Doherty retains Lightning Rod championship

The defending champion from Garvagh started alongside pole position man Kenny Carson on the front row of the grid and patiently followed in Carson's wheel tracks for the first half of the final before making a decisive move for the lead.

Once out in front Doherty pulled steadily clear to claim the trophy for the second year in a row, with Carson dropping down to third behind Michael Rodgers by the chequered flag.

Carl Sloan recorded his first ever victory on the ovals in the second heat of the Stock Rod events and the sixteen year old from Kells followed that up with a resounding victory in the final as well.

Another driver celebrating his first ever final win at Raceway was Antrim's Darwin Wright who brought an end to Andrew Stewart's winning streak in the Saloon Stock Car class. The other silverware at the trophiesni.com sponsored meeting went the way of Stephen Nevin in the Classic Hot Rods and Dean McCrory in the Junior Rods.

GROUP TWO CHALLENGE CUP

The grid positions for the Challenge Cup race were determined by two qualifying heats.

The first of these qualifiers gridded 22 cars and was won by Portglenone's Liscinda Smyth, while the second went the way of local man Kenny Carson. When the points were tallied up it was heat two winner Carson who claimed pole position, with defending champion Stephen Doherty alongside on the front row.

The early stages of the final were interrupted by a number of incidents before the race settled down into a straight fight between Carson and Doherty. The defending champion patiently bided his time until the right opportunity arose to nip through ahead of Carson.

Once out front Doherty confidently pulled clear to take a well executed win in his Vauxhall Astra, with the podium positions completed by Michael Rodgers and Carson.

Heat One: 1. Liscinda Smyth (Portglenone), 2. Stephen Doherty (Garvagh), 3. Graham Young (Limavady)

Heat Two: 1. Kenny Carson (Ballymena), 2. Michael Rodgers (Randalstown), 3. Lyle Murray (Ballymena)

Final: 1. Doherty, 2. Rodgers, 3. Carson

STOCK RODS

Matthew Moore was awarded the race win in the opening heat, which featured 16 runners, after on the road winner William Laffin was penalised by the race steward.

Novice Carl Sloan opened up a huge lead in the early stages of heat two, but that big advantage was gradually eaten away as the race progressed by a fast finishing Victor McAfee. The pair were almost together as the chequered flag appeared, but Sloan had just done enough to secure his first ever race victory.

Sixteen year old Sloan from Kells rocketed away from the line in the final, but his advantage disappeared when the race was brought under caution conditions. When the action recommenced Sloan stylishly rebuilt his gap to the main field and by the finish his Vauxhall Corsa was the length of the straight ahead of his nearest challenger Laffin.

Heat One: 1. Matthew Moore (Glenavy), 2. William Laffin (Coleraine), 3. Bobbie Johnston (Glenarm)

Heat Two: 1. Carl Sloan (Kells), 2. Victor McAfee (Ballymena), 3. Moore

Final: 1. Sloan, 2. Laffin, 3. Moore

SALOON STOCK CARS

Irish Champion Andrew Stewart continued his impressive 2010 form with another victory in the opening heat race, but was pushed all the way by Coleraine’s Anthony McIvor.

That’s as good as it got for Stewart however as Antrim’s Darwin Wright dominated the remaining Saloon events. Wright, a newcomer to the class this season, left the pack trailing in his wake to record clear wins in both the second heat and the trophy race, which was also his first final win at the venue.

Former Irish Champion Stuart McCammon followed Wright home, with McIvor well to the fore again in third.

Heat One: 1. Andrew Stewart (Portadown), 2. Anthony McIvor (Coleraine), 3. Tommy McCrory Jnr. (Antrim)

Heat Two: 1. Darwin Wright (Antrim), 2. Kieran McIvor (Coleraine), 3. McCrory

Final: 1. Wright, 2. Stuart McCammon (Armagh), 3. A. McIvor

JUNIOR RODS

Aidan McFerran was the early leader in the opening heat but was overhauled by James Steele who went on to take victory in his Vauxhall Nova.

Heat two developed into a tough battle between the two drivers at the top of the current points chart, Sean McFerran and Dean McCrory. It was McFerran who gained the upper hand in this one, the Portglenone lad steering his Vauxhall Corsa home ahead of McCrory and Steele.

The tables were turned in the final however where McCrory made a lightning dash to the front which earned him the silverware. Daniel Shannon followed the leader home in his Vauxhall Nova with Steele completing the top three once more.

Heat One: 1. James Steele (Cullybackey), 2. Dean McCrory (Antrim), 3. Sean McFerran (Portglenone)

Heat Two: 1. McFerran, 2. McCrory, 3. Steele

Final: 1. McCrory, 2. Daniel Shannon (Glenavy), 3. Steele.

CLASSIC HOT RODS

Ballymena racer Kenny Wilson took the honours in the opening Classic event, but from then on his Ford Escort Mk. 2 was forced to play second fiddle to Stephen Nevin’s similar TOC Utilities backed example in both the second race and the final.

Heat One: 1. Kenny Wilson (Ballymena), 2. Stephen Nevin (Macosquin)

Heat Two: 1. Nevin, 2. Wilson

Final: 1. Nevin, 2. Wilson

THIS WEEKEND

The action continues at Ballymena Raceway this Friday August 13.

The fixture features round 3 of the 2010/11 World Qualifying Series for the National Hot Rods, as well as F2 Stock Cars, Stock Rods and Group Two Lightning Rods. The first race at the Ross Hyndman Motors sponsored meeting gets underway in the Ballymena Showgrounds at 7:15pm.