Mondello Park, Ireland's only proper race track, is planning to reopen for racing, in line with Government guidelines, on the 20th of July.
Testing weekend
However, with all racing drivers and teams having been doing little other than kicking their heels since March, the track reckons that those planning to compete at the end of July might need a little time to knock off the rust first. So, the circuit is going to - for the first time ever - hold an open testing weekend on the 4th and 5th of July.
€200 for a full day
Competitors interested in honing afresh their skills can simply roll up, pay €200 for a full day on either the Saturday or the Sunday, or €100 for a half-day, and start lapping. Saturday the 4th will be for Saloon and Sports Cars only and the day will cater for closed wheel cars from all forms of motorsport including Circuit Racing, Rallying, Rallycross and Hillclimbs. Sunday's sessions will be for open-wheel cars with all classes of single-seater welcome.
Cars grouped by laptime
On both days numbers will be restricted and sessions will be split by lap times to keep cars of similar speed together. With the reduced numbers and less need to segregate different classes of car, track time per driver will be maximised, thereby offering extremely cost-effective testing mileage.
Drivers can book their space on the July 4th and 5th test weekend by contacting Mondello Park on 045-860200 or going to the Mondello Park website.
Later in the month, proper racing will return, albeit without spectators, and with numerous rules and restrictions in place regarding how the paddock and pitlane, the various garages, and even the toilets are accessed. Hopefully, soon we can all get back down there and start enjoying racing again.