Raceway action returns to town track on Friday

Oval racing returns to Ballymena Raceway on Friday evening with a full complement of championship events for the five classes on show.
By The Newsroom
Published 17th Jul 2015, 07:00 BST
Cole McFall from Ballymena collected his first final win in the Junior Rods at Nutts Corner. Picture: Davy Park.Cole McFall from Ballymena collected his first final win in the Junior Rods at Nutts Corner. Picture: Davy Park.
Cole McFall from Ballymena collected his first final win in the Junior Rods at Nutts Corner. Picture: Davy Park.

The rapid National Hot Rods race for the 2015 Irish Masters which is sponsored by Matt Roach Racing.

The National racers will contest two reverse grid qualifying heats to decide their starting positions for the Masters showdown and the Hot Rod drivers will also benefit for the Hot Lap bonus scheme which has been introduced at Raceway for 2015.

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The driver that records the fastest race lap during Friday’s meeting will receive a £50 award kindly donated by Ken Reay of Limavady based krphotoimaging.

Group Two Lighting Rods, Junior Rods, Euro Stocks and Stock Rods complete the line up of classes on display.

The coveted Challenge Cup is the prize available for the GP2 drivers and a keenly contested event is almost guaranteed from this lively formula.

Johnny Gillespie has been in good form recently in his Vauxhall Astra, with Irish Champion Freddie Fleck, Kenny Carson, Stewart Nicholl and Jason Clyde all well in contention.

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Meanwhile the Stock Rod racers will compete in their Irish Grand Prix.

This increasingly competitive class has already produced 8 different final winners in 2015, with Rasharkin teenager Niall McFerran the latest driver to get his hands on some silverware.

Former Euro Stock men Stephen Doherty and Lester McCloy are set to swell the growing ranks even further this weeken.

But British Champion Steven McKane and Supreme Champion Wilfie McNiece are still the men to beat.

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The young chargers in the Junior Rod category continue to provide some great entertainment in 2015 and contest Round 2 of their RPM Car and Commercial Gold Roof Series on Friday evening.

Current leader of the series is Shea Duff from Crumlin.

Antony Kincaid, Jack Kennedy and Joshua McKinstry are also well placed in the series.

Ballymena’s Cole McFall took his first final win at Nutts Corner recently and could well be one to watch out for along with Larne’s Samuel Wilson.

The Euro Stocks compete for their Golden Helmet Trophy and it is a wide open field in this budget formula, with the likes of Mark Frew, Aaron McMullan and Alistair Christie amongst the host of potential victors.

The first race gets underway in the Ballymena Showgrounds at 7:15pm on Friday evening.