The all action 1300 Stock Cars traded blows all evening as they contested the Tullyroan Challenge Cup. Matthew Milliken made good his escape to win the opening heat ahead of Jonathan Brown and Jon McQuillan, before Matthew repeated the dose in heat two to take another fine victory, having staved off a last bend do or die attack from Brown.

Milliken got ahead early in the Challenge Cup final as the others all tripped over each other as the bumpers went flying in early on. Brown and McQuillan broke free from the pack and gave chase to the leader, with Brown punting Milliken wide with just a handful of laps to go to claim a great win. The sixteen year old really is making a name for himself in the senior ranks. Robbie Wright stole through late on to grab second ahead of McQuillan and Jonny Patterson.

Another fine field of 2.0 Hot Rods saw a formula debut for Jordan McCann amongst the twenty strong grid. Donegal based rally preparation expert Trevor McConnell led them away in the opening heat on only his second meeting on the ovals, and he held on superbly well until well past half distance. Cullybackey’s Curtis Greer stepped out of the pack to challenge McConnell, Curtis swooping right around the outside to take the win over Allen Cherry and Denver Grattan. McConnell once again led them away in heat two, and again he held sway until well after the half way mark. This time it was Banbridge driver Grattan who surged past to take the lead and the win over Cherry and Greer.

Cherry was the first to break clear of the pack and give chase to McConnell in the AMK sponsored final. Trevor proved a tougher nut to crack this time, but Cherry soon powered clear after a fine outside line pass. There was to be no stopping the local Tullyroan driver, with Allen taking the win just ahead of Greer, Jordan Rochford and Grattan.

Many thanks to our meeting sponsors, AMK Fruit & Veg

Also contesting their King of Aghadowey title were the Superstox, which included Scottish star Dean Johnston amongst a very strong grid. Brian Lammey and Del McLaughlin had spells out front in the opening heat, before Steven Haugh powered through to take the win over Jordan Robinson and Sean Mark. McLaughlin led the majority of heat two, before Robinson this time sliced through to the chequered flag out front, with McLaughlin and Haugh filling out the places.
The closed grid final was always going to produce fireworks, and that it certainly did. Right from the off Robinson and Irish Champion Kyle Beattie traded blows, and the lead, on several occasions in a terrific scrap. Ed Davis was playing a watching brief in third but just couldn’t get past the lead duo. Finally Robinson managed to break clear, and Jordan romped home to a decisive and pleasing win, with Beattie and Lee Davison filling the places on the podium.

Twenty 2.0 Hot Rods blasted off the grid for their opening heat, with Ryan McCrory taking victory over Curtis Greer and Conor Hughes in a race littered with incidents, crashes and caution periods. The standards were much improved in heat two, with McCloy out front before Hughes burst past to take the win over McCloy and Greer.
McCloy set a great pace out front in the Darrell Hanna Auto Repairs Final, but as the closing stages approached he had his mirrors full of the closing pack. Hughes tried the difficult outside line but couldn’t make it stick, before Denver Grattan and Greer then tried but couldn’t unsettle the leader either. Having looked as if his chance was gone, Hughes worked his way back to second and this time he did find a way past the resolute McCloy to take a very impressive victory indeed. McCloy had driven a great race but had to make do with second, ahead of Adam Best, Grattan and Jordan Rochford.

A huge field of 23 Thunder Rods took to the circuit for their opening heat, with Ryan Nixon grabbing the win over Simon Lamont and Sam Preston on a very busy raceway indeed. Nixon repeated the feat in the second heat, taking another great win over Simon McLaughlin and Adam Graham.
The final was dramatic to say the least, as Nixon fought off allcomers as he chased his hat-trick. The experienced Norman Purdy was the one heaping on most of the pressure, and on a couple of occasions he almost found the gap that would have netted him the win.
Purdy eventually did find that gap into the Brown Trout Bend, but he and Nixon tangled for the lead which saw Simon Lamont just nip past into the top spot. There then followed a huge crash, as Graham Young blew a radiator hose at the end of the back straight, and on the resultant fluid a whole host of cars ploughed headlong into the wall. Thankfully everyone escaped uninjured, and the result was declared on the last completed lap as there was only a lap or so to run. Lamont therefore took the silverware by the narrowest of margins over Purdy, Darryl McAleese and Jason Darragh.
Pics by John Wolsey

Many thanks to our meeting sponsors, Darrell Hanna Auto Repairs of Limavady