same award in 2002. joins charlie

Eoin has been voted for this award following his performances in the European Alfa Challenge where in Magny-Cours, France he went from 12th on the grid to finish in 2nd place and also claimed fastest lap. Murray then went on to race in Hockenheim where he crashed out of round 7 but came back from a starting position in round 8 of 21st on the grid to take 3rd place on the podium at the finish. Eoin is widely acknowledged to be one of the most talented young racing drivers in the country.

“The Young Racing Driver of the Year” scheme has been created by Motorsport Ireland and is being backed by The Irish Sports Council and Irish Dunlop. The scheme complements Motorsport Ireland’s Billy Coleman Award, which is a similar venture for young aspiring rally drivers. It too is backed by the Irish Sports Council and the rallying clubs.

The scheme has been devised to encourage the development of Ireland’s best young racing drivers. Six finalists will be announced on a monthly basis. These six will go to a judging process out of which three will be selected to compete in a Skills Test due to take place at Mondello Park at the beginning of November.

In all, three of the six young drivers selected will win packages of financial support. The overall winner will be presented with the Dunlop Sexton Trophy and a prize worth €32,000 at the Alfa Romeo sponsored “Awards for Excellence in Irish Motorsport” lunch which will take place in December.