Thrill-a-minute action at Raceway

DRIVERS from England, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland joined the best racers from the province to provide two thrilling days of international short circuit action at Ballymena Raceway last weekend.

The UK Masters title for the Stock Rod class and the Irish Open Championship for the Classic Hot Rods were the main events on the packed programme and it was two drivers from the province who landed the major honours as Nutts Corner Stock Rod ace Raymond Harper captured the UK Masters and Desie Howard from Moneymore successfully retained the Classic Hot Rod trophy.

STOCK RODS

The four qualifying heats brought victories for Lee Johnston, Raymond Harper and a brace for Scottish star Robert McDonald, but it was Ballymena's Micky McFall who earned pole position for the Wm. Moody & Son Car Sales backed UK final with his consistent finishing.

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McFall led the early stages of the Masters event in his Vauxhall Nova, but was edged out of the front running spot by Harper at Fisherwick bend and dropped down to fifth. Harper was hard pressed by Victor McAfee all the way to the chequered flag, but held on to record his third major race win of 2010. McAfee finished a very close second and Cullybackey's Frankie Lynn nipped ahead of McDonald on the final bend to snatch third.

Heat One: 1. Robert McDonald (Scotland), 2. Micky McFall (Craigywarren), 3. Bobby Johnston (Glenarm).

Heat Two: 1. Lee Johnston (Portadown), 2. Victor McAfee (Ballymena), 3. Raymond Harper (Nutts Corner)

Heat Three: 1. Harper, 2. McFall, 3. Frankie Lynn (Cullybackey)

Heat Four: 1. McDonald, 2. McFall, 3. McAfee

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UK Masters Final: 1. Harper, 2. McAfee, 3. Lynn, 4. McDonald, 5. McFall, 6. Carl Sloan (Kells).

CLASSIC HOT RODS

Like the Stock Rod class the Classics also enjoyed four qualifying heats to determine the grids position for their championship final. Defending Irish Open champion Desie Howard was in dominant form, winning three of the four qualifiers, with the other race going to English visitor Chris Selleck in his Ford Escort Mk. 1.

Howard quickly slotted into the lead of the Wm. Moody & Son / SHP Automotive Engineering backed final too, but was challenged strongly by Stephen Nevin in the early stages. Nevin eventually dropped down to fifth however as Howard clinically controlled the pace from the front to successfully retain the title for another season. Runner-up Dean Hunt from Croydon was the best of the visitors, with Ballymena's Kenny Wilson moving through into third.

Heat One: 1. Desie Howard (Moneymore), 2. Stephen Nevin (Macosquin), 3. Kenny Wilson (Ballymena)

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Heat Two: 1. Chris Selleck (Essex), 2. Dean Hunt (Croydon), D. Howard

Heat Three: 1. D. Howard, 2. Nevin, 3. Hunt

Heat Four: 1. D. Howard, 2. Nevin, 3. Caleb Howard (Moneymore)

Irish Open Championship: 1. D. Howard, 2. Hunt, 3. Wilson, 4. C. Howard, 5. Nevin, 6. Paraic McCormack (County Tipperary).

TOM SWAN MEMORIAL

The F2 Stock Car drivers contested a memorial race for former Raceway favourite Tom Swan on Saturday evening.

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Antrim pair Gary Blair and Ryan McCrory split the heat wins, but in the memorial race it was Gary Grattan from Banbridge who powered home well clear of his brother Denver and Conor Hughes. A special trophy was also awarded to the first white or yellow roof driver home and this went to Matthew McCreight.

Heat One: 1. Gary Blair (Antrim), 2. Craig McConnell (Bangor), 3. Gary Grattan (Banbridge)

Heat Two: 1. Ryan McCrory (Antrim), 2. Denver Grattan (Banbridge), 3. G. Grattan

Tom Swan Memorial Trophy: 1. G. Grattan, 2. D. Grattan, 3. Conor Hughes (Antrim), 4. McConnell, 5. Graham Fegan (Belfast), 6. Blair

SUPPORT RACES

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In the HSS Hire / Kirkwood Coaches sponsored support races there was a winning return for Wayne Woolsey in World Qualifying Round 4 for the National Hot Rods.

The Racemart backed Yokohama Cup for the ORC Lightning Rods went to Gordon McKee after an impressive performance in his Ford Sierra, while there was a debut win for Bradley McKinstry in the Junior Rods. The busy Group Two Lightning Rod division was in action on both evenings, with the final wins going the way of Kenny Greer on Friday and Gareth McCrory on Saturday.

NATIONAL HOT RODS

Heat One: 1. John Christie (Crumlin), 2. Wayne Woolsey (Portadown), 3. Mark Heatrick (Portadown)

Heat Two: 1. Keith Martin (Dungannon), 2. Christie, 3. Heatrick

Final: 1. Woolsey, 2. Heatrick, 3. Glenn Bell (Portadown)

ORC LIGHTNING RODS

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Heat One: 1. Mervyn Emerson (Antrim), 2. Dane Ferry (Bushmills), 3. Gordon McKee (Templepatrick)

Heat Two: 1st. G. McKee, 2nd. Tim Hazlett (Ahoghill), 3rd. Ben McKee (Templepatrick)

Yokohama Cup: 1st. G. McKee, 2nd. Emerson, 3rd. B. McKee, 4.th. Hazlett, 5th. Aaron Stewart (Aghadowey), 6th. Gregg Hyndman (Londonderry)

JUNIOR RODS

Heat One: 1. Bradley McKinstry (Nutts Corner), 2. James Steele (Cullybackey), 3. Calvin Blake (Newtownabbey)

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Heat Two: 1. Daniel Shannon (Glenavy), 2. Blake, 3. Marc Morrell (Ahoghill)

Final: 1. McKinstry, 2. Steele, 3. Dean McCrory (Antrim)

GROUP TWO LIGHTNING RODS

Heat One (Fri): 1. Brian Alexander (Ballymena), 2. David Wilson (Cullybackey), 3. David Reynolds (Ballymena)

Heat Two (Fri): 1. Wilson, 2. Shane Gault (Glarryford), 3. Arthur Roxborough (Cullybackey)

Final (Fri): 1. Greer, 2. Roxborough, 3. Jason Harkness (Cullybackey)

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Heat One (Sat): 1. Rodney Stewart (Cullybackey), 2. Gault, 3. Wilson

Heat Two (Sat): 1. Gareth McCrory (Limavady), 2. Stewart, 3. Wilson

Final (Sat): 1. McCrory, 2. Samuel Montgomery (Castlerock), 3. Gary Thompson (Cookstown)

THIS WEEKEND

The action continues at Ballymena Raceway this Friday (August 27) and features round 2 of the Hoosier Tires / LJN DeSigns Series for the Two-Litre Hot Rods.

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Adam Heatrick took the honours in Round 1, with Irish Champion Shane Murray from Randalstown and British Champion Andrew Best from Richill also expected to challenge strongly this time.

The Group Two Lightning Rods will race for the Wm. McMaster Perpetual Shield on Friday evening, with the programme completed by races for the Junior Rods and Stock Rods. The first race gets underway in the Ballymena Showgrounds at 7:15pm.

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