It’s green for go for new Raceway season

A total of 22 fixtures are scheduled at the fast Showgrounds track and its action all the way with the Stock Rod Yokohama title up for grabs at the S. McAfee & Son backed opener on Good Friday, followed by the Gilmore Engineering Irish Open Championship the following evening.

Chris Gordon from Ballymena is the current World Champion in the Stock Rod class and will be keen for more honours around his local track.

The ever popular National Hot Rods will also be in action on Good Friday, where the star drivers such as John Christie, Keith Martin, Gary Woolsey, Stewart Doak and World Champion Glenn Bell will resume their battle to qualify for the World Final in July. Another World qualifier is pencilled in for Raceway on May 11, before the campaign reaches a nail biting conclusion at the Showgrounds on May 31.

An eagerly anticipated addition to the Raceway line-up for 2013 will be the Speed Stocks class.

This back to basics formula, where the costs will be kept as low as possible for competitors, has created a lot of interest over the winter months and the cars are set to make their track debut on Good Friday.

Another new event at Raceway will be the Queen of Speed Trophy on April 26 when the ladies get an opportunity to show the men how it should be done!

The girls will compete in borrowed cars to raise money for Cancer Focus N.I. and will be keen to dispel any myths about the ability of women drivers!

The thunderous Saloon Stock Cars from all across the British Isles will roll into town on May 11 to contest their UK Masters Championship.

Irish Champion Ryan Wright from Cullybackey will lead the local challenge against the mainland invaders and a very attractive race card at the RW Signs sponsored meeting also includes the Stock Rod Irish Grand Prix, plus Group 2 Lightning Rods and Speed Stocks.

June is a busy month at Raceway with four fixtures scheduled, the first of which is the Muppet Motorsport sponsored meeting on June 7 that will feature a special match race between the Prostocks and the Speed Stocks.

The Curtis Cars sponsored meeting on June 14 includes one of the highlights of the racing season when the UK’s top F2 stars join our local drivers to contest the F2 Challenge Trophy.

Further fixtures are pencilled in for Friday 21 and Friday 28 June and the latter will feature another charity event, the Soapbox Derby, which is a one lap dash for pedal cars to raise money for Diabetes UK.

After a mid-season break during July the action resumes at full throttle on Friday August 9 with the final of the Stock Rod Elite Series and the Group Two Challenge Cup both on the card.

Round 2 of the 2014 World Qualifying Series for National Hot Rods takes place at the next Raceway meeting on August 16.

The exciting BriSCA F2’s are also on the card at this Ross Hyndman Motors sponsored meeting and with the coveted Norman Cromie Memorial Trophy up for grabs their racing is sure to be fast and furious.

Raceway hosts a mammoth weekend of oval racing on August 23 and 24 which features the Stock Rod Nations Cup on the Friday evening and their UK Championship on the Saturday.

The Stock Rods always put on a great show at Raceway and this weekend is sure to provide some hectic action from the 1400cc rods.

A full programme of racing, sponsored by Curtis Cars in association with Wm. Moody & Son, also includes another World Qualifier for the National Hot Rods plus the Best in Britain races for both Saloons and F2 Stock Cars, making these two days of short oval racing not to be missed.

One week later, on Saturday August 31, Raceway proudly presents the 25th. staging of the National Hot Rod Irish Open Championship sponsored by SHP Engineering.

Reigning champion Glenn Bell can make history by becoming the first driver to ever win this famous title 3 times in a row on what is sure to be a wonderful spectacle from the fastest cars on the local racing scene.

September sees the start of Irish Championship time at Raceway. The always entertaining Group 2 Lightning Rods contest their Irish title event during The Dealer.ie backed meeting on Friday 13 September, before the first ever Speed Stocks Irish Champion will be crowned on September 27.

It’s a busy fixture at Raceway that evening too, with the 2013 National Championship for the 1300 Stock Car and the Group Two King of the North Trophy also on the cracking schedule.

The enthusiastic Junior Rods will resolve their Irish Championship at Raceway on October 4, where the Stadium Championship for the Prostocks will also be settled.

A packed evening at the Brogan Car Sales sponsored meeting is completed by the Group Two Lightning Rod Golden Helmet Trophy and the Stock Rod King of the North Trophy.

The Raceway season is wrapped up on Friday October 11 and what a spectacle is in store at the McMillan Travel sponsored finale.

Topping the bill is the Stock Rod Irish Championship, always one of the most keenly contested races of the year.

The F2 Stock Cars and ORC Lightning Rods will determine their 2013 Stadium Champion that same evening, while the National Hot Rods are back on World Qualifying duty to provide a fitting conclusion to another season of top quality short circuit motorsport at Ballymena Raceway.