Hot Rod world qualifying round ushers in new season at Raceway

An excellent entry of 18 National Hot Rods assembled for the resumption of the qualifying series and it was Randalstown’s Andrew Murray who departed Raceway as top points scorer for the evening after an impressive heat and final double in his Vauxhall Tigra.

In the other classes Niall McFerran steered his Vauxhall Corsa to a faultless hat-trick of race victories in the Junior Rod category.

The three races for the Group Two Lightning Rods produced a different winner each time, with Stewart Nicholl just holding off the advances of David Gillespie to claim the final silverware.

In the Euro Stocks division novice grader Johnny McCloy romped to a brace of victories in the heat races before Stephen McCahon pressed home to win the final in his Ford Sierra.

The programme was completed by a set of combined races for the Classic / Retro and Stock Rod classes which produced an opening heat victory for the Classic Hot Rod of Caleb Howard before the pristine Peugeot 205 Retro Rod of Donegal visitor Drew Russell enjoyed success in both the second heat and the final.

NATIONAL HOT RODS

A superb entry of 18 Eighteen Nationals lined up on the Raceway for Round 7 of their World Qualifying campaign and it was Davy Gurney who set the early pace in heat one.

All eyes were soon on British Champion Glenn Bell however, who was on a real charge from the red grade to take a splendid win in his Vauxhall Tigra, with Simon Kennedy a strong second and Andrew Murray in third.

There was high drama in the early laps of heat two when both World Champion John Christie and Crumlin’s Adam Maxell rotated coming onto the start / finish straight. Both rejoined quickly, but up front it was Murray who relentlessly reeled in long time leaders Gurney and Stephen McGonigle to record a very tidy win in his TRM backed Vauxhall Tigra.

After one false start the 30-lap final got underway and once again yellow graders Gurney and McGonigle were the pace makers out front. Murray and Christie were making real strides through the pack however and the pair soon worked their way into the top two positions.

A real grandstand finish looked in store between the pair, but Murray was always able to maintain a comfortable gap over the World Champion to take a convincing final win.

Christie was forced to settle for second on this occasion, while Kennedy could be well pleased with a commendable third place finish from the blue grade.

Maxwell worked his way around the outside of Mark Heatrick for a hard earned fourth spot, with the top six rounded out by Heatrick and Stewart Doak.

National Hot Rod World Qualifying Round 7: 1. Andrew Murray, 2. John Christie, 3. Simon Kennedy, 4. Adam Maxwell, 5. Mark Heatrick, 6. Stewart Doak, 7. Robert Forsythe, 8. Keith Martin.

GROUP TWO LIGHTNING RODS

Broughshane’s Freddie Fleck took the honour of the first race win of the new season, just holding off the hard charging David Gillespie over the closing stages.

Stewart Nicholl’s Vauxhall Astra was first across the line in heat two, but the Kilrea man was penalised by the race steward which handed the race win to Rodney Stewart from Cullybackey. Nicholl was keen to make amends in the final and quickly stretched out a handy lead in the early stages.

Once again however Gillespie was finishing at a pace and the pair fought out a real ding-dong battle over the final 3 laps.

Nicholl just had enough in reserve to cling on for victory, with Gillespie a very close second and the battling duo of Danny Norris and Jonny Gillespie third and fourth.

GP2 Final: 1. Stewart Nicholl, 2. David Gillespie, 3.Daniel Norris, 4. Jonny Gillespie, 5. Rodney Stewart, 6. Freddie Fleck, 7. Nigel Doherty, 8. Noel Hazlett.

EURO STOCKS

Novice grader Johnny McCloy recorded his maiden victory at Raceway in the opening heat after a storming drive in his Ford Puma. McCloy didn’t have to wait long for the second either, as the white top repeated the trick in heat two!

The final would prove to be one step too far however as Stephen McCahon steered his Ford Sierra to the chequered flag ahead of Irish Champion Stephen Doherty, Philip Doherty and McCloy.

Euro Stocks Final: 1. Stephen McCahon, 2. Stephen Doherty, 3. Philip Doherty, 4. Johnny McCloy.

JUNIOR RODS

There was a debut appearance for local girl Shannon Ward amongst the eleven car entry, but it was red top Niall McFerran who underlined his position as the current form man in the formula by romping to a faultless hat trick of victories.

McFerran led home Aaron Moody and Antony Kincaid in their feature event.

Junior Rod Final: 1. Niall McFerran, 2. Aaron Moody, 3. Antony Kincaid, 4. Jack Kennedy, 5. Sam Wright, 6. Samuel Wilson, 7. Shea Duff, 8. Shannon Ward

CLASSICS/RETRO/STOCK RODS

The Classic / Retro and Stock Rod classes ran together and their opening race produced a keen dice between the evenly matched Classic Hot Rod Ford Escort Mk. 2 of Caleb Howard and the immaculate Peugeot 205 Retro Rod of Donegal visitor Drew Russell which eventually went the way of Howard.

Unfortunately Howard withdrew from the rest of the meeting and without his sparring partner on track Russell recorded easy wins in the second heat and final. In the Stock Rod division Steven McKane and Michael McKendry registered a heat win apiece, with McKane the victor in the final.

NEXT MEETING

The Raceway action returns on Good Friday (April 18) with World Qualifying Rounds for both the National Hot Rods and the F2 Stock Cars, plus Speed Stocks, GP2 Rods and Junior Rods.