Thrills and spills in bumper Raceway programme

Dan Feeney added the 1300 Stock Car National title to his recently won Irish Championship after a keenly contested final in which Willie Stewart finished as runner-up, with Scottish visitor Craig Haxton in third. Billy Finnegan Jnr wrote his name into the record books as the inaugural Speed Stocks Irish Champion after a fine drive in his Honda Civic, while the famous Nevin racing dynasty have another champion to celebrate after Clifford Nevin eased to victory in the 1600 Lightning Rod Irish Championship.

Group Two Lightning Rods and Stock Rods completed the schedule of races and there was double delight for a pair of Ballymena based racers. Seasoned campaigner Kenny Carson collected the King of the North Trophy in the GP2 class after a sparkling display in his Vauxhall Astra and Stock Rod ace Steven McKane romped to a heat and final double success in his Crebilly Fuels Vauxhall Nova.

1300 STOCK CARS

Two reverse grid qualifying heats determined the line-up for the 2013 National Championship and the first of these brought a win for Michael Logan in his Toyota Starlet. None of the locals could get on terms with Scottish visitor Craig Haxton in heat two where the Scotsman claimed a debut win at Raceway ahead of Irish Champion Dan Feeney and Willie Stewart. The heat winners shared the front row of the grid for the final and it was Haxton who grabbed the initiative ahead of Feeney and Blake. The Scottish star looked to be on his way to a comfortable win until Logan rolled his car which forced a caution period. This proved to be a real turning point in the race as the field was now right on the leader’s tail again at the restart. A frantic end to the race ensued with Haxton and Blake swapping the lead before Feeney charged through to the front in the final 3 laps to snatch the title ahead of Stewart and Haxton.

SPEED STOCKS

Thirteen cars lined up for the first ever Speed Stocks Irish Championship, with the big two of James Goldie and Billy Finnegan Jnr on the front row. After one false start it was Goldie’s Vauxhall which got the drop at the green flag, but gradually Finnegan eased up on the leader’s back bumper and forced his way to the front. From there Finnegan’s Honda Civic built up a comfortable gap over Goldie and that advantage was maintained all the way to the finish as Finnegan earned himself the right to carry the green roof for the next 12 months with a polished performance. Goldie was good value for second, while Jonny Kirk caught the eye on his track debut to capture the final podium position in third. The two support races brought first ever wins at Raceway for Kirk and Adrian Finnegan.

1600 LIGHTNING RODS

Two normal roof colour heat races preceded the 1600 Lightning Rod Irish Championship and the first of these brought a flag to flag victory for Alastair Christie in his immaculate Vauxhall Astra. John Goligher spent a long time out front in heat two, but Mark Frew eventually tracked the leader down in the closing stages and swopped round the wide outside to claim a fine win ahead of Goligher and Darryl McAleese. The grid for the final was formed on the basis of points scored throughout the season and paired together Mark Dunlop and Frew on the front row, with Clifford Nevin and Jerome Doherty on row two. Dunlop led initially, but found himself under severe pressure and was eventually forced to yield his ground to Nevin. As the laps counted down Nevin extended his advantage and crossed the line comfortably ahead, while Dunlop just held off Frew in their tussle for second, with the top six completed by Doherty, Christie and Bobby Johnston.

GP2 RODS

Twenty cars lined up for heat one where novice Matthew Curran steered his Vauxhall Astra to a maiden victory at Raceway.

Curran went on to record his second victory of the evening. Those brace of heat victories meant an automatic upgrade to the yellow roof section for Curran, but the plucky novice still made a good fist of leading the early laps of the final. Kenny Carson made his move for the lead on lap 4 and once out front the veteran campaigner motored away to clinch the King of the North Trophy after a fine drive. Curran completed a good evening’s work by finishing as runner-up, while an entertaining battle for third between Johnny Gillespie and Curtis Greer eventually went the way of Greer.

THIS WEEKEND

The oval racing stars of the future take centre stage at Ballymena Raceway on Friday evening (October 4) when the boys and girls in the Junior Rod division contest their Irish Championship. The first race gets underway in the Showgrounds at 7:15pm.