Girl power as Liscinda races to historic Irish title success

It was an historic win too as Liscinda becomes the first female racer to win an Irish Championship in one of the senior categories of oval racing. Smyth was made to work hard for the win by Noel Hazlett, but never put a wheel wrong for the entire 20 lap duration, with Jonny Gillespie nipping ahead of Ricky Shaw on the final lap to snatch the final podium spot behind Smyth and Hazlett.

In the Stock Rod division Stevie McNiece and Victor McAfee split the heat victories before Carl Sloan extended his excellent results at Raceway in 2013 to claim the Champion of Champion Final.

Once again the youngsters in the Junior Rod class produced three excellent races during the evening, with Ballymena lad Aaron Moody emerging victorious in their final to lift the splendid Golden Steering Wheel Trophy.

Speed Stocks completed the programme at thedealer.ie sponsored meeting and following a debut win for Uel McMillan in the opening heat of the Gold Roof Challenge normal service was then resumed with a heat and final double for the flying Billy Finnegan Jnr.

GROUP TWO LIGHTNING RODS

Twenty-seven cars filled the track for the Irish Championship race with Liscinda Smyth and Noel Hazlett on the front row of the grid.

Smyth led from the start with Hazlett in close attention and the pair gradually eased away from the main pack. Smyth was driving splendidly in the front running position with Hazlett tracking her every move, while further back Ricky Shaw moved through into third.

As the 20 lap showdown entered the closing stages Hazlett tried to press the leader into a mistake, but Smyth expertly completed the distance to secure the coveted title. Hazlett was a very close runner-up, while Johnny Gillespie made great strides to snatch third on the very last bend from Shaw, with the top six completed by Freddie Fleck and defending Irish Champion Curtis Greer.

Cullybackey teenager Greer may have yielded his Irish title, but still left Raceway with some silverware after a polished win in the William McMaster Perpetual Shield race later in the evening.

2013 Irish Championship: 1st. Liscinda Smyth (Portglenone), 2nd. Noel Hazlett (Ballymena), 3rd. Johnny Gillespie (Galgorm), 4th. Ricky Shaw (Antrim), 5th. Freddie Fleck (Broughshane), 6th. Curtis Greer (Cullybackey)

Wm. McMaster Perpetual Shield: 1st. Greer, 2nd. Shaw, 3rd. Graham Young (Limavady)

STOCK RODS

Fresh from finishing as runner-up in the World Championship race the previous weekend Stevie McNiece opened his evening at Raceway with a flag to flag win in heat one.

Victor McAfee turned the tables on McNiece in heat two and the two heat winners occupied the front row of the grid for the final. After one false start there was further drama when McNiece sensationally spun out at the end of the opening lap as Carl Sloan shot through into the lead in his Vauxhall Corsa.

The race developed into a keen battle between Sloan and McAfee, with the experienced McAfee trying all he knew to find a way through. Sloan kept his cool under relentless pressure however to secure the Champion of Champions Trophy, with McAfee a very close second and Steven McKane in third.

Heat One: 1st. Stevie McNiece (Newtownhamilton), 2nd. Victor McAfee (Ballymena), 3rd. Carl Sloan (Kells)

Heat Two: 1st. McAfee, 2nd. McNiece, 3rd. Sloan

Champion of Champions: 1st. Sloan, 2nd. McAfee, 3rd. Steven McKane (Ballymena)

SPEED STOCKS

Uel McMillan made an immediate impact on his debut appearance in the class by recording a fine debut win in the opening heat.

McMillan reached the chequered flag first in his Vauxhall Corsa after an entertaining three way scrap with Curtis Greer and James Goldie over the final lap. Star man Billy Finnegan Jnr, had been spun out of contention in heat one, but bounced back to form with a victory in heat two.

McMillan qualified in pole position for the Gold Roof Challenge race and led this one for quite a way until Finnegan made his move three laps from home and powered ahead in his Honda Civic. McMillan had to be content with second, followed home by Curtis Greer, James Goldie and Richard Purdy.

Heat One: 1st. Uel McMillan (Ballymena), 2nd. Curtis Greer (Cullybackey), 3rd. James Goldie (Ballymena)

Heat Two: 1st. Billy Finnegan Jnr. (Ardglass), 2nd. Goldie, 3rd. Greer

Gold Roof Challenge: 1st. Finnegan, 2nd. McMillan, 3rd. Greer

JUNIOR RODS

Sixteen juniors produced three excellent races with some great dices right throughout the field.

Niall McFerran breezed through from the red roof section to take a fine win in the opening heat before Aaron McGraw edged ahead of Peter Stewart in the final laps to register his maiden victory at Raceway in heat two.

Stewart led the final for a long time too before Aaron Moody rocketed ahead two laps from home and went on to claim the Golden Steering Wheel Trophy.

Jaimie McCurdy made great progress in his Vauxhall Corsa to follow the winner home with Stewart third in the final standings ahead of McFerran, David McKinnon and Antony Kincaid.

Heat One: 1st. Niall McFerran (Rasharkin), 2nd.Jaimie McCurdy (Aughafatten), 3rd. Aaron Moody (Ballymena)

Heat Two: 1st. Aaron McGraw (Garvagh), 2nd. David McKinnon (Ballymena), 3rd. Moody

Final: 1st. Moody, 2nd. McCurdy, 3rd. Peter Stewart (Moneydig)

THIS WEEKEND

The action continues at Ballymena Raceway on Friday evening (September 20) where the spectacular National Hot Rods return to contest Round 4 of their World Qualifying Series.

World Champion John Christie and British Champion Glenn Bell are some of the star names on display as the drivers battle it out to secure those valuable points which will book them a place on the 2014 World Final grid. A

lso on the programme will be the Group Two Lightning Rod Grand National Championship, plus Junior Rods and the Euro Stocks 2013 Irish Championship, with the first race getting underway at the Edwin May sponsored fixture at 7:15pm.