Alan best in the ’Fest at Raceway

An added bonus was the appearance of Northern Ireland’s latest World Champion, Glenn Bell, who captured the prestigious National Hot Rod World Championship at Ipswich on July 8. The new champion brought along his trophy and was giving a rousing reception by the Raceway fans on his lap of honour.

Main event on the packed schedule was the Stock Rod Irish Grand Prix where Tipperary’s Alan McCormack caused a sensation by beating the locals to the silverware. Cullybackey teenager Curtis Greer was also celebrating after a resounding victory in the Darren Alexander Transport Challenge Cup race for the Group Two Lightning Rods, while a controversial finish in the Junior Rods saw the Next Gen Cup awarded to Antrim’s Dean McCrory.

In the other classes Davy Gurney captured the LJN Designs backed Golden Helmet Trophy in the Open Hot Rod category and the Iron Man Trophy for 1300 Stock Cars went the way of William Stewart.

STOCK RODS

Twenty-one cars participated in the Irish Grand Prix, with visiting drivers from Scotland and Southern Ireland joining the best from the province. It was the visitors who took first blood when Tipperary’s Alan McCormack collected the chequered flag in the opening qualifying heat, followed home by fellow countryman Colm O’Sullivan.

The second qualifier brought a victory for Craigywarren’s Micky McFall in his Vauxhall Nova, with fellow Raceway regulars Chris Gordon and Frankie Lynn next across the finish line. The results in the two qualifying races decided the grid for the final and it was first heat winner McCormack who occupied pole position for the GP race with Gordon for company on the front row.

McCormack took control from the off to dominate the final, and send out a warning for the upcoming World Championship at Raceway, while the main action centred on a tremendous battle for second. O’Sullivan and Gordon both had spells in the hot seat, but it McFall who eventually worked his way through to claim the runner-up spot, with Stephen McCready completing the podium finishers in third.

Heat One: 1st. Alan McCormack (Tipperary), 2nd. Colm O’Sullivan (Tipperary), 3rd. Carl Sloan (Kells)

Heat Two: 1st. Micky McFall (Craigywarren), 2nd. Chris Gordon (Ballymena), 3rd. Frankie Lynn (Cullybackey)

2012 Irish Grand Prix: 1st. McCormack, 2nd. McFall, 3rd. Stephen McCready (Antrim)

GROUP 2 LIGHTNING RODS

As in the Stock Rod class two qualifying heats were used to determine the grid positions for the Group Two Lightning Rod Challenge Cup race.

Current form man Freddie Fleck continued his recent purple patch with another victory in the opener, before returnee Gary Thompson marked his come back with a victory in heat two.

A brace of finishes within the top six was enough to earn the consistent Curtis Greer pole position for the final however, with Cullybackey’s David Wilson alongside. Greer quickly turned pole position to his advantage and steered his Peugeot 306 into a handy lead before the race was brought under caution when Mark Turtle crashed out heavily at Fisherwick bend.

Greer took control again when the race resumed and an intense battle for second between Wilson and Steven McKane played right into the leader’s hands as it allowed Greer to pull steadily clear from his pursuers. The Cullybacky lad went on to claim a very well taken victory with McKane coming through for second and Wilson in third.

Heat One: 1st. Freddie Fleck (Broughshane), 2nd. Jason Clyde (Broughshane), 3rd. David Wilson (Cullybackey)

Heat Two: 1st. Gary Thompson (Cookstown), 2nd. Samuel Montgomery (Castlerock), 3rd. Steven McKane (Ballymena)

2012 Challenge Cup: 1st. Curtis Greer (Cullybackey), 2nd. McKane, 3rd. Wilson

OPEN HOT RODS

The first lap had not even been completed in the opening heat when most of the field was caught up in a melee on the exit of Suffolk bend. Davy Gurney was judged to have triggered the incident and was subsequently disqualified from taking the restart by the steward.

Once things got underway for a second time it was defending Golden Helmet champion Paul Nevin who took victory in his potent Vauxhall Corsa. Gurney was back on track for heat two, but had to settle for third behind Bill McCurdy and Jaye Nevin, while heat one winner Paul Nevin damaged his car after a heavy contact with the unforgiving race wall.

McCurdy occupied pole position for the final after his strong performances in the heats, but a sluggish getaway from the Aughafatten racer allowed Jaye Nevin to take up the lead. That advantage was short lived however, as Gurney was on a real charge this time and smartly darted around Nevin to take over the lead.

Once out front Gurney motored clear of the pack in his Peugeot 205 and his opening heat problems were banished completely as the Londonderry man took a very satisfying win and the Golden Helmet Trophy.

Heat One: 1st. Paul Nevin (Macosquin), 2nd. Bill McCurdy (Aughafatten), 3rd. Jaye Nevin (Coleraine)

Heat Two: 1st. McCurdy, 2nd. J. Nevin, 3rd. Davy Gurney (Londonderry)

Golden Helmet: 1st. Gurney, 2nd. McCurdy, 3rd. Gareth Nevin (Coleraine)

JUNIOR RODS

Thirteen youngsters took part in the Next Gen Cup and it was Aidan McFerran who sneaked through to victory in the first heat after long term leader Dean McCrory was delayed by a backmarker in the closing laps and dropped to second.

McCrory would not be denied in the second qualifier however and moved ahead of early leaders Adam Brogan and Mark Rainey to seal the win with Jaimie McCurdy the runner-up in this one.

McCrory qualified on pole position for the final and another victory looked a formality when the Antrim lad built up a handsome lead in his Peugeot 106. Just as in the opening heat however backmarkers were to prove troublesome for McCrory and this time it was even worse as the leader’s car was forced into the wall while he attempted to lap a slower car.

McFerran and McCurdy motored past the stricken McCrory machine on the final lap to cross the line in first and second, but a post race review of the incident concluded that McCrory had been deliberately targeted by the back marker and in those circumstances the steward can reinstate the driver to his original position. It was McCrory therefore who was rightly presented with the Next Gen Cup, with McCurdy and McFerran declared in second and third positions.

Heat One: 1st. Aidan McFerran (Portglenone), 2nd. Dean McCrory (Antrim), 3rd. Jaimie McCurdy (Aughafatten)

Heat Two: 1st. McCrory, 2nd. McCurdy, 3rd. Calvin Blake (Newtownabbey)

Final: 1st. McCrory, 2nd. McCurdy, 3rd. McFerran

1300 STOCK CARS

William Stewart departed Raceway undefeated after an easy hat-trick of victories in the 1300 Stock Cars.

The disappointing entry of cars was depleted further when Ballymena’s David Reynolds spectacularly rolled his Vauxhall Corsa during the opening laps of the first heat and was forced to retire from the rest of the meeting.

Stewart set his stall out with a decisive win in the opening heat and his Vauxhall Corsa proved unstoppable in the other two races as well as the Antrim racer collected an untroubled hat-trick of wins and the Iron Man Trophy.

Heat One: 1st. William Stewart (Antrim), 2nd. Michael Logan (Ballynure), 3rd. Richard Taylor (Lisburn)

Heat Two: 1st. Stewart, 2nd. Taylor, 3rd. Chris Thompson (Antrim)

Iron Man Trophy: 1st. Stewart, 2nd. Taylor, 3rd. Thompson

NEXT MEETING

The next action at Ballymena Raceway takes place on August 10 when the National Hot Rods commence their 2013 World Qualifying Series. Stock Rods, Group Two Lightning Rods, Junior Rods and Classic Hot Rods are also competing at the Jackie Harris Motorsport sponsored meeting, with the first race getting underway in The Showgrounds at 7:15pm.