Great Scots take glory at Raceway

Burgoyne successfully defended the F2 Stock Car championship despite a spirited effort form Irish Champion Graham Fegan and Shevill demonstrated why he is currently ranked number one in the World with a commanding performance to wrap up the Saloon Stock Car crown.

In the support races at the Fairhill Bar & Lounge Ahoghill sponsored meeting Ballymena’s Victor McAfee claimed the Stock Rod honours and Philip Beattie collected the Hoosier Cup in the 2-Litre Hot Rod section.

F2 STOCK CARS

A packed field of 28 cars from all over the UK arrived at Raceway for the prestigious Irish Open event where the cars lined up in their normal roof colours for their two qualifying heats.

It was Ben Lockwood who dominated the qualifiers, the Huddersfield based racer making full use of his advantageous yellow grade starting position to reel of a brace of victories. The roof colour starts were replaced with a closed grid for the final and although Lockwood had earned pole position, he had star names Graham Fegan, Chris Burgoyne and Daz Kitson all starting within the first three rows.

It was Irish Champion Fegan who set the early pace as Lockwood was sent crashing out on the first lap by Burgoyne. The Scotsman now had Fegan in his sights and took over the lead shortly afterwards. Burgoyne eased himself out a healthy advantage which he managed to maintain as he picked his way through the backmarkers to successfully defend his Irish Open crown. Fegan was a gallant runner-up, with Glasgow’s George Macmillan Jnr. completing the podium places.

Heat One: 1st. Ben Lockwood (Huddersfield), 2nd. Graham Fegan (Belfast), 3rd. Daz Kitson (March)

Heat Two: 1st. Lockwood, 2nd. Mark Pinkerton (Crumlin), 3rd. Fegan

2012 Irish Open Championship: 1st. Chris Burgoyne (Falkirk), 2nd. Fegan, 3rd. George Macmillan Jnr (Glasgow)

SALOON STOCK CARS

Sixteen drivers from Northern Ireland and Scotland took to the track to contest the opening qualifying heat and it was the visitors who struck first as Stevie Honeyman from South Alloa roared home to victory, with fellow countryman Glen Heeps in second and Mark Dewar the best of the locals in third.

The home drivers responded in the second qualifier where Irish Champion Andrew Stewart bounced back from a non-finish in race one to score a well earned win ahead of Motherwell’s Stuart Shevill Jnr. and Ian McLaughlin from Perth. The points scored in the heats determined the grid positions for the final and it was Scots Honeyman and Shevill who qualified on the front row with Cullybackey’s Ryan Wright the best of the locals on row two.

Shevill took the race by the scruff of the neck right from the green flag, while Honeyman found himself under attack from the main pack and lost a lot of ground in the early stages. Shevill was never challenged throughout and jubilantly crossed the line to claim his first Irish Open title after a dominant performance. Stewart chased hard all the way but had to settle for second, while Honeyman clawed his way back through the field after that disastrous start to claim third.

Heat One: 1st. Stevie Honeyman (South Alloa), 2nd. Glen Heeps (Linlithgow), 3rd. Mark Dewar (Cargan)

Heat Two: 1st. Andrew Stewart (Portadown), 2nd. Stuart Shevill Jnr (Motherwell), 3rd. Ian McLaughlin (Auchterarder)

2012 Irish Open Championship: 1st. Shevill, 2nd. Stewart, 3rd. Honeyman

STOCK RODS

Four times World Champion Chris Lattka journeyed over from Scotland to compete, but it was local favourite Victor McAfee who charged home to capture the Gunner Motorsport Cup. Ben McCully led the final for a long time, but McAfee steadily chased down the leader and eased his Citroen Saxo ahead with 3 laps remaining. McCully held onto second with Chris Gordon in third.

The opening heat brought a first ever Raceway victory for local racer Michael McKendry in his immaculate Vauxhall Corsa, while Thomas Morrison recorded victory in heat two which was halted early following a nasty rollover for Coleraine racer Freddie Laffin.

Heat One: 1st. Michael McKendry (Ballymena), 2nd. Thomas Morrison (Ballymoney), 3rd. Victor McAfee (Ballymena)

Heat Two: 1st. Morrison, 2nd. Michael McFall (Craigywarren), 3rd. McAfee

Final: 1st. McAfee, 2nd. Ben McCully (Waringstown), 3rd. Chris Gordon (Ballymena)

2 LITRE HOT RODS

Thirteen competitors lined up to contest the Hoosier Cup and it was Glenarm based Bobbie Johnston who took a clear victory in the opening heat. Johnston had to work a lot harder to earn the honours in heat two, but once again kept his Peugeot 206 ahead of the pack to earn pole position for the final. Philip Beattie joined Johnston on the front row for the main race and it was Beattie who slipped ahead at the green flag and never looked back on his way to a polished victory which earned the Nutts Corner racer the Hoosier Cup. Adam Best followed Beattie home in this one, with Johnston on the leader board once again in third.

Heat One: 1st. Bobbie Johnston (Glenarm), 2nd. Thomas Dilly (Dungannon), 3rd. Adam Best (Dungannon)

Heat Two: 1st. Johnston, 2nd. Philip Beattie (Nutts Corner), 3rd. David McMenemy (Dungannon)

Final: 1st. Beattie, 2nd. Best, 3rd. Johnston

THIS WEEKEND

Racing continues at the Ballymena Showgrounds on Friday evening (June 15) when the stars of tomorrow in the Junior Rod class race compete in the DmAc Coachworks Gold Roof race. Last year’s winner Sean McFerran has now retired from the class after reaching the upper age limit, but younger brother Aidan will be trying his best to ensure the gold roof stays in the McFerran household. Aughafatten’s Jaimie McCurdy will be another top contender, along with Dylan Magee, Bradley McKinstry and Peter Greer.

The 1300 Stock Cars make their second appearance at Raceway on Friday evening. Dan Feeney claimed the spoils on their first appearance, with Francis Smylie also performing well on that occasion.

Group Two Lightning Rods and Open Hot Rods complete the Raceway programme for Friday evening, with the first race getting underway in The Showgrounds at 7:15pm.