Junior-Rods 2012 Gold Roof Championship
McKinstry's Gold Run
Two reverse grid qualifying heats determined the grid for the Gold Roof race and it was Peter Greer who burst through from row two to take up the running in the first qualifier. Greer quickly set about building up a healthy advantage on the damp track as the main pack squabbled hard over the places. At the head of that battle were Jaimie McCurdy and Mark Graham, the pair enjoying a real ding-dong tussle throughout. This was eventually settled in McCurdy’s favour, but Greer was untroubled up front and took a comfortable win from McCurdy and Graham, with Bradley McKinstry in fourth after a good dice with Robert Mawhinney. In the second qualifier mid-grid starters McCurdy and Graham soon worked their way to the head of the pack and resumed their personal duel from the opening heat. Graham, one of the top junior racers at Aghadowey, was certainly catching the eye as he harried McCurdy throughout. His pressure was to no avail however as McCurdy nervously steered his Vauxhall Corsa home for a faultless win ahead of Graham and Aidan McFerran. Those heat results earned McCurdy pole for the Gold Roof race, with his companion for the evening Graham alongside on the front row. Heat one winner Greer sat on row two alongside Calvin Blake, with McKinstry and McFerran on row three. Mawhinney, Aaron Moody, Niall McFerran, Adam Brogan and Mark Rainey completed the grid and it was no surprise to see McCurdy and Graham go at it hammer and tongs again from the green flag. The pair were not having it all their own way however, with Greer, McKinstry and McFerran all in contention as a 5-way battle raged for the lead. McKinstry made his move to take it up from McCurdy and this pair started to drop the other three slightly as the race progressed. McKinstry was holding firm up front and rattled of the remaining laps to confirm a smartly taken victory. McCurdy chased hard, but had to settle for second, with Greer in third, Aidan McFerran fourth, Moody fifth and Niall McFerran sixth.
1300 Saloon Stock-Cars
Dan Feeney continues impressive form
It was a case of ‘Catching White Roof Ryan’ in the 1300 stocks as young Ryan Patton gave the star names a run for their money in all three races. Patton was making his debut at Raceway and scampered away from the white grade to set the pace, while Dan Feeney was the one making most strides from the back of the field. The gap between the pair was closing rapidly in the final laps, but Patton just had enough of an advantage built up to hold on for the victory. Heat two followed a similar pattern, but this time it was David Reynolds who was doing the chasing after Patton. It all reached a climax on the very last turn where Reynolds sneaked ahead of the teenager to snatch the win in a very close finish. Patton raced off into the lead once again in the final and for a long time it looked like the novice might hold on for a famous win. Feeney was looming larger and larger in the leader’s rear view however and with one lap to go the two leaders were running nose to tail. Feeney went for the hit straight away and fired Patton wide at Suffolk bend to storm through for his second final win in a row at Raceway. Reynolds showed up well again to capture second, with Adrian McKinstry in third.
1600 Lightning-Rods 2012 8v Supercup Rd 1
McIlroy off to a flying start
The Aghadowey based 1600cc Lightning Rods made their first ever visit to Raceway to contest Round 1 of their 8v SuperCup. The heats were run in graded order with 14 cars lining up for the opener. The Peugeot 306 of Shane Brunton battled closely with Paul Hosie’s Vauxhall Astra in the opening stages before Greg McMullan found some extra speed to breeze through with 2 laps remaining and write his name in the record books as the first ever 1600cc winner at Raceway. Hosie was charging hard again in heat two and this time would not be denied victory after an impressive run. The results in the heat races determined the starting positions for the closed-grid final and Hosie’s fine efforts in the heats earned him pole position. Heat one winner McMullan was alongside the pole sitter, with Brunton and Robert McIlroy on row two. Unfortunately for Hosie his hopes in the final were over before they really got going, a grassy trip across the pitch in the opening laps ruining his chances. McMullan was out front, but under pressure from McIlroy and Liam Irwin, and the leader was utilising a wider line than his pursuers on the slightly damp track. McIlroy patiently bided his time on the tighter line and eventually the race came to him, slipping under the leader and easing away for a fine win in his immaculate Vauxhall Astra. The fast moving Irwin also demoted McMullan before the chequered flag to claim second, with the top six rounded out by McMullan, Amos McCloy, Brunton and Mark Frew.
Gp2 Lightning-Rods
David Wilson storms to Final Victory
Darryl Reid led the 18 starters during the early laps of heat one before Jason Clyde edged through from the blue grade to take it up. The leader had Freddie Fleck and David Wilson swarming all over him in the final stages, but kept his cool to register a well judged win, with Wilson in second and Fleck third. Wilson rocketed to the head of the pack in heat two, his number #20 Vauxhall Astra well clear of Fleck and Clyde at the chequered flag. The final was a much more even affair however, with novice Reid the first to show once again. Wilson and Clyde headed the blue roof charge again, but Reid was still gamely hanging on as they took the last lap board. Unfortunately for him the last lap is the only one that counts and it was Wilson who edged ahead at the very last bend to steal an unlikely second win of the evening. Clyde managed to sneak through to second on the run to the line, with the plucky Reid relegated to third within sight of the flag.
Open Hot -Rods
Davy Gurney leaves the rest trailing
Former National Hot Rodder Jason Winning was a surprise and welcome addition to the Open Hot Rod entry, but it was Simon Kennedy who roared of the line into the lead of heat one. Kennedy is coming on leaps and bounds with every outing and maintained a steady advantage over the rest all the way to the chequered flag to record his maiden Raceway win. Winning had shaken off the rustiness in that opener and looked much more like himself in heat two which developed into a fine battle between Winning and Jaye Nevin. The pair displayed great car control as they battled closely but fairly on the slippery track, with Nevin just nicking the win on the line by half a car length. Engine maladies sidelined Winning’s Peugeot 206 during the opening laps of the final which Davy Gurney quickly took control of. Gurney left the rest trailing in his wake to record a handsome win, while a late race spin for Nevin dropped him to the back of the field and promoted Kennedy to second with Arthur Roxborough in third.
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