IrishJuniorRallying
Some pic's of the lads
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Fact file Name: Jonathan Cunningham
Age: 26
Hometown: Claregalway, County Galway
Occupation: Shell Fabricator / Mechanic, M-Sport
Driver or Navigator: Driver
Car: Ford Fiesta ST (UK) / Honda Civic (Ireland)
Motor Club: Galway motor club
Hobbies: Mountain biking, running (Marathon), swimming, fitness training, partaking in
Triathlons in my Ireland and the UK
Sponsors: Cunningham MotorSport, Healy Plant Hire, Galway Carbon, All weather covers.ie
Question Time
Q1. How did you get started in rallying?
I have always had interest in Rallying which I picked up through my Father and Uncles from
a very young age
Q2. First event you competed on?
Banna Beach Stages 2008
Q3. How many rallies do you compete in during a year?
Generally eight, (Sponsorship dependant)
Q4. Favourite rally car?
Focus WRC, MK2 Escort, very hard to make a choice between these two fantastic cars!
Q5. Favourite rally driver?
Eugene Donnelly
Q6. What sort of pace notes do you use and anything they could do to improve them?
Patterson’s pace notes in the format of 1 fastest and 6 slowest
Q7. One thing you would change in Irish Rallying?
More TV/Press coverage to help promote the Junior’s, as they are the up and coming
drivers. This could help them to gain sponsorship, as the general overall costs of Rallying
are high.
Q8. Most memorial moment in Rallying?
When crossing the finish line at the TT grand stand in the Isle of Man, knowing that I had
won the Fiesta Challenge Championship
Q9. The moment you would most like to forget in rallying?
Having a big off in Clare Rally 2009, whilst leading the Junior’s
Q10. If you had €50,000 to spend on rallying, what would you do?
I would spend the money on competing in the Irish and UK Fiesta Championship, whilst
driving a R2 Fiesta, and to also Promote myself through Ireland and the UK, whilst hoping to
also gain some sponsorship
Q11. Who in your opinion is the best young Irish driver at the moment?
Keith Cronin
Q12. What would be the best tip you could give to competitors starting out in rallying?
Start out in the Junior rallies, using a lesser expensive car, it would be a huge help to have
an experienced Navigator
Q13. Your favourite stage you competed on?
Ireland - Carragh Lake, Killarney
UK – Grizedale Forestry
Q14. Who in rallying has influenced you most to date?
My Father – Martin Cunningham, my Brothers – Martin & Patrick Cunningham, and my
Uncles – John Healy, Frank Cunningham, Ray Cunningham
Q15. After 1 year with the new Hans equipment what is your opinion of the safety device?
After having a big off, I did not suffer any neck pain. They are however somewhat
uncomfortable to wear at the beginning, they just need some getting used to. However, the
cost associated to the Hans is too high, especially for Junior starting out.
Q16. What tyre manufacture do you use and why? (Driver only)
Ireland – I generally use the BF Goodrich tyres on the Honda civic, as they are slow wearing
and have the best corning grip
UK – While competing in the Fiesta Challenge this is run using a controlled tyre, which is
Pirelli
