Local drivers dominate meeting as Raceway season nears final straight

Pride of place went to Ballymena lad Aaron Moody. The Cambridge House Grammar student produced the drive of the night to become Junior Rod Irish Champion for 2013 after a flawless display in his Peugeot 106.

Curtis Greer from Cullybackey was another local on top form, the 2012 Irish Champion leading the Group Two Lightning Rod final all the way to claim the splendid Golden Helmet Trophy.

The local trilogy of success was completed by Carl Sloan in the Stock Rod division. The Kells based teenager secured pole position for the Irish Championship this weekend with a hard fought victory over Victor McAfee and Stevie McNiece in the King of the North Trophy race.

Euro Stocks and 1600cc Lightning Rods completed the programme at the Brogan Car Sales sponsored meeting, where Stephen McCahon went through the card undefeated in the Euro Stocks and Alastair Christie romped to a heat and final double in the 1600 class after an opening heat victory for Brian McMullan.

JUNIOR RODS

A great entry of 19 cars took to the track for the Irish Championship race with Dean McCrory and Aaron Moody on the front row of the grid followed by Niall McFerran and Jack Kennedy on row two. After one false start it was McCrory who led the opening two tours before Moody wrestled his Peugeot 106 to the front on lap 3.

Moody eased out a slight gap over McCrory during the race and seemed to have everything under control until a late race caution period bunched the field together again. Moody showed his mettle however and never put a wheel wrong at the resumption to confidently complete the remaining laps and secure the title after a faultless performance.

Defending Champion McCrory was forced to settle for second on this occasion, with Niall McFerran in third. A special endeavour award was also presented to Ballymena lad Adrian McConnell in recognition of his efforts throughout the entire season.

The second Junior Rod race of the evening saw the drivers lined up in reverse grid order of the Irish Championship and went the way of McCrory. A normal roof colour race concluded the evening’s action for the youngsters and once again it was McCrory who came out on top followed home by Aaron McGraw and Bradley McKinstry.

2013 Irish Championship: 1st. Aaron Moody, 2nd. Dean McCrory, 3rd. Niall McFerran, 4th. David McKinnon, 5th. Bradley McKinstry, 6th. Antony Kincaid

Support Race One: 1st. McCrory, 2nd. McKinstry, 3rd. Jaimie McCurdy, 4th. McFerran

Support Race Two: 1st. McCrory, 2nd. Aaron McGraw, 3rd. McKinstry, 4th. Liam Wilson

GROUP TWO LIGHTNING RODS

Two reverse grid qualifying heats determined the starting positions for the Golden Helmet Trophy race.

Daniel Norris and Rodney Fleck both enjoyed periods out front in the first qualifier before Noel Hazlett went on a late race charge to snatch a well judged win in the tricky conditions.

The second qualifier developed into a great tussle between David Gillespie and Curtis Greer. It was finally resolved in Greer’s favour on the very last lap and that win, coupled with his sixth place finish in heat one, secured Greer pole position for the final.

The Cullybackey lad made no mistake from the front of the grid and steadily pulled further and further away from his rivals to eventually win by almost half a lap. Behind the winner a keenly contested battle for second raged between Hazlett and the Flecks, Rodney and Freddie, which was finally resolved in Hazlett’s favour.

Heat One: 1st. Noel Hazlett, 2nd. Rodney Fleck, 3rd. Ricky Shaw, 4th. Darrell Hanna

Heat Two: 1st. Curtis Greer, 2nd. David Gillespie, 3rd. Freddie Fleck, 4th. Kenny Carson

Golden Helmet Trophy: 1st. Greer, 2nd. Hazlett, 3rd. R. Fleck, 4th. F. Fleck, 5th. Wilson, 6th. Carson

STOCK RODS

Steven McKane was first across the line in the opening heat but received a two place penalty from the steward following a clash with Chris Gordon which dropped him to third behind Stevie McNiece and Victor McAfee.

The second heat brought a good win for Sammy Graham, the Broughshane racer outrunning McAfee and McKane to the flag in his Vauxhall Corsa.

Graham enjoyed a spell out front in the final too before Carl Sloan moved to the head of the pack on lap 8.

Sloan had a high speed train containing McAfee, McNiece and McKane on his tail for the duration of the race, but managed to hold them all at bay to secure the King of the North Trophy.

Heat One: 1st. Stevie McNiece, 2nd. Victor McAfee, 3rd. Steven McKane

Heat Two: 1st. Sammy Graham, 2nd. McAfee, 3rd. McKane

King of the North Trophy: 1st. Sloan, 2nd. McAfee, 3rd. McNiece, 4th. McKane

EURO STOCKS

Stephen McCahon enjoyed the perfect evening at Raceway, leading every lap of every race!

The Garvagh based racer was in top form in his Ford Sierra and scampered to a faultless hat-trick of wins. Recently crowned Irish Champion Stephen Doherty gave spirited chase, but had to settle for second in all three races, with Lester McCloy and Joe Fleming the other finishers in the final.

Heat One: 1st. Stephen McCahon, 2nd. Stephen Doherty, 3rd. Lester McCloy, 4th. Joe Fleming

Heat Two: 1st. McCahon, 2nd. Doherty, 3rd. McCloy, 4th. Fleming

Final: 1st. McCahon, 2nd. Doherty, 3rd. McCloy, 4th. Fleming

1600cc LIGHTNING RODS

Brian McMullan took a well judged victory in the opening heat, his Vauxhall Astra followed home by Mark Frew and Mark Dunlop.

The second heat was led initially by Andrew McLean before Alastair Christie roared through on lap four and pulled away from the rest for a clear victory.

Bobby Johnston set the pace in the opening stages of the final, but once again Christie motored to the head of the field in his immaculate Vauxhall Astra to secure his second win of the evening.

Heat One: 1st. Brian McMullan, 2nd. Mark Frew, 3rd. Mark Dunlop, 4th. Alastair Christie

Heat Two: 1st. Christie, 2nd. McMullan, 3rd. Dunlop, 4th. Frew

Final: 1st. Christie, 2nd. McMullan, 3rd. Dunlop, 4th. Frew

THIS WEEKEND

The chequered flag falls to conclude another season of Stock Car racing at Ballymena Raceway this Friday (October 11) and a bumper schedule of events are programmed to end the 2013 campaign in some style.

The packed line-up features the 2013 Irish Championship for the Stock Rods, the 2013 Stadium Championship for the F2 Stock Cars, a World Qualifying Round for the National Hot Rods and the always entertaining Junior Rods.

A fierce battle is in prospect for the coveted Irish Stock Rod crown, where Carl Sloan, Victor McAfee, Chris Gordon, Steven McKane and defending champion Stevie McNiece will all harbour ambitions of taking the title.

The all action F2 Stock Car division race for their Stadium Championship with 2013 Irish Champion Antony Kincaid expected to figure prominently along with Craig McConnell and Ryan McCrory.

The National Hot Rod stars continue their battle to qualify for the 2014 World Final, with World Champion John Christie and British Champion Glenn Bell amongst the big names on the grid.

It promises to be a thrilling finale to the Raceway season with the first race at the McMillan Travel sponsored meeting commencing at 7:15pm.