Quay Park event proves to be a summer sizzler

Local rider Paul Connolly pictured on his KTM 250 during the Veteran Championship Class at Quay Park. INLT 28-013-PSB

It was long overdue but the 2013 Watt Motorcycles Grasstrack Championship finale took place in simply beautiful weather on Saturday at Quay Park in Larne; something the promoting Carrickfergus Club had avoided pretty well this season.

Teenager Glenn McCormick from Gleno was on form yet again to clinch the Expert Championship in spectacular fashion, going 1-1-1 on the day.

Another local man, Niall McAuley, didn’t have the best of days but managed to fend off the opposition long enough to take home the second place trophy while veteran Richard Watt rounded off the top three.

Carrying on with the East Antrim theme, Doagh’s Paul Atkinson finished at the helm of the Semi-Expert Championship, continuing on from winning the Clubman MX1 class last season. William Saunderson, on board the WSC Auto Services / AutoProNI KTM, was second and Davey Mulligan battled for a well-earned third place.

The Scarlett DIY Veteran Class John McAndrew took to the track for the first time this year and he couldn’t have looked more at home, scoring enough points for third in the series. Last year’s Veteran Champion Stephen McBride was demoted one spot as Richard Watt took the 2013 championship ahead of McBride.

Andy McKibbin recorded three race wins from three in the Clubman MX1 class to take his first grasstrack championship overall while Two One Two Motorsports rider, Chris Eccles won the Clubman MX2 class.

Another teenager, Blake McCormick, topped the Clubman Quads while Emma McQuaid managed to not only win the Premier Quad class, but also passenger a sidecar outfit in the Robert Blair Memorial Trophy Sidecar Races between quad outings! The team of Ricky Portis & Roy Beattie were the victors of the Trophy which was won by Hugh Evans and Ian Harron in 2012.

Reflecting on the season, club chairman Graeme Millar said: “We had the weather very much against us at the beginning of the year but thankfully we got to run the events we did at this fantastic new Quay Park venue.”

Next up for the Carrickfergus Club is the HTM Off Road EnduroCross at Glenarm as part of the Dalriada Festival week on Thursday, July 18.