Flag falls on new season of Raceway action on Friday night

The green flag drops to usher in a new season of short circuit motorsport at Ballymena Raceway on Friday evening (7:15pm start).
Ashley Graham and young William Hamilton tighten up the wheel nuts at Ballymena Raceway. INBT14-258ACAshley Graham and young William Hamilton tighten up the wheel nuts at Ballymena Raceway. INBT14-258AC
Ashley Graham and young William Hamilton tighten up the wheel nuts at Ballymena Raceway. INBT14-258AC

All in all a total of seventeen fixtures are scheduled at the Showgrounds venue during 2014, with an extensive programme of international and domestic championships lined up to keep the race fans entertained.

The ever popular National Hot Rods figure prominently and what a year it promises to be for the premier class in the province with a record grid of cars anticipated.

The Nationals resume their World Qualifying campaign at Raceway on Friday evening (April 4), with another World qualifier pencilled in for Good Friday (April 18).

Frankie Lynn getting ready for the Ballymena Raceway practice night. INBT14-259ACFrankie Lynn getting ready for the Ballymena Raceway practice night. INBT14-259AC
Frankie Lynn getting ready for the Ballymena Raceway practice night. INBT14-259AC

World Champion John Christie and British Champion Glenn Bell enjoyed great success during 2013 and the pair will battle it out with the likes of Adam Maxwell, Andrew Murray, Stewart Doak, Keith Martin, Mark Heatrick and Ian McReynolds to represent Northern Ireland at the World Finals in July.

A number of new drivers are set to swell the ranks, amongst them Bill McCurdy from Broughshane, Carl Sloan from Kells and Arthur Roxborough from Cullybackey.

The Cirrus Plastics fixture on Good Friday will see the fabulous F2 Stock Cars make their first appearance of 2014 at Raceway, and a very competitive year lies ahead for the single seaters as a number of drivers have upgraded their machinery over the winter months in a bid to challenge the supremacy of Irish Champion Christopher Kincaid.

The month of May features three meetings, the Country Garage sponsored fixture on May 2, followed by the Bevan Motorsport meeting on May 9 and a Room to Race backed fixture on May 23.

The action hots up during the month of June with a triple header of mouth-watering events.

The month commences with the final round of the National Hot Rod World Qualifying Series at the McCarroll Plant Hire fixture on June 6.

This is always a tense affair as the star names strive to secure their place on the World Final grid.

Next up is one of the most popular events on the Stock Car calendar, the Gilmore Engineering Saloon Stock Car Irish Open Championship, on June 14.

This clash of steel will be a bruising encounter as the best from the UK mainland trade blows with the province’s star names such as Irish Champion Ryan Wright from Cullybackey.

With the Junior Rod Irish Open title set to be decided on the same evening this really is a date not to be missed!

The big track action continues one week later too on June 21 where the BriSCA F2 Stock Car Irish Open Championship and the ORCi Stock Rod European Championship form a dream double bill.

The local racers will have to be on top form to resist the strong English and Scottish challenge at this Wm. Moody & Son Car Sales sponsored contest.

July features a double header over the weekend of July 18 & 19 when Raceway proudly hosts the SHP Engineering Irish Masters Championship for the National Hot Rods.

With the World Final itself taking place two weeks previously, will the Raceway fans be welcoming home another World Champion from Northern Ireland?

A packed support programme over the weekend includes the 1300 Stock Car Slemish Shield, Euro Stocks Supreme Championship, Retro Rods Super Cup and the Broughshane Car Dismantlers backed GP2 Challenge Cup.

The action in August roars into life on August 15 where the great line-up for the Ramble Inn sponsored meeting includes a National Hot Rod World Qualifier and the Norman Cromie Memorial Trophy for the F2 Stock Cars.

There’s another great speed fest to enjoy over the weekend of August 22 & 23 when the Raceway presents a mammoth two-day programme of oval racing.

The popular GP2 class celebrates its twentieth anniversary in 2014 and to celebrate the occasion a World Cup race and Irish Open Championship will be staged over this weekend.

The Classic Hot Rods will also contest their Irish Open during the weekend and other highlights of this Dealer/Townparks Car Sales sponsored programme include the F2 Supreme Championship, Saloon Stock Car Slemish Super Cup, Speed Stocks Challenge Cup, Junior Rod Irish Masters, Euro Stocks Golden Helmet and a National Hot Rod World qualifier.

September will witness a number of the domestic titles decided at Raceway.

The Speed Stocks contest their Super Pole final during the Riccardo Imaging sponsored fixture on September 12 and the Euro Stocks Irish Champion for 2014 will be crowned at the Redz Piano Bar and Grill backed meeting on September 19.

The Speed Stocks Irish Championship will be settled at the Ross Hyndman Motors meeting on September 26 before the Raceway season is wrapped up with the trophiesni.com sponsored fixture on October 3.

THIS WEEKEND

It’s all systems go at Ballymena Raceway on Friday evening (April 4) as the eagerly anticipated 2014 season blasts off the starting grid.

Top of the bill is Round 7 of the National Hot Rod World Qualifying Series. Current World Champion John Christie sits at the top of the points chart and the Ballinderry man will be keen to continue his excellent 2013 form into the new season.

Keith Martin enjoyed a dominant win in the Winter National Championship last time out at Raceway on New Year’s Day and will hope for a repeat performance in his rapid Vauxhall Tigra, while Adam Maxwell, Andrew Murray, Stewart Doak and British Champion Glenn Bell aim to consolidate their strong positions in the World Series by collecting a healthy haul of points on Friday evening.

Derek Martin impressed during his debut appearance on New Year’s Day and is one of a number of newcomers set to boast the grids of the premier class to record levels in 2014.

Support racing at the B.E. Flooring / B.A. Car Sales sponsored meeting is provided by the Classic Hot Rods, Retro Rods, Stock Rods, Junior Rods, GP2 Rods and Euro Stocks, with the action getting underway in the Ballymena Showgrounds at 7:15pm.