Plenty of thrills and spills as Raceway action recommences

The Gilmore Engineering backed meeting featured the final round of the Stock Rod Elite Series where the outcome was in doubt right down to the final race!

At the end of a nail biting conclusion it was Kells racer Carl Sloan who was crowned Elite Series Champion, with only 2 points to spare over runner-up Micky McFall from Craigywarren.

McFall won the meeting final, but a second place finish for Sloan was enough to secure the title. Another local driver celebrating was Noel Hazlett after the Ballymena man left the rest trailing on his way to victory in the GP2 Challenge Cup event.

In the other classes on display there was a hat-trick of wins for Mark McLaughlin in the Prostock division, while Irish Champion Dean McCrory continued his winning ways in the Junior Rod category.

Stock Rods

The Stock Rods contested the final round of their Elite Series and with Irish Champion Stevie McNiece an absentee the outcome of the championship became a straight fight between series leader Carl Sloan and Micky McFall.

Seven points separated the pair at the start of the evening, but McFall’s win in the opener, coupled with a third place finish for Sloan immediately narrowed that gap to 5 points.

Heat two featured a violent crash involving Graham Young, Marc Morrell and Victor McAfee. Young clipped the wall on the exit of Suffolk bend and his stricken car was then struck by the following Morrell and McAfee at frightening speed, the impact pitching Young’s car into a rollover. Thankfully all 3 drivers were able to walk away from the wreckage, but it was the end of their racing for the evening.

Fluid had been deposited all around the track during the incident which left the surface very slippery for the remaining runners.

When the race resumed Jonathan McMillan withstood severe pressure from those behind to register a well taken victory in his Vauxhall Corsa, while McFall got the better of a heated battle with Sloan to finish second and chip another point from his lead.

The final saw the two title protagonists line up on the front row of the grid. Only 4 points separated them in the overall standings and a win for McFall added to a third place finish for Sloan would see the pair tied on 142 points!

McFall was intent on doing everything he could and quickly pulled away at the green flag. A tie looked on the cards too at his stage as Sloan had dropped back to third behind Chris Gordon, but when the World Champion ran wide at Fisherwick bend Sloan needed no second invitation to snatch the place.

Out front McFall did everything within his power to come home well clear after an impressive display of speed, but Sloan coolly brought his Vauxhall Corsa to the flag in second position which was enough to see the Kells lad crowned Elite Series Champion by 2 points.

Heat One: 1st. Micky McFall (Craigywarren), 2nd. Victor McAfee (Ballymena), 3rd. Carl Sloan (Kells)

Heat Two: 1st. Jonathan McMillan (Ahoghill), 2nd. McFall, 3rd. Sloan

Final: 1st. McFall, 2nd. Sloan, 3rd. Chris Gordon (Ballymena)

GROUP TWO LIGHTNING RODS

Two reverse grid qualifying heats determined the grid positions for the Challenge Cup race with 22 GP2 cars on the track for the opener.

Rodney Fleck converted a pole position starting slot into a race victory, his Vauxhall Astra well ahead of runner-up Noel Hazlett at the chequers, with Ricky Shaw’s Peugeot 306 in third.

It was another of the Fleck clan, Freddie, who made the running in heat two, but the Broughshane man was under all sorts of pressure from David Gillespie throughout. Fleck held on for a hard earned win, while Gillespie’s charge was just a bit too forceful for the steward’s liking and earned the Ballymena man a two place penalty in the final standings.

When the points were tallied up from the heat races it was Hazlett who had earned pole position, with Greg McMullan alongside on the front row, followed by Liscinda Smyth and defending champion Curtis Greer on row two.

A fine drizzle started to fall as the final commenced, but Hazlett made light of the conditions to quickly ease out a gap at the front. McMullan ran second, but had a queue of cars forming at his back bumper, headed by Smyth.

As this group argued over second Hazlett simply pulled further and further away and won handsomely in the end by the length of a straight. McMullan managed to hold of everyone to retain second to the finish, with the top six completed by Smyth, Greer, Kenny Carson and Rodney Fleck.

Heat One: 1st. Rodney Fleck (Broughshane), 2nd. Noel Hazlett (Ballymena), 3rd. Ricky Shaw (Antrim)

Heat Two: 1st. Freddie Fleck (Broughshane), 2nd. Liscinda Smyth (Portglenone), 3rd. Curtis Greer (Cullybackey)

Challenge Cup: 1st. Hazlett, 2nd. Greg McMullan (Castlerock), 3rd. Smyth

PROSTOCKS

Former GP2 racer Mark McLaughlin quickly got back into the groove around Raceway to steer his Vauxhall Astra to victory in the opening heat.

Stephen Boyd closed in on the leader over the final tours, but just came up short, with Karl Smyth in third. McLaughlin repeated the trick again in heat two, by a handy margin this time, with Boyd the runner-up once more.

Those two heat victories earned McLaughlin an upgrade to the yellow roof section for the final, but that proved no handicap to the Coleraine racer, who completed his hat-trick with another flag to flag victory.

Heat One: 1st. Mark McLaughlin (Coleraine), 2nd. Stephen Boyd (Garvagh), 3rd. Karl Smyth (Garvagh)

Heat Two: 1st. McLaughlin, 2nd. Boyd, 3rd. Robbie Diffin (Armagh)

Final: 1st. McLaughlin, 2nd. Diffin, 3rd. Smyth

JUNIOR RODS

A pleasing entry of thirteen cars lined up for the first Junior Rod race and it was newcomer Peter Stewart who nipped ahead of long time leader Liam Wilson in the closing stages to register a good win ahead of a fast finishing Dean McCrory.

Race two proved to be one of the best of the evening, with a seven strong gaggle of cars fighting for the lead heading into the final 2 laps.

At the chequered flag it was McCrory who snatched victory in his Peugeot 106, while Aaron Moody motored into second ahead of Cara Wightman.

A double spin out for Patrick O’Boyle and Adrian McConnell brought an early caution period in the final and that interruption was always likely to play into the hands of the star names.

With the pack closed up for the restart McCrory made short work of those ahead to ease away for a comprehensive win.

Moody was next across the finish line, but was demoted 2 places by the steward for his part in the earlier incident which promoted Wightman to second and Antony Kincaid to third.

Heat One: 1st. Peter Stewart (Garvagh), 2nd. Dean McCrory (Antrim), 3rd. Liam Wilson (Articlave)

Heat Two: 1st. McCrory, 2nd. Aaron Moody (Ballymena), 3rd. Cara Wightman (Belfast)

Final: 1st. McCrory, 2nd. Wightman, 3rd. Antony Kincaid (Antrim)

THIS WEEKEND

Race action continues in the Ballymena Showgrounds on Friday evening (August 16) with the return of the National Hot Rods which contest Round 2 of their 2014 World Qualifying Series.

The meeting will mark the first appearance at Raceway of recently crowned World and National Champion John Christie who is sure to receive a warm welcome from the local fans.

Other star names participating in the World Series include 2012 World Champion Glenn Bell, 2005 World Champion Keith Martin and former British Champions Gary Woolsey and Stewart Doak.

F2 Stock Cars are also on the programme and will race for the coveted Norman Cromie Memorial Trophy which is currently held by Sam McKay from Ballyclare.

Group Two Lightning Rods and Speed Stocks are also on the race programme and there will be some demonstration runs from the Classic Hot Rods.

The first race blasts off the start line in the Ballymena Showgrounds at 7:15pm.