Bumper night of Raceway action in store on Friday

There’s an Easter extravaganza of short circuit motorsport in store at Ballymena Raceway on Good Friday (April 18) where the action packed schedule includes a National Hot Rod World Qualifying round and a first Raceway appearance of the season for the ferocious F2 Stock Cars.
Junior Rod Irish Champion Aaron Moody from Ballymena will be aiming for more success at Raceway on Good Friday.Junior Rod Irish Champion Aaron Moody from Ballymena will be aiming for more success at Raceway on Good Friday.
Junior Rod Irish Champion Aaron Moody from Ballymena will be aiming for more success at Raceway on Good Friday.

Two weeks ago it was Andrew Murray who left Raceway with the National Hot Rod silverware following a great display in his Vauxhall Tigra which propelled him to the top of the points chart. Current World No. 1 John Christie had to settle for second place on that occasion and the Ballinderry man, who enjoyed such a successful 2013 campaign, is sure to be right in the thick of the action once again.

British Champion Glenn Bell recorded a heat win at Raceway two weeks ago, and the star-studded entry also includes the likes of Adam Maxwell, Mark Heatrick and former British Champions Stewart Doak and Keith Martin, who will all be looking to secure their slot on the World Final grid.

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The National Hot Rods put on a great spectacle at their previous Raceway appearance, with a superb entry of 17 cars on track, and motorsport fans can expect another night of high octane drama from the fastest cars on the ovals.

The Formula Two Stock Cars rock up at Raceway for the first time this season on Good Friday and the question on everyone’s lips is ‘who can stop Christopher Kincaid?’

Antrim based Kincaid is the undisputed King of the F2 scene in the province and cleaned up all the local honours in 2013, winning the Irish Championship, Points Championship and Ballymena Raceway Stadium Championship.

A number of drivers have ungraded their machinery in a bid to challenge Kincaid’s supremacy, with the likes of Ryan McCrory, Sam McKay and 2007 European Champion Craig McConnell amongst those with new cars for the 2014 campaign.

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Add former Irish Champions Conor Hughes and Gavin Fegan into the mix as well and the stage is set for a very competitive year ahead from the single seaters.

Also on the packed programme of races at the Cirrus Plastics sponsored meeting on Friday evening are the Group Two Lightning Rods, Junior Rods and Speed Stocks.

It’s the opening round of the season long Super Pole Challenge Series for the Speed Stocks, with Ballymena’s Noel Hazlett expected to be amongst the leading contenders in his McMillan Auto Repairs backed Vauxhall Corsa. Junior Rod ace Niall McFerran from Rasharkin has started 2014 in imperious fashion and reeled of a hat-trick of victories on his previous visit to the Showground’s oval.

Irish Champion Aaron Moody from Ballymena was McFerran’s closest challenger that evening, with Antony Kincaid, Jack Kennedy and newcomer Samuel Wilson also showing up well. Stewart Nicholl, Rodney Stewart and Broughshane’s Freddie Fleck shared the GP2 wins between them on opening night, with David and Johnny Gillespie, Daniel Norris, Nigel Doherty and Jason Clyde amongst the places.

The green flag drops to get racing underway in the Ballymena Showgrounds at 7:15pm.