Irish Drift Championship 2024 Pro2 Season
The 2024 season of the Irish Drift Championship (IDC) marks the 20th anniversary of the event, celebrating two decades of competitive drifting in Ireland.
Photo - Meghan Roycroft @Driven_By_Cameras
This season includes five rounds held across different iconic locations in the country. The championship kicked off with its first round at Mondello Park during Japfest on April 27th and 28th. Subsequent rounds took place at Adventurepark Kartworld Watergrasshill in Cork, and a return to Mondello Park in June. The fourth round's location was held for the very first time in the North at Bishopscourt Diff & Drift. A once abandoned RAF Military Airfield, now turned Petrol Heads Heaven. The final round is held held at the 360 Motorsport Park in Kilflynn, Co. Kerry, with Pro2 Final being just over the weekend on September 7th-8th and the Pro class is haivng their final battle in the very same track on the 21st. The 2024 Pro Season finale won’t be one to miss, for the very first time in IDC History, the final will be a Night Fight.
Photo - Meghan Roycroft @Driven_By_Cameras
This year's competition has been particularly exciting, featuring over 140 competitors and attracting significant spectator interest, such as the 15,000 fans who attended the season opener. The final round promises to be a spectacular event, including the first-ever nighttime drift event in the IDC’s history, as well as a JDM car culture showcase held by Next Exit, trade stands, and entertainment for all ages it’s definitely not one to be missed.
Key highlights from this season are endless, so we’ve picked our favourites from each one.
Round 1 - Mondello Park - Japfest
Darren (DMac) McNamara in his Group D Audi S1 Chasing James Deanes Rx7
Photo - Meghan Roycroft @Driven_By_Cameras
This years Japfest was a special event. Everything from the community to the weather came together for a weekend of Tyre Smoke, Petrol Consumpion, and a whole lot of redbull. The highlight was definitely our guest showcases, James Deane in his iconic RX7 sending the Honda Corner with Darren (DMac) McNamara in his Audi S1 Drift Car.
Round 2 - Watergrass Hill
Watergrass Hill lived up to it’s name in true fashion at Round 3, providing the same washout it did last year. This didn’t prevent strong performances from drivers like Northern Irish competitor Harry Kerr, who took a surprise win at Round 2 against seasoned veteren Alan Hynes. The competition remains fierce, with several top drivers still in the running for the 2024 championship title. It was this round that solidified Jacob Krysczack as lead of the season
Jacob Kryszcack - TH Components 2jz S14
Photo - Sam Murphy @SJM.Rallying
Round 3 - Back to Mondello (Back Track)
Round 3 of this years IDC brought us back to Mondello, this time to its back track, the weather was hit and miss causing difficult conditions to drive in. It didn’t stop our heroes of the weekend though, and one man in particular took the spotlight this weekend and that man is Jacob Krysczack in his TH Componenets 2jz S14, taking not one but two podiums that weekend and setting him up to be a clear favourite for this years Pro2 Season.
Mondello Park from the Air
Round 4 - Bishopscourt Diff & Drift
Round 4 was nothing but sun, smoke and smiles for the legend in the making Danny Devine. Young Daniel has been sticking to doors and leaving tyre marks everywhere in his debut season. A Pro2r, and burning a whopping 34 tyres over the weekend young Daniel took home not one, not two, but three trophies that weekend. Never seen before in IDC History, will it ever be again?
The proudest woman in Ireland - Danny Devines Mother
Photo - Meghan Roycroft @Driven_By_Cameras
Round 5 - 360 Motorsports Park - Pro2 Final
Colin O Sullivan after his Round 3 Podium Win
Our Pro2 Final was a hard fought battle in 360 Motorsports Park, the tracks unique layout, changing weather patterns, quick drying tarmac and changing elevations left the drivers little room for error. With the morning of practice day bordering on 0 visability it didn’t stop our drivers hitting the gas and being fully committed to hit the downhill of clipping point 1. The weather cleared around mid day and it was on, the fog had rolled out but they brought their own smoke.
With some of the best qualifying rounds of the season, the top 32 were action packed battles on the Kingdom Track “Kerrybisu”, and after a long fight we had our champions.
Coming in the Pro2 Top Spot, a fan favourite all season and possibly the man with the most airtime was none other than Jacob Krysczack, coming in second was a young Ben Rogers and landing on the 3rd place podium was none other than Jack Caldwell
Jakub Krysczack chasing Conor Rafferty - R4 Bishopscourt
Photo - Meghan Roycroft @Driven_By_Cameras
Pro2 Rookie - In the number 1 spot was Danny Devine, comng in second was Gar Colins in his e46 and taking the 3rd spot was Eoin Magee
Round 4 Podium - David Forde (2nd), Rico Drift (1st), Danny Devine (3rd)
Photo - Meghan Roycroft @Driven_By_Cameras
The Pro2 Junior standinds finished up with Jack Caldwell taking the top spot, Jake Davey taking number 2 and our very own Colin O Sullivan taking that 3rd place championship place.
As the IDC celebrates its milestone anniversary, this season serves as a tribute to its history, the passionate community that supports it, and the next generation of talented Irish drifters aiming to make their mark on the international stage, and with the Pro class finale coming up in only 2 weeks, it’ll definitely be one not to miss!
Take a look at our original spotlight piece on the 360 Motorsports Park with its owner Nial Gunn!
