The Rookie Bangers again fielded a huge grid of cars, with the action lively as always as they raced for the Ulster Championship. There was a red flag early in heat one for a huge home straight crash, and through the carnage Dublin’s Paul O’Connor took the lead and a morale boosting win over Peter McConnell and Josh McKinstry. The second heat saw some more fantastic racing, as the Rookies continue to build their reputation for producing superb entertainment. O’Connor again led, but had Conor Finegan right on his case in the final stages. Finegan tried his best to unseat the leader on the final bend but O’Connor kept his cool to take his second win of the night.
If the heats were lively then the Ulster Championship final was something else, with all sorts of action right across the field. The big grid was whittled right down as the crashing continued, with Christy Bradley going ahead for much of the distance. Finegan came onto him late on, shifting him wide to come through to grab the win and the Ulster title. Bradley and Jack Murray filled out the podium, with Caitlin King receiving a special award as the Most Improved Lady driver from AF Metering Services.

Jamie Hunter impressed last week at Aghadowey in his first ever 1300 Stock Car meeting since graduating from the junior formulas, and he did so once again in heat one as he took a polished win over Robbie Wright and Peter Greer. Greer improved to take the heat two win, with Wright again second after a great last bend hit to remove Michael Logan.
The final saw Hunter lead early on before losing out to Logan’s Toyota Starlet, but Wright soon moved past to take the lead. Logan made an audacious bid to come back with the bumper, but Wright was clear and gone out front. The race was then stopped and declared after a huge turn three shunt for Hunter. The medical and track rescue crews worked for some time with the young driver, extracting him professionally from his car. The good news was that after a night in hospital Jamie was just badly bruised and swollen with thankfully nothing broken. The race was declared at that stage, with Wright taking the win over Greer and Josh McKinstry.

Newcomers in Micheal Smith and David McKinnon, plus the return of former star Conor McElmeel, boosted the ProStocks ranks and they produced three super races. Veteran David Browne looked like taking what would have been a very popular heat one win, only to lose out late on to the fast moving Dan Shannon who took the win over Joe Largey. Heat two saw a clear win for Dylan Booth from the yellow grade, leading home Steven Haugh and Shannon.
Shannon was the man to watch in the final, breaking clear of the star graders to give chase to leader Booth. Dan slipped past with four laps to go to take the win and a huge boost ahead of the British Championship next month. Haugh and Largey completed the top three.

Many thanks to our meeting sponsors, LMC Trade Sales of Dungannon, Tel: 028 8772 3399

A full field of young 6-11 year old Ninja Kart stars from across the British Isles contested the 2018 LJN Motorsport European Championship, with the qualifying heats falling the way of Irish Champion Daniel Stewart from Portadown and Scotland’s Bailey Millar.
The European Championship final was a fantastic event, with a huge battle for the lead throughout between Scottish aces Charlie Hardie and Robbie Armit and English superstar Kasey Jones. The lead swapped on numerous occasions as the young starlets entertained in no uncertain terms, until a late race suspension following a home straight incident. The race to the flag saw Armit hold on to successfully defend his European title in some style, with Jones in second ahead of Sussex ace Anthony Weaver as the visitors locked out the top positions. The top local driver home was Max Hobson in seventh place.

On Sunday the Irish Open Championship was up for grabs for the young drivers, and Armit continued where he left off on Saturday night with victory in heat one ahead after a superb battle with Jones. Heat two was all about another Scot as Millar romped home with ease ahead of Hardie and England’s Toby Parfitt. The final summed the weekend up for the Ninja Karts, with close action right from the word go and the lead swapped and changed time and again. Millar, Armit and Jones were at it hammer and tongs, until Millar unfortunately went out in a home straight spill. That left Armit and Jones to contest the lead, swapping the premier position over the final laps before racing to the line in amongst a huge bunch of backmarkers. Jones it was who took the win and the Irish Open title ahead of Armit, with Weaver again impressing as he took yet another podium spot in third.

A fantastic field of local 1300 Stock Cars were joined by Scottish based British Champion Paul Ford for the Irish Masters, with chaos kicking off right away early in heat one. Paddy Dempsey got spun to the wall and took some heavy knocks from the passing field. Some fine work from the rescue crews extracted him from his car, and we all wish him a speedy recovery from his injuries. Peter Greer broke free to take the win over Jon McQuillan in his new car and Robbie Wright. Heat two saw debutant Jamie Hunter drive a great race from the white grade to take a fantastic win over Greer and Michael Logan.
The Irish Masters final saw a closed grid formation on points scored, and the bumpers flew in right from the off! Wright hit the front and pulled clear, but his lead was wiped out by a late race caution period. That brought the Stewart brothers, Ryan and Willie, onto his tail, and it was Ryan who went for a do or die into the final turn. Wright was unceremoniously dumped in the Brown Trout Bend wall as Willie Stewart stormed past on the inside for a sensational title win. Ryan Stewart recovered for second ahead of Greer in third.

A great field of 22 Stock Rods took to the grid for the coveted William Cooke Memorial Trophy, held annually in memory of the expert Kilrea driver and engineer. Jonny Cardwell spent much of the opening heat alongside early leader Robert McIlroy, before he made the lead his own to record a great victory over the impressive Samuel Montgomery and Philip Wilson. Curtis Greer took the win in the second heat ahead of defending champ Stevie McNiece, with Irish Champion Victor McAfee in third.
Greer edged clear early on to lead the final, as McNiece, World Champion Marc Morrell and McAfee wrestled over second. Greer really had a stranglehold on this one, racing home to take the superb memorial trophy ahead of Morrell and McAfee.

Saturday night’s support action came from the Superstox with three highly entertaining races. The opener boiled down to a last lap shoot out between long time leader Keith McAreavey, Sean Mark and star man Lee Davison. Davison made his move into the final bend but the trio tangled, with Mark faring the best to get over the line for the win whilst the other two spun out in a truly remarkable finish! Chris McArdle and James Turkington filled the places, before Turkington landed the heat two spoils after the man that looked most likely, Davison, got a puncture within sight of the finish. Kyle Beattie and David Beattie filled the places. In the final Kyle Beattie dispatched big rival Davison early on, and looked really on song for the first time all night. The former Irish Champion scythed through the field to take a morale boosting victory, with David Beattie and a recovered Davison.

The sights and sounds of the Ford Escorts and Anglias of the Classic Hot Rods were in action on Sunday afternoon, with Anthony Morgan grabbing a heat and final double in his pristine Mk2 Escort. He took the final honours with a superb outside line run to pass both welcome Scottish visitor Trevor Harris and Liam Bushe. Harris was the other victor swooping past Bushe to the win as Morgan and Trevor Cusack squabbled behind.

Many thanks to our meeting sponsors, Corry Body Repairs, Clive Richardson Ltd & LJN Motorsport