Stephen shows he's up to the Challenge!

Ballymena Raceway

STEPHEN Doherty retained the Group Two Lightning Rod Challenge Cup after a controlled display of driving at Ballymena Raceway on Friday evening.

The defending champion from Garvagh started alongside pole position man Kenny Carson on the front row of the grid and patiently followed in Carson’s wheel tracks for the first half of the final before making a decisive move for the lead. Once out in front Doherty pulled steadily clear to claim the trophy for the second year in a row, with Carson dropping down to third behind Michael Rodgers by the chequered flag.

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Carl Sloan recorded his first ever victory on the ovals in the second heat of the Stock Rod events and the sixteen year old from Kells followed that up with a resounding victory in the final as well. Another driver celebrating his first ever final win at Raceway was Antrim’s Darwin Wright who brought an end to Andrew Stewart’s winning streak in the Saloon Stock Car class. The other silverware at the trophiesni.com sponsored meeting went the way of Stephen Nevin from Macosquin in the Classic Hot Rods and Antrim's Dean McCrory in the Junior Rods.

Final results

Group Two Challenge Cup: 1st. Stephen Doherty, 2nd. Michael Rodgers, 3rd. Kenny Carson

Stock Rods: 1st. Carl Sloan, 2nd. William Laffin, 3rd. Matthew Moore

Saloon Stock Cars: 1st. Darwin Wright, 2nd. Stuart McCammon, 3rd. Anthony McIvor

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Junior Rods: 1st. Dean McCrory, 2nd. Daniel Shannon, 3rd. James Steele

Classic Hot Rods: 1st. Stephen Nevin, 2nd. Kenny Wilson

World Qualifier this weekend

Round 3 of the World Qualifying Series for the National Hot Rods is the headline event on the Ballymena Raceway programme this Friday (August 13). At the end of the sixteen round series the top five drivers in the points chart qualify to represent the province in the World Finals next July and another high-octane encounter is in store at the Showgrounds on Friday evening. Gary Woolsey was victorious in all three races when Raceway hosted the opening round back in July, but the Portadown ace will surely not get things all his own way this time around. Irish Open Champion Keith Martin, a heat and final winner at the Nutts Corner staged round 2, is returning to top form, while Stewart Doak, Glenn Bell, Mark Heatrick and current Northern Ireland Champion John Christie will all be aiming for a good haul of points.

A full programme of races from the F2 Stock Car, Stock Rod and Group Two Lightning Rods provide the support action, with the first race at the Ross Hyndman Motors sponsored fixture getting underway in the Ballymena Showground’s at 7:15pm.