Murray in hurry as he races to Hot Rod crown

Points leader Andrew Murray, British Champion Glenn Bell and World Champion John Christie were the three drivers who could still mathematically secure the title at the start of the evening, but Andrew Stewart’s victory in the opening race eliminated World Champion Christie from the equation at an early stage. Following his result in that opening race Murray only required a further two points to secure the title and those duly arrived in race two where he followed home race winner Christie to become Northern Ireland Champion for the first time after a hugely impressive campaign in his TRM Vauxhall Tigra. The meeting final for the Nationals brought a resounding win for Dungannon’s Derek Martin.

In the support classes there was a first final win of the season for Broughshane’s Jason Clyde in the Group Two Lightning Rod division, while Noel Hazlett from Ballymena made it four final wins from a possible five in the Speed Stocks Super Pole Series. The McCarroll Plant Hire sponsored fixture also featured the Junior Rods where Patrick O’Boyle from Broughshane romped to a heat and final double in his Vauxhall Corsa. It was almost a perfect hat-trick for O’Boyle too, but a two place penalty imposed by the race steward for contact cost Patrick his race win in heat two and handed victory instead to Jack Kennedy. There were no such problems for Drew Russell in the combined Retro and Classics section where the County Donegal based racer guided his potent Peugeot 205 to an impeccable hat-trick of wins.

NATIONAL HOT RODS

The final round of the World Qualifying Series attracted 15 entrants including Kells racer Carl Sloan on his debut appearance in the formula. Portadown based Andrew Stewart secured his first win of the series in the opening heat, before World Champion John Christie claimed a popular win in the second. Andrew Murray followed the winner home in this one to secure the necessary points that confirmed him as Northern Ireland Champion for 2014. The final race of the series began in dramatic fashion when the engine in World Champion Christie’s Vauxhall Tigra let go in a spectacular cloud of smoke. Recent newcomer Derek Martin set an impressive pace in this one to take victory ahead of British Champion Glenn Bell and new Northern Ireland Champion Murray.

Final: 1st. 1st. Derek Martin, 2nd. Glenn Bell, 3rd. Andrew Murray, 4th. Stewart Doak, 5th. Keith Martin, 6th. Adam Maxwell

With the qualifying series now concluded the drivers representing Northern Ireland in the 2014 National Hot Rod World Championship are Andrew Murray, Glenn Bell, John Christie, Stewart Doak, Adam Maxwell, Keith Martin and Mark Heatrick.

GROUP TWO LIGHTNING RODS

The ideal track conditions facilitated some fast and tidy racing from the GP2 division, with Cullybackey’s Darryl Reid claiming a comprehensive flag to flag win in the opening heat. Reid’s Vauxhall Astra set a lively pace in heat two as well, before Rodney Fleck made his move three laps from home to secure a good win. Broughshane’s Jason Clyde was the one to watch in the final, his rapid Vauxhall Astra powering to the front on lap ten and then pulling steadily clear to win by a handsome distance.

Final: 1st. Jason Clyde, 2nd. Rodney Fleck, 3rd. Darryl Reid, 4th. Noel Hazlett, 5th. Freddie Fleck, 6th. Stewart Nicholl

SPEED STOCKS

Antrim’s Jason McCreight took the honours in the opening heat after a good battle with Noel Hazlett over the closing laps. Hazlett was denied once more in heat two where Mark Gilmore determinedly repelled all Hazlett’s advances to take a hard fought win in his Peugeot 306. The closed grid final featured some lively opening exchanges before Hazlett tracked down early leader Rodney Stewart to claim his fourth final win in the Super Pole Series.

Final: 1st. Noel Hazlett, 2nd. Jason McCreight, 3rd. Rodney Stewart

JUNIOR RODS

Twelve cars lined up for the opening Junior Rod event where Patrick O’Boyle was the clear winner in his Vauxhall Corsa. Broughshane lad O’Boyle fought out a fierce scrap for the lead with Samuel Wilson from Larne in heat two which continued until the very last bend. A little nudge by O’Boyle sent Wilson’s Vauxhall Corsa wide and allowed O’Boyle to cross the line first, but that earlier contact was punished with a two place penalty from the steward which handed victory to a fast finishing Jack Kennedy. Matthew McKinstry made a good fist of leading the final and held sway until lap five when O’Boyle breezed to the front once again as he clinched his second win of the night, with Irish Champion Aaron Moody the runner-up.