Blog13 April 2016

Chris Ingram seals second place at Circuit of Ireland debut

Andrews Heat for Hire’s return to rallying coincided with sponsored driver Chris Ingram securing a place on the podium at his maiden run in the Circuit of Ireland.

Despite a challenging first day that involved driving an unfamiliar Opel Adam R2 on slippery surfaces, Chris and new codriver Kat Becker achieved the fastest times on each stage on day two – a dramatic turnaround that ultimately helped the pair finish just a few seconds behind the eventual winner.

Following the race, Chris reflected: “It’s a dream start to this new chapter! It was another fantastic Circuit of Ireland Rally, some of the best tarmac stages I’ve ever driven, made even more challenging with such changeable weather conditions.

“I would like to thank my title partners for the event – Andrews Heat for Hire, the Opel Motorsport team, Kat for doing a great job under pressure and everyone who has supported and encouraged us on the way to this result. Bring on the Azores!”

Naturally, everyone at the company is delighted to see Chris perform so well on his Junior European Rally Championship debut, and we hope the second round in Portugal proves to be just as successful!

Following a 25-year absence from motor sport, Andrews Heat for Hire agreed to sponsor Chris in the lead-up to the event in April. And it’s fair to say that spectators certainly enjoyed seeing our logo once again appear on the front of a rally car – more than 30 years after three-time Circuit of Ireland winner Russell Brookes first powered through in an Andrews-backed Opel Manta.

The response we have received on social media clearly demonstrates the fond memories evoked, with many people commenting how good it was to see us back involved!

We therefore greatly look forward to potential opportunities in the future and would like to congratulate Chris on his display across the three days.