13-year-old wonderkid sets his sights on winning this weekend’s Irish Drift Championship

Brought to you by Mondello Park. 

Irish teen driver sets sights on national championship.

When we were teenagers, our ambitions were limited to not embarrassing ourselves at school and waking up without any new spots. Yet one Irish 13-year-old will be aiming for a national title when he competes in the Irish Drift Championship in Mondello Park this weekend. Conor Shanahan may not be old enough to get a driving licence but he’s already notched up some notable scalps in his driving career, including beating Richard Hammond on the track in the new Amazon series The Grand Tour. If the name sounds familiar, you may remember that we previously covered his exploits when he was just eleven. We’re suddenly feeling very old and decrepit… 5000 screaming fans will watch him drift around corners at over 110 kilometres per hour this weekend. It will also be a family occasion, with his older brother Jack also competing for the same title. Jack’s a relative veteran at just 16 years of age and he's also the reigning British Drift Champion. Seriously, we’re really feeling our age now. Drifting may have started out as an illegal street sport but it’s since become a professional regulated sport. It may now be legal but it remains just as exciting as ever. Irish drivers become a formidable force in the sport. Aside from the Shanahan brothers, Corkonian James Deane is currently leading the US in the Formula Drift Championship and he is a five times European title holder. Irish drivers have established themselves as leading players in the drift game, with a 13-year unbeaten streak on home soil. With stars like the Shanahan brothers coming through and Deane returning to the sport after an extended break, this impressive record looks to be in good hands. The Irish Drift Championship returns to Mondello Park this Sunday, April 23rd with new rules, new drivers and plenty of action on and off track. Tickets are on sale online at €21 for adults, €10 for 12-16’s and u12’s free! For more information check out the website. Brought to you by Mondello Park.