Stranorlar duo to face Michael Fassbender in six-hour Mondello Park endurance race

Two childhood friends from Stranorlar will take on a six-hour race at Mondello Park on Sunday with actor Michael Fassbender among their opponents.

David Meenan and Matthew Dunnion were next door neighbours as children and they hatched a plan to tackle the six-hour race when they randomly bumped into each other in a pub.

Meenan has had superb success in the C1 Challenge and won the Silverstone 24 Hour in 2021.

The pair will go alongside Graeme Colfer in a GCR car that GT4 star Alex Denning used to win the last two rounds of the championship.

This weekend’s annual 6 Hour Endurance Race features Fassbender, who will drive a Siltex Safety Ford Fiesta Zetec and will partner firmer Grand Prix drivers David Kennedy and Tommy Byrne.

“Of all the racing I’ve done this is the most excited I’ve been to race with one of my childhood best friends,” Meenan told Donegal Live. “This is a proper dream come true.

“I feel like a kid at Christmas. Myself and Matthew are next door neighbours and had a huge interest in motorsport since we were tots.|

Dunnion’s father Pat and Meenan’s uncle John Meenan both competed in rallies while the Dunnion family helped to prepare rally cars for the likes of Paul Harris and Gavin Harris in the 1990s.

Dunnion was the Irish cart champion in cadet karting when his age was barely in double digits. Among his competitors then was future Formula 1 champion Jenson Button.

Dunnion has worked for Cliff Dempsey racing touring Europe and running formula Renault with Keith Dempsey, who raced against Kimi Räikkönen, another future F1 champ. He now works at Graeme Colfer Autos.

Over 100 drivers will make up 21 teams for this weekend’s race at Mondello Park, which gets underway on Sunday at midday.