Bumper night of race action at Ballymena Raceway

Eleven different drivers tasted victory on the 12 race programme with Adam Maxwell the only driver to buck the one win only trend with a vital brace of victories in round 13 of the National Hot Rod World Qualifying Series.

In the other classes at the Cirrus Plastics sponsored meeting Bradley McKinstry put in a dominant display to lift the Top Teen Trophy in the Junior Rods, while Mick Rodgers and Kenny Carson collected their first final victories of 2012 in the Stock Rod and Group Two Lightning Rod classes respectively.

NATIONAL HOT RODS

The five current incumbents of the qualifying places, Stewart Doak, John Christie, Gary Woolsey, Glenn Bell and Keith Martin, were joined on the grid by Adam Maxwell, the one driver who could still oust them and Tommy Maxwell who was making a welcome but all too rare appearance these days in his Peugeot 206cc.

The entry may have been disappointing, but the on track action certainly was not as Maxwell put on a gritty display of defensive driving to register hard earned victories in the opening heat and the final.

The only driver to breech the defences of the ex-F2 star was Christie, the pair spending many laps side by side in heat two before the former European Champion made his move stick to claim a popular victory in the Wilkinson Contracts Vauxhall Tigra.

Heat One: 1. Adam Maxwell (Crumlin), 2. John Christie (Ballinderry), 3. Gary Woolsey (Portadown)

Heat Two: 1. Christie, 2. Maxwell, 3. Stewart Doak (Portadown)

Final: 1. Maxwell, 2. Christie, 3. Doak

STOCK RODS

Marc Morrell continued his impressive start to the season with a resounding victory in the 16 car opening heat. Morrell finished well clear of Derek McMillan with Mick Rodgers in third.

Dunclug College student McMillan is another of this season’s impressive newcomers to the Stock Rod division and powered home ahead of Tipperary visitor Colm O’Sullivan and Stevie McNiece in the second heat.

McMillan looked well set to record another win in the final too until his Vauxhall Nova coasted into retirement with gearbox problems.

Rodgers took over out front and went on to claim a first ever final win in the class, while Morrell recovered from a dreadful start to finish strongly in second with the consistent McNiece third one more.

Heat One: 1. Marc Morrell (Ahoghill), 2. Derek McMillan (Kells), 3. Mick Rodgers (Randalstown)

Heat Two: 1. McMillan, 2. Colm O’Sullivan (Tipperary), 3. Stevie McNiece (Enniskillen)

Final: 1. Rodgers, 2. Morrell, 3. McNiece

GROUP TWO LIGHTNING RODS

A re-grading shuffled the pack in the Group Two division, but it was the yellow roof drivers who dominated the race wins. Stewart Nicholl pulled well clear of the pack to win the 25 car opening heat, while David Wilson got the better of a great tussle with Brian Alexander to snatch second.

Mark Turtle and Kenny Carson battled long and hard over the race win in heat two, with Turtle holding on for his first win of the season.

Carson would not be denied in the final however and once clear of early leader Rodney Stewart eased steadily away for a comprehensive win in the Autoclean Vauxhall Astra. Wilson showed up well once again in second, with Shane Gault third and Stewart fourth after a two place penalty dropped Jason Clyde to fifth.

Heat One: 1. Stewart Nicholl (Kilrea), 2. David Wilson (Cullybackey), 3. Brian Alexander (Ballymena)

Heat Two: 1. Mark Turtle (Broughshane), 2. Kenny Carson (Ballymena), 3. Alexander

Final: 1. Carson, 2. Wilson, 3. Shane Gault (Glarryford)

JUNIOR RODS

The opening heat brought victory for Dean McCrory, the star grader expertly working his way through from the back of the grid in his rapid Peugeot 106.

It was another Peugeot mounted racer, Aaron Moody from Ballymena, who set the standard in heat two to secure a clear win, with Niall McFerran and Peter Greer next across the finish line.

The final began in explosive fashion with second heat winner Moody airborne after contact with a marker tyre and Greer up onto two wheels and nearly over before the first lap had even ended! Bradley McKinstry quickly established himself out front in this one and went on to claim the Top Teens Trophy by a handsome distance.

A fraught battle raged for second between a number of contestants which eventually went the way of Niall McFerran from Dylan Magee after second across the line Aidan McFerran found himself demoted to fourth by the race steward.

Heat One: 1. Dean McCrory (Antrim), 2. Niall McFerran (Kilrea), 3. Aaron Moody (Ballymena)

Heat Two: 1. Moody, 2. McFerran, 3. Peter Greer (Gracehill)

Final: 1. Bradley McKinstry (Nutts Corner), 2. McFerran, 3. Dylan Magee (Glenarm)

THIS WEEKEND

Racing continues at the Ballymena Showgrounds on Friday evening (May 11) when the Pro Stock division make their first appearance at Raceway in 2012 to contest the Grand Prix Trophy.

The F2 Stock Cars are back for Rd 2 of the DK Race Technology Series at the George Fegan Tyres & Batteries sponsored fixture with Saloon Stock Cars also in attendance.

Races for the Stock Rod and Group Two Lightning Rod classes complete the programme, with the action in the Ballymena Showgrounds getting underway at 7:15pm.