Before the meeting commenced the new 1300 Stock Cars World Champion Curtis Greer was given a tremendous ovation from the home fans as he showed off his trophy and the gold roof after his big win recently in England. The first heat saw Graham Meek relieve Ty Richardson of the lead to take the win, with Gareth Halliday in third. Heat two saw Cullybackey’s David Wilson lead for much of the distance, before star man Matthew Milliken burst through to the win on the final lap with Halliday following him through to second.
The final was arguably the race of the night, with some outrageous bumper work thrilling the fans lap after lap. Richardson held the lead for some time, before Josh McKinstry fired himself ahead. But that man Greer was coming into his own just when it mattered most, Curtis landing the perfect last bend hit to unseat McKinstry from the top spot and take a stunning victory. McKinstry and Richardson were next home ahead of Wilson and Meek from the midst of an enormous places battle.

A very healthy grid of Stock Rods included a formula debut for Neil Capper, as young gun Harry Minish cruised to the heat one win over Mark Foster and Callum Magill. Heat two was another superb race, with Samuel Murphy just holding off the advances of the evergreen Victor McAfee to take the chequers.
The final saw Murphy hit the front early on, before Irish Open Champion Foster snatched the lead on the ninth lap. Mark had to withstand the advances of Minish all the way to the flag, soaking up the pressure to take the silverware after a fine drive indeed. Behind runner up Minish, Sam McNeice, Stevie McNiece and Jonny Cardwell filled out the places.

Completing the programme were the Lightning Rods where Stuart Agnew found a way past Ethan Dilly late on the take the win in heat one. 16-year-old Tom Hewitt, fresh out of Junior Productions, was the star man in heat two as he held off Agnew and Mark McBurney to take a very impressive victory.
The final saw a battle royale between the top runners McBurney, Dilly and Agnew. There was a late shuffle of the places as Dilly came through to take the flag, but he was docked for contact on McBurney which handed the win to Agnew which will see the former World Cup holder return to the star grade for the next meeting. McBurney was second, with Dilly having to make do with third for his efforts.

Some of the closest racing of the night came from the Thunder Rods, with Joshua McMullan taking the opening heat ahead of Joe Largey and James Goldie, before Jason Darragh grabbed the heat two win ahead of Adam Graham and Goldie.
The final was arguably the race of the night, with Graham out front but with a pack of ten cars or more right on his case. It was fantastic stuff, with Graham managing to break clear late on to seal the Tullyroan Challenge Cup victory. The huge places battle went right to the wire, with McMullan snatching second ahead of Goldie, Mark McLaughlin and Adam McKinney at the end of a great night of racing from the formula.

The Superstox saw welcome returns to action for David McMenemy, Andrew Murphy, Dean Catherwood and Paul Crawford which helped boost the grid. Ethan Martin impressed on his way to the heat one victory, coming home ahead of McMenemy and Gerard Hartley, before European Champion Steven Haugh grabbed the heat two win after relegating McMenemy late on.
Novice grader Jonathan Crawford quickly settled into the lead in the final, and was driving superbly to open up a gap out front. With the others struggling to make inroads into his advantage, he looked a cert to take what would have been a career first feature race win. But with only a few laps left he picked up suspension damage after clipping the wall, which opened the door for Stephen Stewart to steal through and collect the trophy. World Champion Jordan Robinson and McMenemy filled the top three, with Crawford struggling home in seventh after an impressive drive that promised so much more.

A depleted field of Unlimited National Bangers did their very best to entertain, with David Gurney leading the DMC Gold Cup race for much of the way. He was stopped in his tracks on the last lap by Steven Reynolds, allowing Leonard Dunn to hit the front. But Leonard had clipped the melee of the Gurney/Reynolds incident sustaining suspension damage, and as he struggled around the final bend Stevo McGrath sneaked past to take a very fortunate victory.
The opening Allcomers fell to Daryl Gilshenan, before he repeated the feat in Allcomers 2. The Destruction Derby went the way of McGrath, after he stopped both Jake and Steven Reynolds to take the win.

junior Productions
The first ever National Championship for the Junior Productions was their feature race, and the teenagers all drove superbly over the weekend to provide some great racing. The heats fell to Antrim’s Leyton Hughes, Portadown’s Jack Morrison and Banbridge driver Noah Teggart to set up a titanic battle for the Cherry Pipes National Championship and the right to wear the gold roof for the next twelve months.
Morrison got the jump at the start of the National title race, with Hughes keeping a watching brief from close quarters. There was heavy backmarking traffic ahead, and as Morrison made the slightest of hesitations, Hughes pounced to grab the lead. Leyton stormed home over the remaining laps to take the title, celebrating by climbing onto his roof in front of the packed stadium! Morrison was a gallant runner up after a sterling drive, with Andrew Russell from Donegal in third ahead of Ryan Berry, Casey Cherry and Teggart.
Sunday’s Irish Open Championship saw heat wins for Hughes, Russell and Morrison, before Hughes was again the man on a mission as he took the honours in the title race ahead of Russell, Berry, Morrison and Teggart.

National Hot Rods
The elite National Hot Rods were in action on Sunday for the first round of the 2025/26 World Series NI. Portadown’s former World Champion Glenn Bell gave a dream debut to his stunning new Ginetta by taking the first heat win over Allen Cherry and James Mooney, before Thomas Dilly drove superbly on a slippery track to take heat two by a whisker from Adam Maxwell and Bell.
Bell was back in control in the final, streaking clear and taking a decisive win despite what looked like some mechanical issues nearing the end. Cherry was runner up once again, with Derek Martin and Shane Murray taking third and fourth.

Lightning Rods
The Lightning Rods formula were contesting the European Cup, with the excellent heats falling to Meath’s Jake Morgan and World Cup holder Mark Corry of Portadown. The European Cup final was totally dominated by Waringstown racer Ross Houston, as he pulled well clear to record an emphatic victory. Nigel Jackson came through to second having started at the rear after an engine change after an opening heat failure. Mark McBurney was another to impress in third place after a stirring debut drive.
Sunday’s NI Open saw heat wins for Jackson and Corry, before Jackson went on to dominate the final, taking the win at ease ahead of Stuart Agnew and Corry.

Stock Rods
A big field of Stock Rods contested the King of Aghadowey on Saturday evening, with the heat wins shared by Republic of Ireland drivers Declan O’Connor and Eogan Burke. The final saw Siobhan Martin lead from the off having qualified superbly on pole position, but she was caught out by an errant backmarker within sight of the flag which scuppered what looked like a nailed on victory. Armagh’s Mark Foster quickly capitalised to grab the win ahead of Dan Shannon and the recovered Martin.

The Tullyroan Challenge Cup for Unlimited National Bangers saw Steven Reynolds lead until Stevo McGrath came through to take the victory over Daryl Gislhenan and Reynolds. The opening Allcomers race saw a big crash on the Tullyroan Bend between Rodney Herron, Gavin Mulvey and Jake Reynolds, before Deano McGrath steamed in to destroy Mulvey’s car. Stevo McGrath once again took the win.
The second Allcomers saw David Gurney this time on the end of some big hits which he took admirably with a handshake afterwards. Stevo McGrath again took the win over Gilshenan and Gordy McKee, before Stevo also took the win in a somewhat tame Destruction Derby.

The final round of the NI Points Championship for 1300 Stock Cars saw some great racing in the battle for World Final qualification. Willie Taggart edged clear to win the opening heat ahead of a great places battle between Ryan Abernehy and David Wilson. Heat two saw a very lively encounter with blows being traded all around, and it was Abernethy this time who stole through for the win over Taggart and Matthew Milliken.
The final was arguably race of the night, with bumpers and places exchanged at will throughout. A late race caution only added to the drama, and from it all Taggart just got the edge to take the win ahead of Josh McKinstry and Milliken after a great night’s action.

Robert Nicholl was the star turn in the opening Thunder Rods heat, taking a clear win from Jason Darragh and Andrew McLean. Nicholl then repeated the feat in heat two to earn himself an upgrade, this time taking the chequers ahead of a great places battle that went the way of James Goldie.
The final saw a good early run out front for Brandon Kernohan, before Darragh relegated him to go to the head of the field. There was a fantastic places battle going on amongst a whole pack of cars, and as Darragh took a great victory it was McLean who snatched second ahead of Joe Largey and Nicholl.

Tipperary’s Jack Maher boosted the Lightning Rods field, with Jake Morgan grabbing the opening heat win after soaking up late pressure following a caution period. Nigel Jackson and Mark Corry were second and third in a blanket finish. Heat two saw an early battle between Gerry Rogers and Maher, before Ian Hobson marched past to take a welcome win over Ross Houston and Jackson.
Maher led the final early on, with Morgan running second, but Jackson hit the outside line, as he often does, and dragged himself to the lead in tremendous fashion. Nigel took a great win over Maher, Morgan and Corry.

Ryan Abernethy was the winner of a keenly fought opening heat for the Junior Production, as he took the chequered flag in front of Jamie Hadden and Charlie Johnston. There was then a great finish to heat two, as Hadden went one better to take a deserved victory by the slenderest of margins over Abernethy and the fast charging Jack Morrison.
The final saw Caolan Fegan and Abernethy have spells out front, before a couple of late yellow flag caution periods bunched the field up for the final few laps. Step forward Irish Champion Leyton Hughes, who roared around the outside to take the flag and seal his NI Points Championship victory in the best possible way. Abernethy and Ryan Berry completed the top three, ahead of Ryan Jackson and Morrison.

A pleasing field of Thunder Rods took to the grid for their opening heat, with Jordan Nicholl taking a great win over Jason Darragh and Jason McMullan. Heat two saw another runaway win, this time for Robert Nicholl, with McMullan and Brandon Kernohan chasing him home.
The final saw Robert Nicholl work his way ahead early on, but he couldn’t withstand the charge of Joshua McMullan from the star grade as he swooped past to take a very impressive win. James Goldie came through for second ahead of Nicholl and Johnny Gillespie.