Team Manager Seamus Burke commented on the move, “We saw some limitations in 2010 running in the SP class. After evaluating the options and to give Joseph the opportunity for a podium it was better to have him step to an open class car.”

Joseph had the opportunity to run an open class Kearney Motorsports Subaru in 2008, 2009 and 2010. He finished an impressive second overall at International Rally New York 2008 and captured an overall victory at Black River Stages in the same year.

Looking towards Sno*Drift, the team’s main goal is to be there at the finish. “Although we would like very much to stay within the top five at Sno*Drift, I am going into this rally with the understanding of just how tough the conditions can be,” explains Joseph. “This will just be my second rally on snow and ice so I will depend heavily on my co-driver and team manager for direction.”

Burke’s co driver Alex Kihurani and his father and team manager Seamus Burke have competed at Sno*Drift on multiple occasions, with Seamus getting to the podium several times.

“It’s kind of hard to explain, but slow is fast at Sno*Drift,” explains the senior Burke. “When it’s icy there is a lot of dodgy off-camber stuff in there. We will have to gauge the conditions when we get there and decide a plan from there.” Seamus goes on to say, “From watching some of the in car video I am really pleased with the chemistry that Joseph and Alex have developed in the car. To be in the hunt for a podium these days you need to be 100% committed to the notes.”

Joseph also had a chance to try some European RallyCross in the fall of 2010, “I really enjoyed the tight racing, but I have to say that I am really looking forward to getting back out onto the stages.”

The team has been working hard to secure some new sponsorship for 2011 and beyond and is currently working with some exciting opportunities. “For Sno*Drift we are again teaming up with Team MS-Racing for Research and Awareness of Multiple Sclerosis as well as our sponsors Atlanta Activewear and Rally World News,” commented Burke.

http://www.JosephBurkeMotorsport.com

Photos by Neil McDaid

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In this his first year contesting the national Rally America Championship, nineteen year old Joseph Burke has been awarded with the coveted “Rookie of the Year award.” Burke clinched the title by placing an impressive third overall at the New England Forest Rally in Maine, the final round of the championship.

Joseph is the only son of veteran Irish rally driver Seamus Burke, who among his many motorsport achievements is a two-time United States Rally Champion.

Joseph, currently a student at Auburn University majoring in mechanical engineering, already holds an impressive sporting CV. He was selected to compete at the 2005 United States Soccer Finals at Nike World Headquarters at the young age of 14. More notably, he led his high school soccer team to a state championship in 2009, as the team captain.

In Burke’s short rally career he most definitely has seen his fair share of up and downs. In his first outing, which was in a 2WD Integra, Joseph managed to capture 3rd overall in class at the 2007 Maine Forest Rally. From there, Joseph went through a tough learning curve with mechanical issues and a few spectacular off-stage DNF’s. In his first outing in an AWD car, Burke would claim first overall in a Kearney Motorsport Impreza at the Black River Stages in 2008.

Because of school commitments and not having the car completed, Joseph would pass on Sno-Drift, the first round of the 2010 championship. Instead he opted to start his 2010 campaign at 100AW in Salem, Missouri. 100AW would be the first outing for Joseph in his SP class Mitsubishi. With Brian Sharkey calling the notes, Burke left no question about his ability as a driver by placing 6th overall in a very competitive field. Speaking with Joseph after the rally he joked, “I got strict instructions from the boss [Dad] – bring this car to the finish.”

Burke Motorsports would make the long trek west for round three, Olympus Rally, in the beautiful state of Washington. It would also be Joseph’s first outing with new co-driver Alexander Kihurani. After only 5 stages, while sitting 2nd in SP class, turbo pipe failure slowed a great run. They would eventually finish 9th overall.

Burke’s only run on Tarmac in 2010 was a few quick jaunts around Portland International Raceway which was used for the opening stages of The 2010 Oregon Trail rally. Photo: Neil McDaid

Bad luck hounded Burke into round 4, the Oregon Trail Rally, when a flat occurred 2 miles from the finish of SS5. The resulting rotor damage ended his rally early. “It was a rookie mistake,” claimed Burke. “It was the first real stage of the rally, I should have stopped and changed the wheel. I thought I could make to the end of the stage.” Heading into the penultimate round, STPR in Wellsboro, Pennsylvania, Burke was on track for yet another podium finish, but sometimes it’s not all about winning. As many have come to learn, STPR is a very challenging event with the tight tree lined stages. The slightest slip up can end your rally in a split second.

Joseph and Alex would charge through the opening stages of day one, with a mostly trouble-free drive. Well, apart from displaying some two-wheeled driving skills on the super special, much to the delight of the large crowd in attendance, I might add.

On day two, while sitting in 7th overall and 4th in SP class, Burke would come upon rally leader Ken Block whose car had stopped on the stage. Rather than charging ahead, Burke would stop and tow Block back to service knowing full well this would erase any chance of a podium for himself. When asked why he gave up his position in the rally Burke said, “It has been an extremely tough year for Ken. I thought if he got back to service he might be able to make repairs and continue. Ken has always encouraged me to push on when I was on my rocky road. I didn’t think twice. No regrets.”

How about that” Rally America /WRC driver Ken Block was the first to congratulate Joseph on his 3rd overall at NEFR, and for also claiming the Rookie of the Year title. Photo: Neil McDaid

Burke would push hard over the last few stages at STPR to finish within the top 10 overall. After the rally, the STPR Rally organizers awarded Joseph and Alex with the Woolf Whitaker Award for their outstanding show of sportsmanship.

The final round of the championship proved to be the icing on the cake for Burke and Kihurani. After battling hard on the hot and dusty Maine stages the crew would pull their Mitsubishi onto the podium in Maine in 3rd overall and 2nd in SP Class. “It’s been a great year, despite the ups and downs. We have achieved our goals to maintain a top 10 finish. There were so many people behind the scenes throughout the year that got us here. I can’t begin to thank them all.”

The sweet taste of the podium, Alex Kihurani co-driver, Seamus Burke [father and crew chief] and Joseph Burke celebrate a tough but successful rally season, with their podium finish in Maine. Photo Neil McDaid

Looking forward to 2011 Joseph said, “We will need to regroup and look at the finances. We are a family team with limited support. It looks like there will be a lot of changes in 2011 with the Rally Car championship with the addition of Rally Cross, so we need to consider the best direction.”

When asked about rally cross Burke commented, “Of course that looks like a lot of fun. Time will tell; we need to really push for sponsorship to truly be competitive.”

As we go to print it looks like Joseph will enter the first round of the Rally Cross Series at New Jersey Motorsport Park in late August. For more info check out http://www.njmotorsportspark.com/ and check out “Joseph Burke Motorsports” on Facebook.

By Neil McDaid

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At the finish, Burke/Fries were three minutes ahead of Seamus’s son Joseph Burke and co-driver Ole Holter (Subaru Impreza WRX). Holter noted at the finish, that this was only the younger Burke’s second outing in a powerful turbocharged, all-wheel-drive car – and in the first he won the Black River Stages Rally in Upstate New York.

Celsus Donnelly/Barry Smyth (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo) had been a solid second for most of the rally. But with two special stages remaining, the car engine failed, apparently due to head gasket failure.

Brian Scott/John Dillon (Subaru Impreza WRX) finished third, after a cool performance in which they went just fast enough for a top finish – sufficient to take the all-wheel-drive category title in the U.S. Rally Championship.

The two-wheel-drive (2WD) category in the rally was taken by the husband-wife team of Kristopher and Christine Marciniak (Dodge Neon), who also won the 2WD division of the U.S. Rally Championship. They were followed to the finish by Dan Brosnan/Shane McCann (Nissan Sentra) and the father-son team of Simon and Kieran Wright (Ford Focus).

Hampton Bridwell/Josh Katinger (Ford Focus SVT) were in contention with Marciniak/Marciniak early in the rally, for both the 2WD win and championship. But when the Ford slid off the road on the first day, the team was forced to “play catch-up.” They were closing on the leaders again when they rolled the car – without harm to themselves, but it put them out of the rally.

International Rally New York was the final round of the United States Rally Championship and the New York Rally Championship. It began in Callicoon, New York on Thursday evening, and ended in nearby Walton this evening.

For further information, check the event web site, www.rallynewyork.com.

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